Maria Reis is a Full Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at NOVA School of Science and Technology (NOVA FCT), Portugal. Her research activity is internationally recognized in the field of Environmental and Industrial Bioengineering, with a strong focus on the development of sustainable bioprocesses for the valorization of agro-industrial wastes into biopolymers and bulk chemicals, contributing to circular economy strategies.

She is the founder of the BIOENG – Bioengineering Research Group at NOVA FCT, which currently comprises 42 researchers and constitutes one of the most active and impactful groups in this area (http://sites.fct.unl.pt/bioeng/people/maria-m-reis).

Maria Reis has authored over 350 peer-reviewed scientific publications (h-index: 77), co-authored 18 book chapters, and delivered more than 200 invited and contributed oral presentations at international conferences. She is co-author of 10 patents (4 national and 6 international) and has coordinated 30 international research projects—20 of them in the last decade—as well as participating in 34 national projects, eight of which were co-funded by industrial partners, reflecting her strong engagement at the academia–industry interface.

She has extensive experience in advanced training, having co-supervised 30 PhD graduates and currently supervising 10 doctoral students. Her scientific and innovation capacity have been recognized through several awards, including the prestigious Solvay & Hovione Ideas Challenge (SHIC’08) – Solvay Prize. Maria Reis was elected to the Portuguese Academy of Engineering in 2009 and became an IWA Fellow in 2010. She also served for 20 years as Editor of Water Research (Elsevier), one of the leading journals in environmental sciences and engineering.