Rosa Maria de Castro Fernandes Vasconcelos is an Associate Professor at the Department of Textile Engineering since 2005. Degree in Textile Engineering by the University of Minho (1984). Professor at the University of Minho since 1984. PhD in Engineering –Technology and Textile Chemistry by the University of Minho in 1993.  

Received the Rieter Award, 1993. Responsible for several curricular units in the integrated study cycles in Textile Engineering and Engineering and Industrial Management, in the 1st cycle course of Design and Fashion Marketing, in the 2nd cycle courses of Fashion Design and Communication, Textile Chemistry, Advanced Textiles and Design and Marketing and also in the PhD of Textile Engineering and in the PhD of Fashion Design. Integrated researcher at 2C2T Research Centre (UM), being responsible for the supervision of several postgraduate students and the coordination of several R&D projects, mainly in the Engineering Education as well as Textile Technology. As main author or co-author presented many dozens of scientific journal papers and communications in international conferences.

The strategic academic leadership and management experience was acquired across her mandate in the following positions:
President of the Engineering Council Courses (1996-2011)
President of the Pedagogical Council of the School of Engineering and Vice-Dean of the School of Engineering (2011-2019)
Minho University Student Ombudsperson since 2019

2023-2024 Vice President for Membership and Geographic Activities Position Statement:

The efforts of my academic career are heavily focused on both the research and implementation aspects of engineering education. I aim to understand how engineering students at all levels can best be prepared for dynamic and fulfilling careers. I hope to serve as VP MGA because the Society is in a position to impact how engineering education evolves to meet ever-changing workforce needs and student populations. I am passionate about elevating the importance of engineering education research and of documenting and sharing best practices. I aim to help create mechanisms for sharing knowledge across institutions, particularly as that knowledge relates to broadening the diversity of engineering graduates and serving students who arrive in engineering programs via non-traditional pathways. In addition, I aim to help build connections between education researchers, educators, and practitioners such that advances in electrical engineering education can be both transformative and practically applicable. The Society and IEEE during these two last years faced some significant challenges due to the pandemic situation.
Diversifying its membership, exploring new ways of working and ensuring that we collaborate with other educational areas of IEEE such as the Educational Activities Board will be crucial to its future success With the experience I acquired during these years, I believe I am in a position to give a positive contribution to the Education Society, specifically in the field of Engineering Education whose challenges are enormous in today's world.