Albano Cavaleiro is Full Professor in the University of Coimbra, Portugal. In 1990, he received a Ph.D. from the same University on the field of Mechanical Engineering, with a thesis on the surface modification of materials by the sputtering deposition of thin coatings. Presently, he is head of the research group “Surface Engineering Group” of Centre for Mechanical Engineering of the University of Coimbra and head of the Laboratory of Tests Wear & Materials at Instituto Pedro Nunes.

His field of research and publications is related with the degradation and protection of materials, in the following fields: Materials and Surface Engineering, Structural transformations, Deposition and characterization of thin films, Tribology, Nanocrystalline and nanocomposite materials, Electrolytes for fuel cells, Biomaterials; Hard coatings, Mechanical characterization of thin films (depth sensing indentation), Corrosion and oxidation behaviour of thin coatings, Self-lubricating coatings.

He participated in more than 30 research projects from which he was scientific responsible in more than 20. He was invited for talks in about 30 international conferences. He supervises(d) 14 PhD students and have an extensive evaluating activity for national and international research agencies. He published more than 250 papers from which about 220 in international journals of SCI. He belongs to the executive committee of the Portuguese Materials Society since 2010. In 2013 he acted as Co-chair for EUROMAT, held in Seville.