University of Lisbon awards Professor Emeritus title to Amílcar Soares
On June 19, 2026, the University of Lisbon awarded the title of Professor Emeritus to Professor Amílcar Soares in a ceremony held in the Noble Hall of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), bringing together the academic and scientific community to honour the career of one of the most prominent figures in geosciences. Within the Institute, special emphasis was given to the involvement of the Department of Mining and Energy Resources Engineering (DER), the unit where the professor developed much of his academic activity.
The session was opened by the President of Instituto Superior Técnico, Professor Rogério Colaço, followed by speeches from the President of DER, Professor Maria João Pereira, and the President of CERENA, Professor Leonardo Azevedo.
The central moment of the ceremony was the awarding of the title of Professor Emeritus by the University of Lisbon to Professor Amílcar Soares, presented by the Rector, Professor Luís Ferreira.
In his address, entitled “The meaning of a journey: a shared passion”, Professor Amílcar Soares reflected on his academic and scientific career, highlighting the role of collaboration and the collective construction of knowledge over more than four decades.
The ceremony concluded with closing remarks by the Rector of the University of Lisbon, followed by a musical performance by the University of Lisbon Chamber Choir and a reception.
A career of international recognition
Professor Emeritus of Instituto Superior Técnico, Amílcar Soares built a career with strong international projection, having served as Visiting Professor at institutions in the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Brazil.
Over more than four decades, he established himself as a leading figure in the development of modern geostatistics and spatial data science, with applications in Earth Sciences, environmental studies, and mineral and energy resources. His scientific contributions have been recognized by the international community, including his distinction as Distinguished Lecturer by the International Association for Mathematical Geosciences.
More recently, his work has focused on applying these methodologies to contemporary environmental and societal challenges, including the geostatistical mapping of SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in Portugal and the spatiotemporal modelling of extreme drought events.
Contribution to Instituto Superior Técnico and DER
At Instituto Superior Técnico, he played a central role in promoting research and developing scientific structures. Notably, he led the creation of CMRP – Center for Petroleum Reservoir Modeling, as well as the co-founding of the ROADS network – Observation and Analysis Network for Desertification and Drought.
He also played a key role in the convergence of research centres in geosciences, which led to the creation of CERENA – Center for Natural Resources and Environment, a unit he also chaired.
On the teaching side, he contributed to the creation of master’s and doctoral programmes and promoted knowledge dissemination through digital platforms, notably by making geostatistics teaching materials available on his YouTube channel.
Author of numerous scientific publications, his work has left a decisive mark on the development of geostatistics and its applications, leaving a lasting legacy in education, research, and engagement with society.