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I hold a Bachelor's (2021) and a master’s degree (2023) in Civil Engineering, specializing in Urban Planning, Transportation, and Systems, from Instituto Superior Técnico at the University of Lisbon. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Engineering and Management at the same institution. For my master’s research project, I aimed to apply my passion for operational research to a high-impact issue. Given the urgency and significance of the COVID-19 pandemic, I chose to focus my master's research project on analysing its impact on Portuguese public hospitals. Specifically, I examined how the pandemic affected hospital performance and efficiency, while also improving benchmarking methods used in healthcare evaluation. My research introduced methodological innovations in benchmarking to enhance performance analysis. Additionally, I was able to draw conclusions and policy implications based on hospitals’ responses to the pandemic while also improving methodologies for constructing composite indicators. This work was recognized with a thesis grade of 19/20, reflecting my dedication and contribution to the field. My master’s research resulted in a publication in Health Care Management Science (Q1, open access, DOI: [10.1007/s10729-024-09693-4]), and a second paper currently in advanced stages of review in Operations Research International Journal. Additionally, this publication was selected for presentation at the 8th Annual RedeSAÚDE Conference, where I delivered a talk and presented a poster. I am now working on an upcoming paper that builds upon the methodology I refined during my master's thesis, integrating machine learning-based techniques with composite indicators to enhance the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Comparable to my master’s research, this work allows me to merge my PhD objectives with my passion for operational research, applying advanced analytical methods to a pressing global challenge. Specifically, we explore innovative ways to aggregate and compare environmental performance metrics across nations, ensuring that the EPI better reflects sustainability efforts and drives meaningful policy change. In parallel with my academic journey, I have gained practical experience in my field, initially working as an intern and later as an employee at a civil engineering firm. Currently, I am employed at a consulting firm, where I apply my expertise in data analysis, optimization, and management, while pursuing my PhD. This role also provides the financial support needed to fund my PhD and sustain myself throughout this course. Moreover, I am passionate about teaching and tutoring, having mentored over 20 students in subjects such as mathematics, statistics, and management, ranging from high school to graduate-level courses, for an average of 3–4 hours per week. Additionally, I was invited to serve as a teaching assistant for two graduate-level courses, Data Analysis and Systems' Evaluation (MSc) and Statistical Modelling (PhD), where I guided 15 to 20 students in practical sessions and project assignments, dedicating approximately three hours per week during two semesters. From the end of my master’s (12/23) to the start of my PhD (09/24), I actively prepared for my doctoral studies by defining my research theme and objectives, reviewing relevant literature, and peer-reviewing approximately four articles per year in my field, and have submitted a book chapter which has been accepted but still being published. I pursued this work during my free time while continuing to work (book chapter as part of the "Climate Change Management Series" https://www.springer.com/series/8740). My diverse background, which includes academic excellence, hands-on expertise, programming expertise (MATLAB, CPLEX, and Python, as I develop my own models and code), teaching and mentoring skills, coupled with my ability to adapt to new situations, make me an asset to any organization or team.
Identification

Personal identification

Full name
Guilherme Mendes Vara

Citation names

  • Vara, Guilherme

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
9612-F651-ECC1
ORCID iD
0009-0007-3742-2046

Email addresses

  • guilherme.vara@tecnico.ulisboa.pt (Professional)

Telephones

Mobile phone
  • 963999646 (Personal)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Social Sciences - Economics and Business - Econometrics
  • Exact Sciences - Mathematics - Statistics and Probability
  • Social Sciences - Economic and Social Geography - Environmental Sciences
  • Engineering and Technology - Civil Engineering - Transport Engineering

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2)
French Elementary (A2) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Elementary (A2)
Spanish; Castilian Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1)
Education
Degree Classification
2024/09/09 - 2028/08/01
Ongoing
Engenharia e Gestão (Doutoramento)
Major in Engenharia e Gestão
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
2021/09/24 - 2023/12/07
Concluded
Engenharia Civil (Mestrado integrado)
Major in Urbanismo, Transportes e Sistemas
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
"A comparison of additive and multiplicative benchmarking approaches, with optimistic and pessimistic viewpoints for assessing the performance of healthcare management units. The case of Portuguese public hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
16
2022/02 - 2022/07
Concluded
Programa Almeida Garrett (Outros)
Major in Economia
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
16
2022/03 - 2022/04
Concluded
CME Option Strategies Course (Outros)
Major in Financial Engineering
CME Group, United States
2016/09/16 - 2021/07/07
Concluded
Engenharia Civil (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
13
Affiliation

Teaching in Higher Education

Category
Host institution
Employer
2022/09 - 2024/02 Assistant (University Teacher) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution
Employer
2019/01/07 - Current Consultoria e gestão Rightdemand, Portugal
Rightdemand, Portugal
2021/10 - 2021/12 Engenharia Civil Proengel, Portugal
Proengel, Portugal
2019/07 - 2019/08 Engenharia Civil (estágio) Proengel, Portugal
Proengel, Portugal
2018/10 - 2019/03 Logística Neutron Holdings, Inc, Portugal
Neutron Holdings, Inc, Portugal
Outputs

