MARIA PAOLA SCAPARRA

The EURO Plenary: Using OR to tackle health and climate challenges in the Global South

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development presents an ambitious call to action for ending poverty, improving health and well-being, and addressing the climate emergency. These global challenges are especially acute in the Global South, where systemic vulnerabilities and resource constraints demand innovative, context-sensitive solutions. Operational Research, and optimisation in particular, can play a critical role in shaping data-driven, locally grounded interventions that build resilience and promote sustainable development.

In this talk, I will present some research projects that apply OR to real-world development challenges in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Specific examples include designing adaptive flood mitigation strategies for rapidly urbanising cities in Vietnam (the GCRF-OSIRIS project), building OR research capacity for sustainable development in Southeast Asia (CREST-OR project) and optimising health delivery in refugee camps in Ethiopia (a collaboration with Doctors with Africa CUAMM).

Rather than focusing solely on technical results, I will reflect on what these projects have taught us about the importance of people-centred, interdisciplinary approaches. The aim of the talk is to highlight how Operational Research, when embedded in real-world collaborations, can make a tangible difference to the lives of vulnerable communities and contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future.

 

Maria Paola Scaparra is Professor of Management Science and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at Kent Business School, University of Kent, UK. She has held a range of leadership positions within the School, including Head of the Management Science Group and Programme Director for the MSc Business Analytics.

Paola holds an M.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Applied to Economic Decisions from the University of Pisa, Italy. Her research focuses on the development of advanced operational research models to address real-world challenges in critical infrastructure protection, disaster management, healthcare, and sustainable development.

Paola is passionate about using analytics and optimisation to tackle complex problems in low-resource settings and to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. She has led and collaborated on numerous international, interdisciplinary, and policy-focused projects, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the British Academy, the British Council, and Innovate UK.

Paola has worked with a range of private and public sector organisations in the UK and overseas to inform healthcare interventions, disaster mitigation strategies, and logistics planning. These include the UK National Health Service, the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, the Port of Dover, Eurostar, and the Vietnam Ministry of Transport.

 

 

 

 

FERNANDO BELEZAS

Plenary: Startup selection, performance, and impact of business incubators

Business incubators are often seen as essential tools for fostering startup success and driving regional economic development. But how much of that impact is real, and how much is assumed? In this plenary session, I will share a reflection grounded in empirical data and hands-on experience on how incubation programs can — or sometimes cannot — make a meaningful difference for startups.

We will explore key issues around startup selection criteria, performance metrics, and the real challenges of evaluating the territorial impact of incubation initiatives. Combining practical insights with quantitative analysis, this talk aims to question some common assumptions about incubation ecosystems and the way we measure their effectiveness. Using real-world examples and comparative data, we will discuss when and how incubation adds value. The goal is to contribute to a more rigorous and realistic understanding of what works, what doesn't, and how to design better support systems for entrepreneurship.

 

Fernando Belezas é diretor geral executivo do IET – Instituto Empresarial do Tâmega. É docente e formador nas áreas da gestão e do direito empresarial. É consultor em estratégia empresarial, inovação e empreendedorismo.

É ainda doutorado em Ciências Económicas e Empresariais no Departamento de Economia, Gestão, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo, da Universidade de Aveiro, e mestre em Direito e Gestão pela Escola do Porto da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

No passado, fundou a Seedimo, uma fintech especializada em investimento imobiliário e exerceu as funções de solicitador num dos maiores gabinetes jurídicos do país. Paralelamente, participou como mentor e formador em diversos programas de empreendedorismo e inovação.

A título voluntário foi relator do Observatório dos Direitos Humanos e é membro dos órgãos sociais de diversas associações cívicas e culturais.