Short Biography
Thiago Cerqueira de Jesus is a Researcher with SYSTEC–ARISE at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), in Porto, Portugal, and an Associate Professor in the Technology Department at the State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS), Brazil. His work spans Smart Cities, the Internet of Things (IoT), Wireless (Visual) Sensor Networks, Embedded & Digital Systems, and Energy Management Systems, with a focus on dependable sensing for urban services and consumer-centric energy transitions. He contributes to Horizon Europe’s EU-DREAM project and has coordinated applied research lines on emergency detection and reconfigurable sensing. Thiago earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (cum laude) from FEUP, an M.Sc. from COPPE/UFRJ, and a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from UEFS. He is an active IEEE member and serves as reviewer for IEEE journals and other indexed venues.
Academic Trajectory
Professional
Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP) — SYSTEC–ARISE
Researcher
2024–presentResearch on digital energy services, IoT-enabled microgrids, and dependable urban sensing within the Horizon Europe project EU-DREAM; collaboration with multidisciplinary teams in Portugal and across Europe.
State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS)
Associate Professor; previously Assistant Professor; Teaching Assistant
2010–2024Taught Digital Systems, Computer Architecture, Microprocessors & Microcontrollers, and Embedded Systems; coordinated the Embedded Systems & Microcontrollers Lab (LASE) and the Advanced Applications & Networks Lab (LARA); supervised undergraduate and master’s research in WSN/IoT, smart-city emergency detection, and assistive devices.
Industry
Software Developer
2007–2009Early career in applied software development, translating specifications into production-grade systems and tools for data acquisition and automation.
Education
Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (cum laude)
Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), Portugal
2021Doctoral work on dependability evaluation of wireless visual sensor networks, integrating quality-of-monitoring and reliability models for urban applications.
M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering
COPPE/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil
2011Research on diagnosability and online fault detection in discrete-event systems.
B.Sc. in Computer Engineering
State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS), Brazil
2008Five-year program with emphasis on digital systems, control, and embedded computing.
Research Focus Areas
Smart Cities
Dependable sensing and decision support for urban services, including emergency detection and resilient infrastructure planning.
Internet of Things
Hierarchical, collaborative, and reconfigurable IoT architectures integrating GIS, telemetry, and AI for city-scale monitoring.
Wireless (Visual) Sensor Networks
Coverage, quality-of-monitoring, and reliability modeling for visual sensing—bridging theory with deployable urban systems.
Embedded & Digital Systems
From microcontrollers and hardware-software co-design to assistive technologies, including a 2024 Braille typing machine patent.
Energy Management Systems
Consumer-centric microgrid planning and data-driven services that support the energy transition and market participation.
Commitment to UN Sustainable Development Goals
Thiago’s research connects technology with societal needs, aligning with multiple SDGs through dependable, data-driven urban and energy systems.
Primary Contributions
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Data-enabled microgrid siting/sizing and IoT-based monitoring that improve access, reliability, and efficiency of local energy services.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Research on robust sensing, embedded systems, and networked automation strengthens resilient and innovative infrastructures.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Emergency detection, urban dependability assessment, and citizen-centric digital services foster safer and more sustainable cities.
Research Impact
“Engineering should advance human well-being. By combining IoT, visual sensing, and energy systems, we translate rigorous methods into practical solutions for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities.”