Isabel Vaz de Freitas | History | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Environmental Scientists

Prof. Dr. Isabel Vaz de Freitas | History | Best Researcher Award

Full Professor, Portucalense University, Portugal

Prof. Isabel Vaz de Freitas is a distinguished Full Professor at Portucalense University 🇵🇹, with a PhD in History and a deep-rooted academic journey in heritage, culture, and tourism. She leads the Department of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture and coordinates various undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. An active researcher with REMIT and CIAUD-UPT, she also collaborates with projects in Portugal and Spain. Her work spans landscape, territorial development, medieval studies, and cross-border cultural dynamics, making her a prominent voice in European heritage academia 🌍📚.

Profile

Scopus

🎓 Education

Prof. Freitas has an impressive academic trajectory, starting with a Bachelor’s degree from Universidade Portucalense in 1988 🎓, a Master’s from the University of Porto in 1993 📖, a PhD from Portucalense University in 2001 🧠, and achieving Aggregation from the University of Porto in 2016 🏛️. Her scholarly foundations support her prolific contributions to cultural and historical research.

💼 Professional Experience

With over three decades of academic service, Prof. Freitas has held roles from Guest Assistant Professor to Full Professor at Portucalense University (1991–present) 👩‍🏫. She has served as Head of Department since 2006 and has been actively involved in directing and coordinating heritage restoration and tourism initiatives. Her cross-border collaborations and project leadership have significantly advanced cultural studies in Portugal and Spain 🇵🇹🇪🇸.

🔬 Research Interest

Her research interests encompass medieval history, heritage preservation, landscape and water landscape analysis 💧🏞️, border studies, and peninsular cultural relations. Prof. Freitas emphasizes interdisciplinary and territorial valorization studies, contributing richly to projects addressing creative tourism, medieval fortifications, and sustainable development 🔍📜.

🏆 Awards and Honors

Prof. Freitas is a Correspondent Member of the Portuguese Academy of History 🇵🇹🏅 and has served on numerous scientific committees across Europe. She received funding from FCT Portugal and was honored by city councils and research institutions for her cultural promotion efforts. Her distinction as a leader in heritage research is reinforced by national and international accolades and academic appointments.

📚 Publications

“The Border and Water Landscape in the Iberian Peninsula” (2021), Journal of Heritage Studies – Link – Cited by 15 articles 📄

“Territory, Memory and Identity in Northern Portugal” (2019), Cultural Geography Review – Link – Cited by 20 articles 🗺️

“The Role of Heritage in Cross-border Cooperation” (2017), International Journal of Heritage and Sustainable Development – Link – Cited by 12 articles 🤝

“Medieval Tourism and Valorization of Historic Centers” (2015), Tourism and Culture Journal – Link – Cited by 9 articles 🏰

🏁 Conclusion

Prof. Dr. Isabel Vaz de Freitas is highly suitable for the Best Researcher Award. Her academic excellence, multidisciplinary and applied research in heritage and tourism, international engagement, and leadership in EU-funded projects position her as a leading figure in the Humanities and Social Sciences research landscape. While minor areas for broader outreach and metric-based validation exist, her overall contribution is both significant and impactful.

Marie Davidova | design | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Environmental Scientists

Dr Marie Davidova | design | Best Researcher Award 

research group leader, IntCDC University of Stuttgart, Germany📜

Marie Davidova is a systemic designer, architect, and researcher with a deep interest in post-anthropocene challenges, urban biodiversity, and more-than-human perspectives. She has had an extensive career in academia and research, working in various countries including Germany, the Czech Republic, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Her expertise includes codesign, prototyping, urban interventions, and tackling wicked problems through systemic design. Currently, she serves as an Independent Junior Research Group Leader at the University of Stuttgart.

Profile

Orcid

Education 🎓

Marie Davidova earned her Ph.D. from Czech Technical University in Prague in 2018, specializing in MOLAB. She also holds a Master of Architecture (MArch) from Arkitektur- og designhøgskolen i Oslo (2004-2007), focusing on architecture and design.

Experience 💼

Marie has held numerous prominent positions, including Lecturer at Cardiff University (2018–2021) and Main Investigator in several research projects at Technical University of Liberec. She is the founding member and chair of Collaborative Collective, z.s. in Prague, where she plays a key role as a researcher, fundraiser, and administrator. Marie’s experience spans teaching, architectural practice, and research in urban design, systemic approaches, and environmental practices.

Research Interest 🔬

Marie’s research interests focus on post-anthropocene futures, exploring urban biodiversity and the intersection of systems thinking with design. She works on understanding complex urban ecosystems through gigamapping and prototypical interventions, emphasizing co-design and systemic change in architecture and urban planning. Her recent work includes RP–29: COLife, a project on more-than-human ecosystems, addressing environmental sustainability and human-environment interactions.

Award 🏆

Marie has received multiple grants and awards, including the Urban Biodiversity Support Award (2023) and the Stuttgarter Change Labs Grant (2021-2022). Her work on urban ecosystems has been widely recognized and supported by both DFG and AHRC/DFG.

Publication 📚

“Codesigning More-than-Human Ecosystems with Social and Environmental Systems: The Gamification of NetWall and BioDiveIn” published in Land (2025). DOI: 10.3390/land14010165

“BioDiveIn”, presented at the Relating Systems Thinking and Design 12 Symposium (2024).

“COLife_05: Gigamap and Game Introduction” (2024) DataCite DOI

Conclusion

Marie Davidova is a highly deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award due to her exceptional contributions in systemic design, urban biodiversity, and post-anthropocene research. Her innovative approach to urban interventions and complex ecosystem modeling, coupled with her leadership roles and prestigious awards, positions her as a thought leader in architecture and environmental research. With a continued focus on enhancing academic visibility and expanding collaborative partnerships, she is poised to make even greater impacts in the field.