Mrs. Maria João Horta Parreira | Human Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Human Ecology Researcher and PhD Student at NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal

Maria João Horta Parreira is a researcher and academic specializing in agrarian sciences, social sciences, and human ecology. With a background in agronomic engineering and science communication, she has built a career integrating rural development, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. She has worked in diverse fields, including the pharmaceutical industry, agricultural services, organic farming marketing, regulatory affairs, education, and scientific research. Her current research focuses on rural young entrepreneurship and social innovation, aiming to enhance territorial cohesion through knowledge exchange and tailored policies.

Profile

ORCID

Education

Maria João Horta Parreira holds a Ph.D. in Human Ecology (ongoing) from NOVA University of Lisbon, where she explores social innovation and rural entrepreneurship. She also has a Master’s degree in Science Communication and a postgraduate qualification in Computer Science and Business from ISCTE. Her earlier academic credentials include a degree in Agronomic Engineering from the University of Lisbon and a bachelor’s in Animal Production from the Polytechnic Institute of Beja. Additionally, she has completed various specialized training programs in project management, design thinking, and organizational social responsibility.

Experience

Maria João has held multiple research positions, contributing to projects in agrarian studies, sustainability, and social innovation. She is currently a researcher at Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. She has also worked with the Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária and the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra. Beyond academia, she has experience in teaching, guiding ecological tours, and engaging in community-driven projects related to sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.

Research Interests

Her research interests lie at the intersection of social innovation, rural entrepreneurship, human ecology, and socio-ecological systems. She focuses on methodologies that promote sustainability and knowledge exchange in rural areas. Her work seeks to understand the role of young entrepreneurs in transitioning food systems, fostering resilience, and bridging the gap between ecology, economy, and society.

Awards

Maria João has received recognition for her contributions to social innovation and science communication. She secured first place in the EUTOPIA PhD Summer School 2024 for co-authoring a research project. In 2017, she won the Participatory Budget Portugal (OPP) award for her science communication initiative, “Fogo Frio,” which focused on wildfire prevention.

Publications

1. Empowering Rural Communities on Rural Pact Implementation: A Human–Ecological Perspective on Social Innovation and Rural Young Entrepreneurship (2025) – Conference Proceedings
   Cited by: Forthcoming
2. Young Rural Entrepreneurs as Agents of Food Systems Transition in Portugal (2023) – Congress of Portuguese Geography
   Cited by: In press
3. New Entrepreneurial Practices in Rural Areas? Perspectives of Young Entrepreneurs in Rural Territories (2023) – XIV Congress of Portuguese Geography
   Cited by: In press
4. Social Innovation in Portuguese Rural Territories: A Human Ecology Perspective (2022) – X Congresso da APDEA
   Cited by: Published
5. REALMed Project: Socioeconomic Insights and Proposals for Mediterranean Territories Prosperity (2020) – XI International Scientific Agriculture Symposium
   Cited by: Published
6. A Pork Value Chain in Portugal: The Case Study of Porco Alentejano and Traditional Products (2020) – AGROFOR International Journal
   Cited by: Published
7. Social Innovation and Young Rural Entrepreneurship: Identifying an Integrated Research in Less Favored Portuguese Rural Territories (2022) – International Journal of Business Research and Management
   Cited by: Published

Conclusion