Maria Paula Mendes is a researcher in Earth and Environmental Sciences with a PhD from Instituto Superior Técnico and a strong track record in waste valorisation and sustainable materials. Her work has earned several distinctions, including the “Alfredo da Silva and Entrepreneurship” award, an Honourable Mention in the Fueling Innovation project, and the Circular Seas Award. She has published 42 ISI/WoS papers, coordinated international Erasmus+ projects, and contributes to major European initiatives such as the HORIZON-MISS-2023-CLIMA-01 projects DRYAD and GENESIS. She is also part of FLOODWISE, starting in January, which was selected in the OSCARS 2nd Open Call for Open Science Projects and Services. She now leads the FCT project TWIST, dedicated to transforming plastic textile waste into innovative mortar solutions.