CMU Portugal Academy

👉 Meet the Faculty from the CMU Portugal Academy advanced programs!

Sandra Gama is an Assistant Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, where she lectures and supervises projects on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Multimedia Content Production, Information Visualization and BCI (Brain-Computer Interfaces).

Sandra at CMU Portugal Academy coordinates the Information Visualization exploratory module, transversal to all the three advanced programs, where data types and appropriate visualization techniques are explored, including interactive aspects and visual perception principles, leading master visualization tools and techniques for storytelling, handling complexity, and visualizing uncertainty.

Sandra is also a senior researcher at INESC-ID and Head of the HUMAN Lab at the GI group, and also interested in Gamification in Education.

“Being part of CMU Portugal Academy has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The advanced programs emphasize the importance of fostering collaborations across diverse institutions and disciplines, advancing innovation and knowledge. Having students from varied backgrounds enriches the environment, driving creativity and problem-solving. Witnessing the synergy of expertise coming together is inspiring and reaffirms the value of interdisciplinary connections", Sandra Gama summarized about the CMU Portugal Academy.

👉 Meet the Faculty from the CMU Portugal Academy advanced programs!

Sónia Rafael is the Coordinator of the AI FOR USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN ADVANCED PROGRAM at CMU Portugal Academy. Sónia holds a PhD in Communication Design from Belas-Artes ULisboa, a Master’s degree in Communication, Culture and Information Technologies Sociology from Iscte - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design from Belas-Artes ULisboa.

Sónia Rafael is a researcher at Interactive Technologies Institute / Instituto Superior Técnico and fellow of Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT). Sónia also co-supervised the Pedagogical Innovation Project Senior Capstone Project at IST, as well as research projects in Communication Design, Interaction Design, UX/UI, and New Media. She has been an Invited Assistant Professor and Lecturer at Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa and Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa.

Sónia is an Assistant Professor in Communication Design at Belas-Artes ULisboa, and also collaborates in the PhD Programme in Sustainability Science and in the Master’s in Interaction Design at the FA.ULisboa.

Sónia is passionate about art and design and has developed professional work as a designer, interaction designer, and creative director in national and international companies and studios.

👉 Meet the Faculty from the CMU Portugal Academy advanced programs!

João Ferreira spent over two decades solving complex real-world product challenges, designing for startups and tech giants like Google, Samsung, and currently Nokia at the front line of AI innovation, while empowering the next generation of designers.

João is a UX Design Leader and Interaction Design Professor at Universidade de Lisboa. The AI era brings immense opportunity, but tools alone don't build great product experiences. In the AI FOR USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN ADVANCED PROGRAM, João will bridge his hands-on industry expertise with academic teaching to help professionals to leverage AI as a powerful tool to supercharge their design workflow, while remaining firmly anchored in human-centered principles, strategic thinking, and ethical decision-making.

João approaches teaching just like life: with relentless curiosity, a passion for giving back, and a desire to connect. Every person brings a unique perspective to the table, and João can’t wait to hear yours as we start a real conversation about the future of design.

To fuel his creativity and recharge, we can often find João riding with his cycling team, making music, or behind (one of many) cameras.

👉 Meet the Faculty from the CMU Portugal Academy advanced programs!

Paulo Marques is an entrepreneur, engineer, and investor.

Paulo co-founded Feedzai, where he served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for 13 years, leading its product and technology strategy, and where he still serves on the board of directors.

Paulo taught in the United States, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia, and many years ago, helped to set up the computer engineering course in East Timor.

Paulo was co-Director of the CMU Portugal Program in Software Engineering, having a dual appointment as professor at Carnegie Mellon University and at the Universidade de Coimbra.
More recently, he’s one of the founding partners of TUMO Portugal, a revolutionary school for kids aged 12 to 18, covering the interconnection between creativity and technology, and currently a Scientific Director of the CMU Portugal Program and an early-stage investor in several technology companies.

Paulo holds a PhD in Distributed Systems, and has authored over 40 peer-reviewed papers as well as a book.

In his free time, Paulo enjoys flying planes and having a small (quite fast) one, and driving, leading him to travel the roads of Mozambique in a 4x4.
A fan of astronomy, he loves the sky, and photographing it, as well as everyday things.


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👉 Meet the Faculty from the CMU Portugal Academy advanced programs!

Patrícia Cadete is a marketing professional with a background in Journalism, Communication and Creative Brand Development.

Patrícia led the Product Management Employee Experience, being responsible for the strategic planning and ex*****on in 4 key areas: learning and development, internal communications, brand awareness and team morale and engagement.

Although Patricia is no longer a journalist and no longer tells stories every day, she still desperately needs to explore her more creative side. She finds it in her hobbies: painting, drawing, crocheting, sewing, ceramics… she's tried a little bit of everything!

When she's not inventing something to do, she enjoys traveling, cooking with her family (often inspired by cookbooks by chefs she admires), and enjoying a good dinner with friends.
Mother of two children and one Australian Shepherd, Patricia is now the Product Operations Manager at OutSystems.

👉 Meet the Faculty from the CMU Portugal Academy advanced programs!

Diogo Rendeiro is a serial innovator and product leader with 15+ years experience in B2C & B2B.

One of the AI PRODUCT MANAGEMENT ADVANCED PROGRAM Coordinators at CMU Portugal Academy, Diogo is passionate about co-creation, lean methods and iterative development.

Diogo has a successful track record of discovering and delivering innovative software products to the market. Focused on leveraging emerging technologies, Diogo led Product Teams at several Unicorn Startups (Zalando, Feedzai, Outsystems, and Usercentrics), where he built and scaled innovative AI-driven products.

Diogo enjoys discovering new signature cocktail bars, especially for savory drinks with unusual ingredients, and recently, started to collect vintage watches. Eager to experience new cultures, traveling to Diogo is a must, Vietnam being the last trip, and the next one will be Crete.

Today, Diogo is the VP Product at Enginy.

Get to know the AI FOR USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN ADVANCED PROGRAM One Page Memo! 👌

👉 Join the Evolution of AI for User Experience Design!

Develop expertise in UX research, interaction design, and implementation. Design user-centred experiences from insight to functional prototype, using AI-assisted research, rapid prototyping, and vibe coding.

🧩 Work with contemporary UX tools and real-world case studies from digital product ecosystems
🗫 Interactive learning, expert-led sessions, and real-world applications
🏆 Tailored for professionals seeking to deepen their UX and service design expertise. UX/UI Designers, Graphic Designers, Web Developer, Product Designer, Service Designer and Software Engineer working on front-end & UI
✍🏻 One Bootcamp, 3 Core Modules, 5 Exploratory Modules, and a Capstone Project to apply the knowledge in teams, to create intuitive, diverse and user-friendly experiences

Don’t miss it and apply here 👉 https://app.santanderopenacademy.com/pt/program/ai-for-user-experience-design-advanced-program

Get to know the AI, DATA SCIENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING ADVANCED PROGRAM One Page Memo! 👌

👉 Join the Transformation of AI, Data Science and Machine Learning!

Gain core skills in data acquisition, preprocessing, statistical analysis, and machine learning algorithms, becoming proficient in essential data science tools and techniques to extract insights and build predictive models.
The course offers a hands-on approach, exposing students to a diverse set of content through cutting-edge methods and tools, seeking to transition into AI, data science, or machine learning to drive business success through data-driven insights.

🤖 Real-World Case Studies enabling participants to apply their new skills to real-world data science challenges
🧮 Tailored for Data Scientist & Analysts, AI & Machine Learning Engineers, Software Developers in AI, Big Data & Cloud Engineers, Researchers in AI & Data Science, and Business Analysts using AI for insights
⚙️One Bootcamp, 3 Core Modules, 5 Exploratory Modules, and a Capstone Project to apply the knowledge in teams, merging theory with practice, as teams will tackle real-world challenges from top industry partners, developing innovative solutions in their field

Don’t miss it and apply here 👉 https://app.santanderopenacademy.com/pt/program/ai-data-science-&-machine-learning-advanced-program

Get to know the AI PRODUCT MANAGEMENT ADVANCED PROGRAM One Page Memo! 👌

👉 Join the Revolution of AI-Powered Product Management!

Become a PM Builder by leveraging AI platforms and autonomous agents all along the PM process, from discovery to delivery. Learn from industry experts and academic leaders. Focus on value creation, experimentation, orchestration, validation and growth.
AI can empower, but humans must lead. Learn how to manage your product team, lead in a rapidly changing market, collaborate effectively, innovate faster, and achieve outstanding results. Join now to elevate your product management skills.

🤳 Real-World Case Studies from Unicorn Companies
📐 Tailored for Product Managers, Entrepreneurs, Product Leaders, Engineers, Project Managers, Data Analysts and Designers, committed to becoming builders, driving innovation, growth, and impact
✍🏻 One Bootcamp, 3 Core Modules, 5 Exploratory Modules, and a Capstone Project to apply the knowledge in teams, developing new products concepts for a start-up, defining a growth strategy for an existing product, or crafting an innovative approach for a mature product

Don’t miss it and apply here 👉 https://app.santanderopenacademy.com/pt/program/ai-product-management-advanced-program

With another remarkable chapter completed, we proudly celebrated the 2nd Official Graduation Ceremony of the CMU Portugal Academy Advanced Programs!! 🎓

It was inspiring to once again bring together our students, faculty, partners, industry leaders, and guests to celebrate not only academic achievement, but also a shared commitment to innovation, lifelong learning, and impact. ✨

Congratulations to our newest CMU Portugal Academy Alumni. Your dedication, curiosity, and ambition have brought you here, and we are excited to see how you will shape the future of your organizations, industries, and communities. 🚀

Thank you to everyone who made this milestone possible. Here's to the connections built, the knowledge shared, and the exciting journeys ahead.

Godspeed to you all! 🎉