Isabel Barreto Fernandes has a PhD in Design from Aveiro University, Portugal with the doctoral thesis: "Design of Functional Units, Platform for the Development of New Products, University-Industry (U-I)", has a master's degree in Design and Marketing from the School of Engineering of the Minho University and a degree in Equipment Design, Faculty of Fine Arts - Lisbon University.
She created and implemented innovative projects, namely ESAD DESIGN STUDIO - Design Studies and Research Centre (EDS-CEID) at ESAD/IPLeiria (2008-2011). On this platform, she was responsible for Meetings (Entrepreneurs and Researchers); Seminars (IR DESIGN - Design Development Initiatives); Design and Exhibition Contests (My 1st Habitat and OUTDOOR Cook); Technological Workshops (ESAD W.SHOP SERIES, 2008 - 2010); Preparatory Visits and Incoming and Outgoing Lectures (Universities PUC-Rio - Brazil and the University of Iowa - USA,). She was supervisor of internships for students of undergraduate and technological specialization courses and recent graduates at ESAD DESIGN STUDIO.
In the innovation area, she also registered two inventions at INPI - National Institute of Industrial Property; she was a member of the European Campus of Cachopo - Research-Action, Studies for Local Development - Intervention and Local Training, Algarve. She was part of the Eco-Product. Eco-Design project, a new products development project with residues from the ceramic industry. In this circular design project the participating companies were Secla, Molde and Bordalo Pinheiro; she was also part of the Eurotecnet team of the CIMCER-CAD/CAM Project for the Ceramics Industry, at CENCAL, Caldas da Rainha.
In the research unit LIDA - Laboratory of Research in Design and Arts of IPLeiria, she has developed projects with other Research Units of IPLeiria. A demonstration project (Design Circular) with CI & DEI, ESECS (Leiria) for the Biosphere Reserve - Príncipe Island (Africa). An applied research project with MARE , ESTM (Peniche), called Limo do Cais - sustainable exploitation of the endogenous resources of S. Martinho do Porto, Portugal. An innovation project with all IPLeiria schools called Link Me Up - 1000 ideas - Support system for the co-creation of innovation, entrepreneurship creativity (COMPETE program - Support System For Collective Actions - Promotion Of Business Spirit), 2020-2023. She coordinated projects with teachers and students. For example, participation in international congresses: Systems & Design: From Theory to Product, Universitat Politècnica de València, 2017.
Member of the Entrepreneurship Group of IPLeiria, Representative of ESAD, 2007-2016. Currently, she belongs to the IPLeiria Entrepreneurship group, which promotes the Poliempreende contest and the polytechnic higher education entrepreneurship network (2016- present).
She is DEMOLA Portugal Project member, Innovation and Co-creation with Companies. Experience with Vipex company case (2020), Impactwave company case (2021) and Laboratório d’Estórias company case (2021).

Interest Areas: Innovation Design, Design and Sustainability, Circular Design, Strategy Design, Collaborative Design.

Links

• https://lida.ipleiria.pt/
• ORCID • 0000-0003-1905-2268