Bio
Graduation in Chemical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal, D.Sc, PhD and MSc in Materials Science from New University of Lisbon, Portugal. Nato/Invotan fellow at the Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée at Nice University in France.
Assistant Professor with Habilitation of FCT/UNL, Head of SBMG at CENIMAT and Vice-director of CENIMAT.
Member of Faculty Council and of the Scientific Committee of the Faculty.
Member of the Scientific Committee: 26th International Liquid Crystal Conference, Chairperson: 6th International Liquid Crystal Elastomer Conference, Member of the Steering Committee: International Liquid Crystal Elastomer Conference, Member of the International Advisory Board: 8th Ibero-American Workshop on Complex Fluids and their Applications.
Vice-president International Liquid Crystal Society (ILCS) 2016-2020.
Invited overseas lecturer by the British Liquid Crystal Society (2016)
Helena Godinho research is focused on several aspects of the molecular, mesoscopic (nano and micro scale) and macroscopic properties and behavior of soft materials and complex fluids, mainly liquid crystals (LCs) and cellulose-based systems (CBS). In addition she is interested in the modification, preparation and characterization of cellulose micro/nano rods. Considering the LCs as well as CBS and cellulose nano rods she is much involved in the study of their self-assembling, defects and photonic properties. Helena Godinho is also concerned in the use of liquid crystalline CBS for building moisture driven cellulose micromotors and electro-optical devices. The development and optimization of liquid crystal based light shutter sensors, which can be used as smart windows or dynamic scattering layers for solar cells are also among her main interests. She is involved in European as well as in National projects and at the present she is co-responsible for four PhD students and five Post-doctoral Fellowships.