Dr. Fernanda Ferreira is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (Portugal), where
she is engaged in research and teaching activities, under an individual contract funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science
and Technology (FCT). After completing a Masters in Civil Engineering (Bologna Integrated Master) at the Faculty of Engineering
of the University of Porto in 2010, she obtained a PhD in Civil Engineering from the same University (2016), which was developed
under a PhD grant awarded by the FCT. From 2016 to 2018, she was a Research Associate at the Centre for Geomechanics and Railway
Engineering of the University of Wollongong Australia. She has 14 years' experience in Civil Engineering research and her
main areas of interest and expertise include: (1) the reinforcement and stabilisation of earthen structures (e.g. soil retaining
walls, embankments, steep slopes) with geosynthetics; (2) the use of artificial inclusions (e.g. geosynthetics and rubber
energy-absorbing materials) for enhanced stability and longevity of transport infrastructures; and (3) the use of recycled
construction and demolition materials in Civil Engineering applications. She is the author/co-author of about 60 scientific
publications in international refereed journals and conferences and has actively attended relevant national and international
conferences since 2011. She is Editorial Board Member of prestigious international journals, such as Geotextiles and Geomembranes
(Elsevier), Geosynthetics International (ICE Publishing Ltd.), Sustainability (MDPI) and Frontiers in Built Environment (Frontiers
Media S.A.). Her scientific contributions have been recognised and awarded over recent years. In 2014, she was selected by
the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) as one of the ten participants of the inaugural "IGS Young Members Session"
held at the 10th International Conference on Geosynthetics (Berlin, Germany). In 2016, she was awarded an Honorable Mention
by the Portuguese Geotechnical Society at the 15th Portuguese Geotechnical Congress (Porto, Portugal). Also in 2016, she received
the "IGS Students Award" by the IGS during the 6th Asian Regional Conference on Geosynthetics (New Delhi, India). In 2021,
she was the recipient of the "Bright Spark Lecture Award" by the ISSMGE at the International Young Professionals Workshop
on Rail-Road Infrastructure (Sydney, Australia). Recently, in 2023, she was awarded the prestigious "Young IGS Award" by the
IGS during the 12th International Conference on Geosynthetics (Rome, Italy). She is a Member of the Portuguese Order of Engineers,
Portuguese Geotechnical Society, International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and International
Geosynthetics Society (IGS), as well as the Representative of the Portuguese Geosynthetics Society on the IGS Young Members
Committee since 2015.