Rui Martins, vice rector of the University of Macau (UM), has been honoured with a national award in electrical engineering by the Ordem dos Engenheiros of Portugal in recognition of his significant contributions to the field of electrical engineering, as well as his efforts to promote the development of teaching and research in electrical engineering at UM and to facilitate industry-academia technology transfer.
Founded in 1936, the Ordem dos Engenheiros of Portugal presented awards for the first time this year to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in fields such as electrical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer engineering. Fernando de Almeida Santos, president of the Ordem dos Engenheiros of Portugal, said that Martins’ professional career, which spans more than 40 years, has been marked by his dedication to numerous technology transfer projects and collaboration with start-ups. Martins has played a pivotal role in serving as a bridge between academia and industry. The award recognises his contributions to the field of electrical engineering and underscores his dedication to teaching, research, and industry-academia collaboration.
Martins said that the award holds great significance for him, as it not only recognises his professional career but also represents the international recognition of UM’s academic standards and reputation.
Rui Martins is an internationally renowned expert in microelectronic integrated circuits, a life fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and an effective member of the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon. He has made many pioneering achievements in microelectronics and integrated circuit technology, as well as breakthroughs in wireless communication and high-precision, high-speed data converters. Martins is the author of 1,033 academic works and holder of 71 patents. He has received three distinguished awards from the Macao government: the Medal of Professional Merit in 1999 (from the Portuguese Macao government), the Honorary Title of Value in 2001 (from the Macao SAR Government), and the Medal of Merit in Education in 2021 (from the Macao SAR Government). He currently holds several positions at UM, including vice rector of the university, director of the Institute of Microelectronics, and chair professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Martins was granted special permission from the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon (where he currently serves as a full professor) in 1992 to teach and conduct research at UM, and has been serving as vice rector of UM since 1997. He has been dedicated to the development of the university, helping it grow from the ground up to become a world-class institution in scientific research, technology development, talent cultivation, and management. Martins has also long been committed to promoting and leading innovative research and the commercialisation of research results at UM. He is a co-founder of Chipidea Microelectronics (Macao) (now Silergy). Martins is also the founding director of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI at UM, Macao’s first state key laboratory in engineering, which has significantly enhanced Macao’s academic standing and international reputation in microelectronic integrated circuits. In addition, he actively promotes exchange and cooperation in the field, having served as vice chair of several IEEE societies, founding chair of the IEEE Macao Section, and chair of the Fellow Evaluation Committee of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society. Over the years, he has mentored many outstanding young pioneers in microelectronic integrated circuits in Macao, mainland China, and the rest of the world.
