From computing and cybersecurity to wireless communications and industrial electronics, three Portuguese academics are contributing to the IEEE community through research, leadership and the dissemination of knowledge.

Portugal’s presence in the global engineering community is often measured through research papers, technological developments and international collaborations. But behind those achievements are people whose sustained work contributes not only to their fields, but also to the professional communities that bring engineers and researchers together.

Among them are Pedro Inácio, Rui Dinis and Luís Gomes, three Portuguese academics whose current IEEE roles and recognitions highlight different dimensions of technical excellence.

Pedro Inácio: Recognition for sustained contribution to computing

Pedro R. M. Inácio, researcher at the Instituto de Telecomunicações and professor at the University of Beira Interior, was named a 2026 IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Contributor.

The permanent distinction recognises sustained technical, professional and service contributions with an impact on the computing profession and the global computing community. According to the Instituto de Telecomunicações, the recognition is awarded annually to fewer than 0.5% of IEEE Computer Society members.

Inácio’s work sits at the intersection of computing, networks and cybersecurity. At the Instituto de Telecomunicações, he leads the Network Applications and Services research group in Covilhã. At UBI, his academic activities include teaching information assurance and cybersecurity, while he also serves in university leadership related to digital strategy, information management and human resources.

The recognition therefore reflects more than a particular research achievement. It represents a sustained contribution to technical knowledge, professional service and the wider computing community.

Rui Dinis: Taking Portuguese expertise to the lecture stage

In wireless communications, Rui Dinis represents another dimension of technical leadership.

Dinis is currently listed by the IEEE Communications Society as a Distinguished Lecturer, with his term effective through 31 December 2026. He is an Associate Professor at NOVA University Lisbon and a researcher at the Instituto de Telecomunicações.

His research focuses on signal processing techniques for wireless communications, including modulation, MIMO systems, equalisation, multi-user detection, channel estimation, synchronisation and positioning.

His role as Distinguished Lecturer places another emphasis on engineering excellence: sharing knowledge.

Through the Distinguished Lecturer programme, technical expertise is taken beyond the research laboratory and into international engineering communities. Dinis has delivered lectures covering subjects ranging from nonlinear effects in digital communications to massive MIMO and power-efficient wireless systems.

His career also includes editorial responsibilities across several major IEEE journals and involvement in the organisation of international IEEE conferences.

Luís Gomes: Leadership behind the conference ecosystem

The third frame of this story is Luís Gomes, Associate Professor with Habilitation at NOVA University Lisbon’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Gomes has built a long academic and research career around areas including Petri nets, model-driven development, embedded systems, automatic code generation, hardware-software co-design and cyber-physical systems. His Ciência Vitae record documents more than three decades of academic, research and technical activity, as well as an extensive publication record.

Within IEEE, his contribution also extends into organisational leadership.

Gomes was re-appointed IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Vice President for Conference Activities for the 2026–2027 term. The appointment places him within the Society’s leadership structure and connects his work directly to the international conference ecosystem through which researchers and engineers exchange knowledge.

His involvement with the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society is not new. IEEE IES has previously highlighted Gomes in its leadership and technical activities, including participation in discussions with chapters around global developments, challenges and opportunities.

Three careers, three forms of impact

The professional paths of Inácio, Dinis and Gomes are distinct.

One has been recognised for sustained contribution to computing and the wider professional community. Another takes advanced knowledge in wireless communications to audiences around the world. The third contributes to the leadership and organisation of an international technical society.

Yet their stories share a common element.

Technical excellence is not defined only by what happens in the laboratory.

It can be measured through the knowledge that is created, the students and researchers who are mentored, the communities that are strengthened, the conferences that connect people, and the ideas that move from one generation of engineers to the next.

Their achievements also provide a broader perspective on Portugal’s role in the IEEE ecosystem. Portuguese researchers are not simply participating in international technical communities; they are increasingly taking on positions where they help shape those communities.

From computing and cybersecurity, to wireless communications, to industrial electronics, these three careers illustrate different ways in which Portuguese expertise can contribute to the advancement of technology on a global scale.

And perhaps that is the real story behind the titles.

Not the title itself.

The years of work that made it possible.

IEEE Portugal recognises and celebrates the contributions of Portuguese professionals who continue to advance technology, knowledge and the engineering community at national and international level.