Helena Madureira is geographer and holds a Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Porto. She is an associate professor at the Geography Department of the University of Porto and currently the Director of Master in Risks, Cities and Spatial Planning. She is an integrated member of CEGOT research unit. She is the author of more than 100 scientific publications, and she has been participating in several national and international projects. She has been invited professor in various international universities, reviewer in several journals and evaluator of national individual research programs. She is currently member of the Direction of the Portuguese Association of Geographers. Her main research interests focus on urban sustainability, urban environmental planning, urban climatology and landscape and spatial planning.