Maria Paula Rodrigues

• Doctor degree in Chemical Engineering, Engineering Faculty of O´Porto University, with a dissertation on " Durability of organic coatings for the protection of reinforced concrete”, in 1998
• Chemical Engineering degree, Engineering Faculty of O´Porto University,in 1976

• Head of the Organic Materials Division of the Materials Department of LNEC, since July 2011
• Senior Research Officer, since July 2003
• Head of the laboratory for the quality control of combustibles, lubricants and additives, Mobil Oil Angola, Luanda, from 1977 to 1982.

• Performance and durability of paint systems with applications in civil engineering, in particular for substrates of wood, concrete, plaster and metal.
• Functional pathology, functional requirements and technical regulations of organic coatings for the construction industry.
• Studies related with the characterization of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in products and organic matrix building materials.
• Physical-chemical characterization and durability of polymeric materials (adhesives, composites and coating materials).

• Since 1988, participation in successive LNEC programs of scheduled scientific research and in several research projects in its scope (COST, FCT, 7.º PQ-EU, programs of Scientific and Technical Cooperation with other countries and Atlantic Area), including the coordination of two scientific research projects in collaboration with the domestic industry.
• Participation in dozens of research projects by contract, many of them in collaboration with other LNEC divisions, including the coordination of two normative proposed projects in the field of organic coatings.
• Participation in two projects to upgrade and expand the laboratory facilities of the Organic Materials Division in terms of equipment, tests implementation and laboratory accreditation.
• Support to European quality marks in the area of organic coatings for decoration and protection of metal surfaces - aluminum and steel - in the framework of inspection and testing, since 2007
• Head of the accredited laboratory LNEC EM-UMROC, former LEMOC, since 2006
• Preparation or production of hundreds of proposals for studies and expertise, LNEC specifications, Application Documents and respective Reports that establish the rules for the granting

• Orientation of several stages of undergraduate students for the obtaining of the graduation degree and of LNEC fellowships for initiation of scientific research, of two PhD dissertations and six master dissertations
• Member of the jury of three PhD proofs (two of them as arguing) and eight Masters proofs (four of them as arguing).

Highlight of some publications:

• Rodrigues, M. P.M.C., Costa M.R.N., Mendes A.M., Eusébio M.I. Effectiveness of surface coatings to protect reinforced concrete in marine environments protection under severe conditions. Materials and Structures, Vol. 33, pp. 618-626, December 2000
• Rodrigues, M.P. - Weathering resistance of the colour in water based coatings for architectural use. 5th European Weathering Symposium EWS, Lisboa, Setembro 21-23, 2011
• Liliana Baltazar, João Santana, Beatriz Lopes, João R. Correia, M. Paula Rodrigues, "Superficial protection of concrete with epoxy resin impregnations: influence of the substrate roughness and moisture”, Materials and Structures, March 2014 (DOI 10.1617/s11527-014-0284-9)
• Liliana Baltazar, João Santana, Beatriz Lopes, M. Paula Rodrigues, João R. Correia – "Surface skin protection of concrete with silicate-based impregnations: Influence of the substrate roughness and moisture”, Construction and Building Materials 70 (2014), 191–200

• Collaboration in the Technical Committee for Standardization of Paints and Varnishes CT3, Subcommittee II "Paints for Construction" (as a member) and  Subcommittee I "Testing Methods" (as coordinator), since 1993
• Participation in around a hundred national and international technical-scientific meetings in the scope of R & D projects, congresses, conferences, seminars, scientific meetings, courses and training activities.
• Teaching classes in various masters or license degree courses at the invitation of several universities and in courses organized by LNEC.