Maria João Pereira is a Full Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) of the University of Lisbon (ULisboa). Her research interests have been mainly focused on the application of Geostatistics to the earth and environmental sciences, developing spatial tools to better understand the impacts of anthropogenic activities and natural hazards on environment and public health. She was a founding member of the Center for Natural Resources and Environment (CERENA) and its president between 2012 and 2021. She coordinated and participated in more than 30 scientific projects and has more than 120 articles published in scientific journals and communications in scientific conferences.

Since April 5, 2024, Maria João Pereira has suspended all research activities, as she is serving the Portuguese Government as Secretary of State for Energy.