Advisor of the Month / Mendeley Advisors / Uncategorized

Advisor of the Month: Bertha Santos

Susan Jenkins

We’re pleased to introduce April’s Mendeley Advisor of the Month, Bertha Santos!

Bertha is an Assistant Professor of Transport Infrastructure Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture at the University of Beira Interior in Covilhã, Portugal.

How did you get into your field? 

I have always been fascinated by civil construction. When the opportunity arose to study civil engineering, I discovered my interest in the field of transportation engineering, in which I have been researching and teaching since 1998. Maintenance of transport infrastructures, road user costs, road safety and sustainable mobility are topics of my interest. 

Where do you prefer to work? 

I especially enjoy working at my university, surrounded by and interacting with colleagues and students. 

How long have you been using Mendeley?  

About 4-5 years. 

What were you using prior to Mendeley? 

I was using EndNote. 

Why did you decide to become an Advisor? 

As a higher education teacher, adequate referencing of scientific and technical documents is essential for me. To make students aware of this important aspect, and to support them in the use of referencing tools as a way to fight plagiarism, I became a Mendeley Advisor. 

What researcher would you like to work with or meet, dead or alive, and why? 

I would like to meet and work with transportation researchers from around the world to exchange knowledge, experiences and understand their perspectives. Among the leading researchers in the field of transportation, I would like to work with Prof. Gerardo W. Flintsch of Virginia Tech and Prof. Fred Mannering of University of South Florida-Tampa, and continue to work with Prof. Luís Picado-Santos of Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. 

What’s the most interesting book or article you’ve read recently? 

I have recently read several interesting documents on European strategies and policies to promote sustainable mobility in urban areas, especially those related to cycling and pedestrian transport modes. For those interested in this topic, I recommend reading: 

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned this week? 

Once again, I realized that perseverance and hard work are essential for our personal and professional evolution. 

What is the best part about working in research? 

Discovering new things and solving problems that help ensure people better living conditions. 

And the most challenging part about working in research? 

To convey research findings in a clear and supported way and inspire young researchers. Mendeley can help address these challenges. 

What is the one thing you want people to know about Mendeley? 

I would like people to know that Mendeley is a precious tool that can be used in the process of researching, organizing, analyzing and referencing the information consulted in a given research area.

Do you have any advice for young researchers?  

My advice is don’t give up and enjoy the investigation process as much as possible. These are the two fundamental pillars of success in research. 

You can follow Bertha by viewing her profile on LinkedIn. Curious about becoming a Mendeley Advisor? Visit https://www.mendeley.com/advisor-community to learn more.