ULusófona researcher wins Atlantic Security Award 2025

João Reis, Assistant Professor at Universidade Lusófona and researcher at GOVCOPP and RCM2+ research units, has been awarded the Atlantic Security Award 2025, one of the most prestigious national prizes in the field of Security and Defense.

This distinction, promoted by the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), in partnership with the Atlantic Centre and the National Defense Institute (IDN), grants each winner funding of 15,000 euros for the development of an eight-month research project.

In the award’s fourth edition, João Reis was recognized for the project “Transatlantic Space Defense and Deterrence: Capabilities against Hybrid Threats to Space and Terrestrial Systems”, aimed at strengthening transatlantic defense capabilities for critical space infrastructures—such as satellites, communication networks, and terrestrial systems—against hybrid threats. The project takes a strategic and technological approach, with long-term impact on the training of military leaders and the consolidation of international cooperation in the defense sector.

Alongside João Reis, Caio Cesar-Ribeiro, researcher at CCMAR – Centre of Marine Sciences of the Algarve, was also awarded for his project “Mapping and monitoring potential deep-sea mining areas in the Atlantic”, dedicated to environmental protection in deep-sea mining zones.

The selected projects were chosen by a jury composed of Ana Santos Pinto (NOVA University Lisbon), Luís Miguel Escudeiro da Costa Cabral (Atlantic Centre), and Maria Francisca Saraiva (National Defense Institute), who valued the quality of the research, scientific relevance, and strategic contribution of the proposals to enhancing security in the Atlantic region.

The Atlantic Security Award annually supports two outstanding postdoctoral researchers with independent and excellent track records, whose research stands out for its innovative potential and relevance in addressing contemporary Security and Defense challenges. João Reis's achievement reinforces Universidade Lusófona’s standing as a leading institution in applied research with real impact on global issues.