As part of the IPBN’s 7th Annual Sustainability Conference, Panel 2 will bring together leading voices from design, tourism research, and coastal engineering for a timely and forward-looking discussion on real-time climate impacts on coastal infrastructure.
Coastal regions are on the frontline of climate change. Rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, erosion, and shifting tourism patterns are already reshaping how communities live, work, and invest along the coast. This panel will explore how design innovation, tourism research, and engineering expertise can work together to build more resilient coastal communities.
The session will be moderated by IPBN Board Member Susan Cabeceiras, Founder and Chair of KONCEPTNESS Gestão de Projetos, Imobiliária, Arquitetura, Engenharia & Design, who brings extensive experience in cross-sector project development and sustainability-driven strategy.
Professor Emília Duarte – IADE / Universidade Europeia
Professor Emília Duarte is a Full Professor of Design at IADE – Universidade Europeia in Lisbon, where she teaches Ergonomics in Design and has held several senior leadership roles, including Vice-Rector for Research and Development and Scientific Coordinator of UNIDCOM/IADE – Research Unit in Design and Communication. Holding a PhD in Human Kinetics with a specialization in Ergonomics, her research spans Interaction Design, Emotional Design, Human-Robot Interaction, Information Design, and Cognitive Ergonomics, with a strong emphasis on Social Design, ethics, and design for health and well-being. At the conference, her presentation, “Diving Heritage: Design Innovation for Resilient Coastal Communities through Underwater Cultural Heritage Tourism,” will explore how thoughtful design and cultural heritage initiatives can strengthen coastal resilience, creating sustainable tourism models that both protect and activate underwater heritage assets in the face of climate pressures.
Professor Antónia Correia – University of Algarve / KiPT Research Blue Code
Professor Antónia Correia is Associate Professor with Aggregation at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Algarve and a recognised leader in tourism research at both national and international levels. With a PhD from the University of Algarve and an extensive academic career that includes serving as Dean of the Tourism Faculty at Universidade Europeia (2014–2021), she has supervised dozens of master’s, doctoral, and post-doctoral projects and published widely in top-tier journals. Her research focuses on tourism consumer behaviour, marketing, destination image, and tourism economics, with over 5,000 citations reflecting the impact of her work. As President of the first collaborative laboratory in Tourism and Coordinator of the tourism and hospitality research line at CEFAGE, she brings a data-driven and economic perspective to the climate conversation, examining how environmental change affects coastal destinations, tourism demand, and long-term regional competitiveness.
Pedro Pardal Monteiro – Vice-President, Portuguese Surfing Federation
Pedro Pardal Monteiro holds a degree in Civil Engineering and completed his professional internship at the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC) in 2008, focusing on the “Study of an Artificial Surf Reef” within the Ports and Maritime Structures Unit. A former professional surfer in the 1990s and early 2000s, he represented Portugal internationally, achieving national and European podium finishes and competing in junior world championships in Brazil and the United States. He later served as Competition Director of the National Surf Circuit (Liga MEO Surf) from 2014 to 2021 and co-founded SOS Salvem o Surf, the Portuguese Association for the Defence and Development of Surf. Today, as Vice-President of the Portuguese Surfing Federation, Pedro combines engineering expertise, high-performance sport experience, and coastal management knowledge. He is a certified Grade III coach and a trainer in meteorology, oceanography for surf, and sustainable surf practices. His contribution to the panel will offer a unique perspective on how climate change is directly affecting wave dynamics, coastal engineering decisions, surf ecosystems, and the socio-economic fabric of Portugal’s coastal communities.
A Cross-Sector Conversation on Coastal Resilience
By bringing together expertise in design innovation, tourism economics, and coastal engineering, Panel 2 reflects the interdisciplinary approach required to address climate realities in real time. The discussion will move beyond theory to examine practical solutions, policy implications, and opportunities for collaboration across sectors.
For businesses operating in coastal regions — particularly those in tourism, real estate, infrastructure, sport, and cultural heritage — understanding these dynamics is no longer optional. It is strategic.
We look forward to welcoming our speakers and attendees for what promises to be one of the most insightful conversations of the conference.
