Estela Guerreiro Silva Bicho Erlhagen, professor at the Department of Industrial Electronics (DEI) of the EEUM and a member of the ALGORITMI Research Centre, obtained in November the academic degree of habilitation, approved by unanimity of the jury members.
The habilitation exams took place over two days, beginning with the presentation of the candidate's curriculum to the jury members – João Miguel da Costa Sousa (Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa), Luís Manuel Camarinha-Matos (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), Francisco António Cardoso Vaz (University of Aveiro), Carlos Alberto Caridade Monteiro e Couto (University of Minho), José Higino Gomes Correia (University of Minho) – followed by an analysis and discussion of a report, previously submitted by the candidate, on the curricular unit Non-Linear Dynamic Systems and Neural Networks, lectured by the candidate at the University of Minho.
On the second part of the exam, Estela Guerreiro Silva Bicho Erlhagen presented the seminar entitled “Towards Robots as Socially Intelligent Assistants/Co-workers: from the neurocognitive basis of joint action in humans to human-robot collaboration”, which constitutes a summary of the research developed in robotics related to neurosciences, carried out by the candidate in the framework of several European projects (FP5 ArteSImit – Artefact Structural Learning through Imitation, FP6 JAST – Joint Action Science and Technology, FP7 NETT – Neural Engineering Transformative Technologies).
The habilitation degree is granted to professors to whom a high merit professional curriculum demonstrating relevant research activity, advanced training or supervision is recognised, along with the authorship of high quality scientific papers after obtaining a doctoral degree.
