Dr. Joana Catarina Mendes graduated in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, in 1998. In 2006, she obtained the PhD degree in Solid-State Physics from the same University. During her PhD Joana studied the electrical properties of polycrystalline diamond films and later she joined the Center for Mechanical Technology and Automation in the Universito of Aveiro, having coated different types of tools with diamond films. Since 2018 she works as an auxiliary researcher at Instituto de Telecomunicações – Aveiro. Her current research interests include the use of diamond thin films for thermal management of different types of optoelectronics devices and the development of novel diamond-based sensors. Joana participated in several national and international research projects, and industrial contracts. She is the author or co-author of more than 40 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and proceedings and 6 book chapters. Joana is an IEEE member.