On June 12, the Congress Centre of Instituto Superior Técnico welcomed researchers, students, industry partners and invited guests for idMEC Day 2026, a full-day event dedicated to celebrating the Institute’s scientific achievements, strengthening its connections with industry, and fostering dialogue across the diverse research areas that shape IDMEC.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from the President of Instituto Superior Técnico, Professor Rogério Colaço, and the President of idMEC, Professor Virginia Infante, who highlighted the importance of bringing the community together to reflect on the Institute’s achievements while looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The morning keynote was delivered by Prof. André Silva, President of AEROG, who shared his perspectives on the current landscape of aerospace engineering and innovation. The presentation sparked an engaging discussion with the audience, setting the tone for a day built around knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary dialogue.
Following a coffee break, the spotlight turned to the breadth of research developed across idMEC through the round-table session “Our Research at IDMEC”, moderated by Prof. Susana Vieira. Researchers representing the Institute’s research groups showcased how their work contributes to advancing engineering science and addressing societal challenges: Prof. Ivo Bragança – CTMGI; Prof. Manuel Sardinha – CPM; Inv. Francisco Branco – CEMF; Inv. Miguel Martins – CSI; and Professor Afzal Suleman – CCTAE.
Together, these presentations illustrated not only the scientific diversity within idMEC but also the common ambition to develop innovative engineering solutions with real-world impact.
After lunch, the focus shifted towards collaboration with industry. One of the highlights of the afternoon was the formal signing of the ISTrain cooperation protocol between Siemens and IDMEC, reinforcing the Institute’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that connect academic research with industrial innovation.
This was followed by the round-table “Our Industrial Collaborations at IDMEC”, moderated by Prof. Carlos Alves da Silva, bringing together representatives from FAN3D (Eng. Eurico Assunção) , Siemens Mobility (Eng. Sérgio Tomázio), TecnoVeritas (Eng. Jorge Antunes), Axians (Eng. Mateus Ribeiro e Eng. Luís Reis) and UAVision (Eng. Diogo Bravo). Through their presentations and the subsequent discussion, participants explored successful examples of technology transfer, collaborative research and the growing role of partnerships in accelerating innovation.
The exchange of experiences between academia and industry highlighted how collaborative ecosystems are becoming increasingly essential for transforming scientific knowledge into practical solutions that benefit society.
The day concluded with the plenary meeting of the idMEC Scientific Council, led by the President Professor Virginia Infante and Vice-President Prof. António Andrade, providing an opportunity for integrated members to discuss institutional matters and future strategic directions.
More than a scientific meeting, idMEC Day 2026 reaffirmed the Institute’s identity as a collaborative and multidisciplinary research community. By bringing together researchers at different career stages, industrial partners and institutional leaders, the event celebrated the excellence of idMEC’s research while reinforcing its commitment to innovation, knowledge transfer and the training of future generations of engineers.
