Nathalia Hammes has been selected for the 2026 UT Austin Portugal In-Residency Ph.D. Research Internship Program, a prestigious initiative funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the UT Austin Portugal Program. The programme provides outstanding doctoral researchers with the opportunity to undertake a research internship at The University of Texas at Austin, fostering international scientific collaboration between Portugal and one of the world’s leading research universities.
Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering at the University of Minho, Nathalia carries out part of her doctoral research at 2C2T, where she is co-supervised by Dr. Helena Felgueiras, in collaboration with Professor Dr. Joaquim Carneiro (CFUM, University of Minho) and Dr. Iran Rocha Segundo (CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico).
As part of the programme, Nathalia will spend six months at The University of Texas at Austin, where she will work with Professor Dr. Jonathan Y. Chen at the Renewable Fiber and Composite Laboratory, within the School of Human Ecology and the Texas Materials Institute.
During the internship, she will advance her doctoral project, “Development of Multistructured Phase Change Fibers Incorporating PCM-Loaded Capsules for Passive Thermal Management Applications”, which focuses on the development of sustainable multifunctional fibres capable of improving passive thermal management in buildings through the incorporation of advanced phase change materials.
The research contributes to the Clean Energy priority area of the UT Austin Portugal Program, supporting the development of innovative materials for more energy-efficient and sustainable built environments. The internship will also provide access to complementary expertise and state-of-the-art research facilities, strengthening the international dimension of Nathalia’s doctoral work.
Nathalia’s selection reflects the scientific excellence of her research and further strengthens 2C2T’s long-standing collaboration with The University of Texas at Austin. The internship is expected to foster new opportunities for scientific cooperation in advanced materials and sustainable textile technologies.
The entire 2C2T community congratulates Nathalia Hammes on this remarkable achievement and wishes her every success during this important stage of her doctoral journey.