13 Facts About Elvira Fortunato

Elvira Maria Correia Fortunato was born on 22 July 1964 and is a Portuguese scientist and minister of science and technology.

Elvira Fortunato is a professor in the Department of Materials Science at the NOVA School of Science and Technology and vice-rector of the NOVA University Lisbon.

In 2022, Elvira Fortunato was appointed Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education in the XXIII Constitutional Government of Portugal as an independent, succeeding Manuel Heitor.

Elvira Fortunato was born in Almada, and received her degree in Materials Science and Physics in 1987 from the NOVA School of Science and Technology and continued her graduate studies at the same university.

In 1991, Elvira Fortunato received her master's degree in Semiconductor Materials and in 1995, her Ph.

Elvira Fortunato joined the faculty at the NOVA School of Science and Technology in 1995 and became director of the Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodeling, and Nanofabrication in 1998.

Elvira Fortunato led a research team that achieved acclaim for inventing the paper transistor in 2008.

Elvira Fortunato is an elected member of Academy of Engineering, European Academy of Sciences, Lisbon Academy of Sciences, and Academia Europaea.

Elvira Fortunato has been the vice-rector of NOVA University Lisbon since 2017 and is in charge of coordinating the university's research.

Elvira Fortunato's research focuses on exploring new electronic active materials that are environmentally friendly and compatible with flexible electronics.

Elvira Fortunato pioneered European research on transparent electronics, namely thin-film transistors based on oxide semiconductors, demonstrating that oxide materials can be used as true semiconductors.

Elvira Fortunato has received national and international awards for her work.

Elvira Fortunato was the recipient of the 2020 Pessoa Prize, recognized as the most important award of the Portuguese culture.