Mário Pimentel is Pro-Rector of the University of Porto and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) developing teaching activities in the undergraduate and post-graduate programs of the Civil Engineering Department. Is currently the lead researcher of the group LABEST - Laboratory for Concrete Technology and Structural Behaviour of the research unit CONSTRUCT - Institute of R&D in Structures and Construction of FEUP. In 2011 he completed his doctoral studies with a thesis entitled "Numerical Modelling for the Safety Examination of Existing Concrete Bridges". During his PhD he was a visiting researcher at the École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne, in Switzerland. His research interests focus on Structural concrete analysis and design, Nonlinear finite element analysis, Constitutive modelling of cement based materials, Structural Health Monitoring, Ultra-high performance fibre-reinforced cementitious composites (characterization of material behaviour, modelling and structural applications) and prefabricated structural systems. He is the author/co-author of 30 papers in peer-reviewed international journals and more than 80 papers in national and international conferences, as well as supervisor/co-supervisor of 4 concluded and 5 ongoing PhD thesis . He is /was an active researcher on 8 research projects (competitve funding ) and the Principal Investigator (PI) and deputy principal investigator (CO-PI) of 3 research projects funded by FCT and 1 research project funded by ANI. He was the head of the Structural Concrete Laboratory of FEUP between 2014 and 2021 and is vice-president of GPBE (Portuguese mirror group of The International Federation for Structural Concrete - fib) since 2019. He has coordinated and participated in more than 50 consultancy contracts related to the assessment of existing structures, monitoring, tests, numerical studies and analysis of civil engineering structures. Mário Pimentel has relevant professional experience as structural engineer, project manager and technical coordinator in the design of dams and hydropower schemes, having participated in projects in Portugal, Turkey, Switzerland, Georgia and Angola. He is a member of the board of engineers.