Margarida Mateus

Sofia Seca

Sílvia Martins Diegues

Sílvia Martins Diegues has been working in communication for more than 11 years. She has a master's degree in Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations and she has a degree in Communication Sciences from Universidade da Beira Interior. During her professional career she has worked in health, science and environmental communication. Currently, Sílvia is the Communication Manager at C5Lab.

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José Condeço

José Condeço completed the Degree in Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, in 1997. After, José spent some time in Denmark and Sweden gaining technical experience for nearly 6 years. Completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering (IST), in 2017. José already participated in several R&D projects involving Industry and the University. Nowadays, José is a Researcher, working in the field of CCU. For Carbon Capture, different approaches are under study. For Carbon Use, it is considered the carbon dioxide catalytic conversion (PtG and PtL route) of emissions from cement industry.

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Karyne Ferreira dos Santos

Karyne Ferreira dos Santos holds a Ph.D. (2021), a Master's degree (2016), and a degree in Civil Engineering (2013), emphasizing sustainable materials engineering and civil construction components. She was awarded a scholarship for her Ph.D. at the University of Brasília UnB, Brazil, where she spent two years at the National Civil Engineering Laboratory - LNEC, Portugal. Her Master's in Civil Engineering was done at COPPE, Latin America's largest center for research and education in engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro UFRJ, Brazil. Her research focuses on special concrete, such as 3D printed concrete, self-healing concrete, high-strength concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete, and refractory concrete. Additionally, she studies different types of cement, such as those with lower CO2 emissions. She is an active member of RILEM Technical Committees, PFC ( Performance requirements and testing of fresh printable cement-based materials) and 282-CCL (Calcined Clays as Supplementary Cementitious Materials), and a former member of the 261-CCF (Creep behavior in Cracked Sections of Fiber Reinforced Concrete) and SARCOS (Self-healing As prevention Repair of Concrete Structures). Also, she was a Substitute Professor at UFRJ, Brazil.

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Melissa Bacatelo

Melissa Bacatelo is currently working at C5Lab as a R&D Engineer with the mission to decarbonise the cement sector by 2050 via state-of-the-art technologies such as carbon capture utilisation and sequestration (CCUS) and green hydrogen to produce renewable natural gas. Simultaneously, Melissa is a PhD student in the Sustainable Energy Systems course under the MIT Portugal Program with a Materials Engineering background and experience in R&D Project Management in the railway industry.

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Samuel Pereira dos Santos

Samuel Santos studied Chemical Engineering at Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, where he was awarded his master’s degree on the subject of CO2 capture using aqueous amine solutions. At C5Lab, his work has been focused on the analysis of physical and chemical properties of concrete and the development of a number of case studies regarding the application of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) technologies in the cement industry. Currently, he is also finishing his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico.

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Adriana Dias

Adriana Dias. Master in Environmental Engineering at Faculty of Sciences and Technology of Coimbra University in 2013. PhD student in Civil Engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico of Lisbon University. Researcher at C5Lab – Use of recycled aggregates in concrete and other building materials. Research fellow in SmartCore project, at Coimbra University. Technical manager in an energy efficiency company in Lisbon. Internship in Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Product Declarations at CTCV, Coimbra.

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Ana Sofia Amorim

Ana Sofia Amorim is a Chemical Engineer, who studied in Instituto Superior Técnico and concluded her master’s degree in 2019. Her thesis dissertation, entitled “Modeling and Optimization of Vacuum Agitated Bed and Tumble Drying”, was conducted in an industrial environment, within Hovione. In March 2020, she joint c5lab, working as a researcher on modeling and optimization of the calcium looping process. The goal is to develop a scaled-up optimized model for a pilot plant unit. Currently, she is also a PhD student, on “Modelling and design of the calcium looping process for carbon capture”.

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Charles Cenci

Charles Cenci is a PhD student in Civil Engineering at the UCoimbra, focusing on the valorization of waste as construction material. Master by recognition at UCoimbra. Graduated in Civil Engineering at Unipampa. Hold a scholarship of the Tutorial Education Program; of the Materials Applied to Civil Engineering group; and of the Integrated Exploration of Energy Resources group. Worked in the following areas: recycled materials for concrete, refractory ceramics, asphalt pavement, hydraulic and energy efficiency.

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David Bastos

David Bastos complete the graduation in Technological Chemistry back in 2017 in Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, where he worked as an Investigator for CQE in the field of Molecular Thermophysics and Fluid Technology and Fluid Techno. After he started his Master Degree in Petroleum Engineering in Instituto Superior Técnico studying the development of new fuel or fuel additives, finishing course it in the following year. After many years of studying and few publications he now works as a Chemical Engineer for C5Lab in the field of CO2 capture in the cement industry.

