Prof. Helena Vieira is a distinguished academic, researcher, and policy expert with extensive experience spanning biomedical sciences, environmental economics, and the sustainable blue economy. She completed her undergraduate studies in Molecular Biology at the University of Lisbon, followed by both an MPhil and PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Imperial College London, UK. She has also undertaken executive training in Leadership and Strategy at Harvard Business School, USA, and in Sustainable Finance at the Catholic University of Portugal.

Prof. Vieira began her career as a researcher in London and later progressed into academic roles in the United Kingdom and Portugal. Her career includes a period of entrepreneurial and startup engagement, which strengthened her expertise in innovation and the ocean and sustainable blue economy.

She has held several high-level strategic and policy positions at both national and European levels, notably serving as Director-General of Maritime Policy in the Portuguese XXII Government under the Ministry of the Sea. Her work has significantly contributed to advancing policies related to ocean governance and sustainability.

Currently, Prof. Vieira serves as a Coordinating Researcher at the University of Aveiro, where she leads research in environmental economics and sustainable natural resource management. She is also actively engaged in European initiatives, serving as a Board Member of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters, a member of the Scientific Consultative Committee of the Circular Bioeconomy Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU), and as a Jury Member of the European Innovation Council (EIC), supporting the evaluation and funding of innovative startups across Europe.

Her multidisciplinary expertise and leadership continue to contribute to advancing innovation, sustainability, and policy development at both national and international levels.