Emília Rodrigues Araújo is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Minho (UMinho) and a researcher at the Research Center in Communication Studies.
She holds a PhD in Sociology and her main research interests include gender, diversity, social time, mobility, science, higher education, and innovation in teaching and learning. She has coordinated and participated in several national and international R&D projects, funded by institutions such as the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Commission.
Her publications include journal articles, book chapters, and conference presentations that include themes related to gender equality, diversity, and the sociology of science and education. At UMinho, she has also been involved in academic leadership and pedagogical innovation, promoting initiatives that link research with practice and that strengthen equity and inclusion in higher education.
Rosa Maria de Castro Fernandes Vasconcelos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Textile Engineering at the University of Minho (UMinho), where she has been teaching since 1984.
She completed her PhD in Engineering – Technology and Textile Chemistry in 1993, the same year she received the Rieter Award for her research in textile science. Over the course of her career, she has combined teaching, research, and academic management. She has coordinated courses at different levels of study, supervised projects in Textile Technology and Engineering Education, and published several scientific papers and conference presentations.
She has also taken on roles in academic governance, including President of the Engineering Council Courses (1996–2011), President of the Pedagogical Council, and Vice-Dean of the School of Engineering (2011–2019). Since 2019, she has been serving as the Student Ombudsperson at the University of Minho.In this role, she has participated in projects related to school dropout, aging in the teaching profession, diversity, and gender equality, and has co-authored publications on these topics.