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Filipa Clara Coimbra

Filipa Clara Coimbra is a Chemical Engineer who studied at Instituto Superior Técnico and completed her master’s degree in 2024. Her thesis dissertation, entitled “Introduction of Recycled Concrete Fines for Clinker Substitution in Cement”, was conducted in an industrial setting at SECIL. The project aimed to reduce the carbon footprint of cement production while promoting circular economy practices within the construction sector. In April 2025, she joined C5Lab to continue her research on Novel Cementitious Materials for Sustainable Construction Solutions, including the development of low-carbon binders, the use of alternative raw materials, and the exploration of emerging technologies such as carbon curing in cement production.

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Francisco Capucha

Francisco Capucha has a master’s degree in Materials Engineering and is specialized the field of Sustainable Development, namely Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment. Working as a researcher for C5lab with the goal of assessing the life cycle of cement to provide the Portuguese cement industry with eco-designed pathways to reach carbon neutrality.  He spent 1 year in the Netherlands as an exchange student in TU Delft and as an engineer trainee in the offshore engineering company 'Allseas'. Currently taking the PhD in Sustainable Energy Systems as part of his work for C5lab.

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Ghandy Lamaa

Ghandy Lamaa researches novel cementitious materials for sustainable construction. He holds a PhD from Instituto Superior Técnico, an MSc from University of Greenwich (London, UK), and a BSc from Beirut Arab University, all in Civil Engineering. Effective member of the Order of Engineers in Portugal. His PhD focused on cement-free, eco-friendly concrete with CO₂-capture. Has site supervision experience. Published in journals, books, and an industrial magazine. Presented at conferences and seminars and earned FCT doctoral scholarship.

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Gustavo Vargas

Gustavo Salinas Vargas is currently working as an R&D engineer at c5Lab - polycarboxylate ethers (PCE) polymers production. MSc in Environmental Engineering, Sanitary Profile, at the NOVA School of Science and Technology with the thesis’ title: “Life Cycle Assessment of a New Superplasticizer of Renewable Origin”. Has worked in various Waste Water Treatment Plant projects as an Assistant Sanitary Engineer and is now specializing in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Junior Researcher at Instituto Superior Técnico’s CERENA – Environment and Natural Resources’ Centre. His mother tongue is Portuguese and he is fluent in English and Spanish, with medium working proficiency in French and limited working proficiency in Italian.

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Javier Valencia

He is currently a PhD student at the University of Brasilia (Brazil) and the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). His research areas include sustainable construction, eco-efficient materials focused mainly on concretes with the use of chemically treated recycled aggregates in the mechanical and fracture properties. Author of several publications on sustainable construction. Participated in a FCT Project about concretes with addition of MgO as cement substitute. Currently is researcher at C5Lab.

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Luísa Marques

Luísa Marques is an researcher at C5Lab in CO2 Capture. Received the PhD in Chemistry in 2015 from University of Évora, aligned with Portuguese Technology Platform for Reduction in CO2 Emissions. Between 2016 and 2017, was management support at KIC InnoEnergy - International Affairs Office. Between 2017 and 2020, worked as post-doctoral researcher in LARSyS (LAboratory of Robotics and SYStems in Engineering and Science) in Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research (IN+), Laboratory of Thermofluids, Combustion and Energy Systems, at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon.

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Mahboobeh Attaei

Mahboobeh Attaei has PhD in Chemical Engineering and MSc in Material Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico. Mahboobeh has over 17 years of experience in quality control, quality management, risk assessment, and implementation of quality standards. She has been secretary of the R&D community, aiming at supporting energy industries. She dedicated 5+ years of her scientific endeavor to research in Chemical Engineering, focusing on “Novel Coating technologies.” Passionate for cutting-edge research drew Mahboobeh to C5Lab, where her activities concentrated on CCU.

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Maria Ana Benoliel

Maria Ana Benoliel is an Environmental Engineer, specialized in Environmental Management and Sustainability. She developed part of her Msc Thesis abroad, in an R&D centre in Brazil. After sucessfully defending her Thesis, Maria Ana continued to work as a researcher, first in Wavec Offshore Renewables and later in CERIS, IST, where she is currently developing her PhD Thesis as part of the MIT Portugal doctoral program. At C5lab, her research focuses on life-cycle assessment of concrete products.

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Miguel Monteiro

Miguel Monteiro is currently working on its Masters Dissertation in Chemical Engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico. The theme of this work is the development of new superplasticizers for the cement industry,Additionally, Miguel has participated in several university associations such as the "Chemical Eng. Students Association" and the "Mentoring Student Board", and investigated on themes such as "Biomass liquefaction for sustainable fuels", and "Thermodynamic properties of fluorated hydrocarbons". using carbon dioxide and renewable sources, comprising one of C5Lab's projects.

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Tiago Ribeiro

Tiago Ribeiro had finished Master of Science in Chemical Engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico, in Lisbon. When he had concluded his academic studies, in 2011, he has experienced profesional skills on industry (Iberol and The Navigator Company) and Research and Development, R&D, at Instituto Superior Técnico, where he had been for three years. In 2016, he had changed for Innovative Technology area, working as Quality Assurance Software Tester. In 2020, Tiago had returned to scientific area, working in a research project for C5Lab, at Cimpor.

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