Publications

Conference poster
  1. Vara, Guilherme. Corresponding author: Vara, Guilherme. "A COMPARISON OF ADDITIVE AND MULTIPLICATIVE BENCHMARKING APPROACHES, WITH OPTIMISTIC AND PESSIMISTIC VIEWPOINTS FOR ASSESSING THE PERFORMANCE OF HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT UNITS". Paper presented in 8ª CONFERÊNCIA ANUAL DA REDESAÚDE, 2024.
Journal article
  1. Guilherme Mendes Vara; Marta Castilho Gomes; Diogo Cunha Ferreira. "Assessing the performance of Portuguese public hospitals before and during COVID-19 outbreak, with optimistic and pessimistic benchmarking approaches". Health Care Management Science (2024): https://doi.org/10.1007/s10729-024-09693-4.
    10.1007/s10729-024-09693-4
  2. Guilherme Vara; Marta Castilho Gomes; Paulo Caldas; Miguel Varela; Diogo Cunha Ferreira. "Comparative Analysis of Additive and Multiplicative BoD Models in Healthcare Performance Evaluation". SSRN Electronic Journal (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4777886.
    10.2139/ssrn.4777886
Online resource
  1. Vara, Guilherme; Gomes, Marta Castilho; Diogo Filipe da Cunha Ferreira. Corresponding author: Vara, Guilherme. Optimistic and Pessimistic Benchmarking Approaches for Assessing the Performance of Healthcare Entities in Pandemic Times: The Case of Portuguese Public Hospitals Before, During, and After Covid-19 Outbreak. 2023. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4401834.
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "A comparison of additive and multiplicative benchmarking approaches, with optimistic and pessimistic viewpoints for assessing the performance of healthcare management units". 2023. https://fenix.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/cursos/mec21/dissertacao/1972678479056009.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2023/03/14 Programação Linear: Otimização Investigação Operacional
Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisboa, Portugal)
2022/12/15 ANALYSIS OF THE BIGGEST STOCK INDEXES: Principal Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis, and Multiple Linear and non-linear Regression analysis Análise de Dados e Avaliação de Sistemas
Instituto Superior Técnico (Lisboa, Portugal)

Event organisation

Event name
Type of event (Role)
Institution / Organization
2019/07 - 2019/07 Organização de seminário sobre topografia e métodos de georreferenciação (2019/07 - 2019/07)
Seminar (Co-organisor)
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal

Ad Hoc journal article review

Journal title (ISSN) Publisher
2024/01 - Current Socio-Economic Planning Sciences Elsevier
2023 - Current Socio-Economic Planning Sciences (1873-6041) Elsevier

Course / Discipline taught

Academic session Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2023/09 - 2024/02 Análise de Dados e Avaliação de Sistemas Engenharia Civil (Mestrado integrado) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
2022/09 - 2023/02 Análise de Dados e Avaliação de Sistemas Engenharia Civil (Mestrado integrado) Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal

Mentoring / Tutoring

Topic Student name
2021/11 - Current Matemática A Manuel Barbosa
2023/01 - 2023/02 Métodos Estatísticos Wagner Carvalho
2022/12 - 2023/02 Métodos Estatísticos João Melo
2022/09 - 2023/02 Métodos Estatísticos Alexandra Frazão
2022/09 - 2023/02 Métodos Estatísticos Paulo Rodrigues
2023/01 - 2023/01 Métodos Estatísticos André Gomes
2021/09 - 2022/02 Estruturas Metálicas, Resistência de Materiais 2 Francisco Soares
2021/02 - 2022/02 Gestão e Teoria da Decisão, Engenharia de Tráfego Rodoviário, Análise de Dados e Avaliação de Sistemas, Introdução aos Sistemas Yakil Mussagy
2018/09 - 2021/02 Investigação Operacional, Gestão, Matemática Computacional, Análise Complexa e Equações Diferenciais, Gestão e Teoria da Decisão, Probabilidades e Estatística, Introdução aos Sistemas de Informação Geográfica, Transportes Afonso Minderico
2019/09 - 2020/02 Gestão e Teoria da Decisão Diogo Rebelo
2018/09 - 2019/07 Resistência dos Materias, Estática, Gestão Joana Pernes
2018/02 - 2019/06 Gestão, Matemática Computacional, Investigação Operacional, Probabilidades e Estatística Joel Wang
2018/02 - 2018/02 Investigação Operacional, Matemática Computacional, Análise Complexa e Equações Diferenciais Filipe Farinhas
Distinctions

Award

2020 Diploma Mérito Académico
Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal