Maria João Santos

Industrial Engineering and Management

The Centre for Industrial Engineering and Management (CEGI) is internationally recognised in the fields of decision science, optimisation, operations management and service engineering. The mission is to support organisations and communities in decision-making by harnessing the power of data to develop robust and sustainable solutions to complex problems. Research at CEGI focuses on real-world challenges like transport planning, supply chain management, healthcare service networks, industrial operations optimisation, disaster response and recovery, and the impact assessment of public policies. By resorting to Artificial Intelligence, data science and mathematical modelling, CEGI aims to understand system behaviours, improve process efficiency, increase organisational resilience, and anticipate the effects of decisions in uncertain contexts. CEGI operates across critical sectors including mobility, healthcare, retail, industry, energy, and services, focusing on digital transition and sustainability. We collaborate with academia, companies, municipal authorities, hospitals, and regulators, transforming scientific knowledge into applied solutions. We believe that evidence-based management is key to tackling the challenges of a constantly changing world.