Dr. Helena Freitas
Helena Freitas is Full Professor of Biodiversity and Ecology at the University of Coimbra and was awarded the EEF Ernst Haeckel Award for her contributions to European ecological science in 2024. At present, she serves as the Coordinator of the Center for Functional Ecology, overseeing initiatives at the intersection of science, societal wellbeing, and environmental sustainability. Her expertise encompasses a wide array of scientific areas, including Mediterranean ecosystems, agroecology, conservation biology, microbial ecology, and environmental policy. Currently, Helena has been fostering applied ecological research, leading several EU projects in agroecology, the agrifood sector and landscape management. She has held the UNESCO Chair in Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development since 2013. Helena has served in management and political roles and held key positions in environmental organizations, as founder and president of the League for the Protection of Nature and of the Portuguese Society of Ecology, and as vice-president of the European Society of Ecology. Acknowledged for her many contributions, she has received numerous honours, including the Comenda of the Order of Infante D. Henrique in 2000 and the Inspiring Portugal Award for Personality of the Year in Sustainability in 2022.