Suresh Kumar Jakka is a distinguished researcher and educator with over 13.5 years of expertise in luminescent materials and photonics. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from Sri Venkateswara University, India, focusing on rare-earth-doped materials and their optical properties, and currently serves as a doctoral researcher at the University of Aveiro (UAveiro), Portugal. He has published 67 peer-reviewed articles, five book chapters, and two edited books, with over 2,000 citations and an h-index of 26, reflecting his global influence. He has reviewed more than 60 articles in renowned journals. He has over six years of teaching experience, mentoring 14 students in Master's and Ph.D. programs while designing courses in spectroscopy, photonics, and materials science. He has spearheaded international collaborations, including projects under the France-Portugal Pessoa program and the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) mobility initiative, contributing to the development of rare-earth-doped glasses and low-cost sensors. With expertise in managing international projects, organizing conferences, and establishing advanced laboratories, his work spans cutting-edge research, global partnerships, and innovative education. His commitment to interdisciplinary advancements continues to drive significant contributions to science and education worldwide.
Pavani K is a research investigator at the Institute for Nanostructures, Nano modelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), the Department of Physics, UAveiro, Portugal. She initiated her research career with her Master's degree in Physics, specializing in condensed matter physics and applied spectroscopy. She further pursued an integrated Ph.D. (M.Phil + D.Phil) in 2010, focusing on photoluminescence properties of Eu3+ and Tm3+ doped calcium fluoroborate glasses and white light emission of certain co-doped rare earth ions in SrMg2La2W2O12 phosphors. During the period, she also engaged in teaching at the Bachelor's and Master's courses and worked as a senior research fellow. She possesses 11 years of post-doctoral experience, with expertise in rare earth spectroscopy and optical thermometry studies in glass, ceramics, quantum dots, and nano hybrid systems. She joined i3N as a post-doctoral fellow in 2014, working on four projects funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology and was later promoted to a fixed-term employment contract in 2019. She has seven years of teaching experience at the Bachelor's and Master's programs during her pre- and post-doctoral periods. She has authored 51 peer-reviewed articles, five book chapters, and edited two books, with over 1,000 citations and an h-index of 17. Her contributions to international conferences, workshops, and meetings include six keynote/invited talks, six oral presentations, 15 poster presentations (earning two best poster awards), three workshops, and participation in two schools. As a co-convener, she has organized international conferences and chaired sessions in various conferences. She is a guest editor for seven journals and a reviewer for 13 journals. Her international work includes five scientific expeditions in France, Lithuania, Poland, and India in 2016-2024, and an industrial collaboration. She was supported by an European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) bilateral grant in 2022 with the Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania, and is a member of a Portugal-France bilateral project in 2022-2025
Manuel Pedro Fernandes Graça holds his degree in Physics Engineering, Master's in Science and Materials Engineering, and Ph.D. in Physics through a collaboration between UAveiro and the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil. Following his doctoral program, he served as the Director of the Energy Department at Prirev-Surface Technology S.A., conducted research at UAveiro and i3N, and currently is currently an associate professor with habilitation at UAveiro. He specializes in solid-state physics, focusing on the electrical and magnetic properties of materials as well as the processing of micro- and nanomaterials. He has authored over 350 peer-reviewed articles, 30 book chapters, two books, and three patents or utility models, with over 7,000 citations and an h-index of 43. Since 2021, he has been recognized among the top 2% most influential scientists listed by Stanford University. He has supervised 56 postdoctoral researchers, 13 doctoral students, 39 Master's dissertations, and 55 international projects, and has served as a jury member in academic defenses and competitions. He edited the book "Electrical Measurements: Introduction, Concepts, and Applications" and contributed to the International Energy Agency's Task 39, co-chairing two international meetings. He has led nine funded projects, participated in eight others, and coordinated eight international collaborations with institutions across Europe, North Africa, India, and Brazil. At UAveiro, he developed courses such as Micro and Nano Processing Techniques in 2010-2019, Topics in Nanomedicine since 2019, and created the course of "Introduction to Nanomedicine" for international Master's students under the European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students. He has held key leadership roles as a member of the Physics Department Council, the Scientific Council of UAveiro, and as the coordinator of the Physics of Advanced Material and Devices (PAMD) group at i3N, overseeing five research lines and more than 85 researchers.
