Susete Fernandes
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Susete Fernandes Researcher email: sm.fernandes@fct.unl.pt |
| Research Interests: bio-inspired cellulosic composites, cellulose, polymer science. | |
Short Bio
Susete Fernandes joined the Materials Research Centre (CENIMAT), a hub of the Associated Laboratory Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N) at the Nova School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon as a post-doctoral fellow within a research project in November 2010. Two years later, she was awarded a competitive Post-doctoral fellowship from FCT-MCTES. Recently, she became a Senior Researcher of the Materials Science Department of Science and Technology and the associated research centre CENIMAT/i3N. In November 2019, she was elected by her peers to be the researchers' representative in the Department of Materials Science council.
Susete Fernandes has extensive experience in polymers' syntheses and their functionalization (as polyolefins, cellulose nanocrystalline, and other cellulosic derivatives) and presents skills in several characterization techniques. In the last years, she has devoted her research interest to sculpting the flow of light with cellulosic-based materials derived from liquid crystalline phases to produce colour-generation systems with a bio-inspired optical response. To date, she participates, as a member or coordinator, on ten EU and national projects and two projects with industry. Susete Fernandes is the co-author of several peer-reviewed papers and book chapters.
She is also a member of the scientific committee of the Royal Society of Chemistry Chemical Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Interest group and Board Member of Sociedade Portuguesa de Cristais Líquidos. In addition, she is actively involved in disseminating Nanoscience and Condensed Matter through the scientific community by presenting systems derived from natural resources and engaging in conferences’ organization (Ex. RSC CNN symposiums and ILCC2022).
Current Research Interests: Structural colouration is one of the three ways through which Nature presents an astounding range of coloration. They can arise from the interaction of sub-micrometric structured surfaces with light and have proven to play a critical role in animal communication, mating, and camouflage. Inspired by Nature's structural coloration and its similarity with the chiral nematic liquid crystalline phase that some cellulosic derivatives present, her research studies are mainly focused on preparing new coloured-generating bio-inspired cellulosic composites materials. So, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms originating optical responses in Nature and mimic such structures at the nanoscale. These systems will allow obtaining cutting-edge products able to satisfy the demands of end-users' comfort using sustainable approaches.
She was, until February 2023, the principal researcher of the project NanoCell2SEC (Ref. PTDC/CTM- REF/30529/2017) that aims to create a platform of counterfeit-deterrence printable solutions derived from cellulose nanocrystals composites' structural colour.
As of March 2023, Dr. Fernandes has been selected as Invited Assistant Professor, affiliated with the Department of Materials Science.