17-11-2025
Fábio Brandão and Mariana Barrosinho, students of the Integrated Master’s in Micro and Nanotechnologies Engineering at NOVA FCT, were honoured during the 2025 World Materials Day celebrations. The ceremony, organised by the Portuguese Society of Materials (SPM) and the Order of Engineers, took place at the University of Beira Interior in Covilhã.
Fábio Brandão received the 1st SPM Prize for the Best Master’s Thesis, recognising his work titled “Polaritonic Crystal Resonances in Metallic Mesh Electrodes.” In his research, he proposed an innovative methodology for designing metallic nanomeshes with plasmonic and photonic properties, demonstrating performance superior to conventional Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) electrodes. This solution is more sustainable by replacing indium — a critical material — with precious metals.
Mariana Barrosinho won the 3rd Prize from the Order of Engineers for her thesis “Design and Implementation of a Programmable LDO Circuit using Oxide TFT Technology.” Her work was part of the European FOXES project, focused on developing an autonomous, compact, flexible, and eco-friendly power cube. She designed a programmable LDO regulator capable of providing three distinct voltages (1.2 V, 1.8 V, and 3.3 V) to power IoT circuits based on IGZO TFTs — a sustainable and highly flexible technology. This solution opens new possibilities for autonomous IoT systems in environmental, industrial, or infrastructure monitoring contexts.
These distinctions reflect the rigor, innovation, and excellence that characterize education at NOVA FCT. The national recognition of these works highlights the growing impact of research conducted at the school and the significant contribution of its young engineers to the technological and scientific advancement of the country.
