In May, the chapter participated in the IV International Cybersecurity Conference, held at the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, in the northern interior of Portugal.

Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), regional vice president of AFCEA International's Atlantic Region, spoke in a face-to-face presentation on the theme, "AFCEA and Its Action in the Areas of Cybersecurity and Cyber Defense" as a forum for debate on these topics. Following Adm. Rodolfo's presentation, Jose Borges, chapter vice president and professor of the Portuguese Military Academy, held a videoconference on "Cybersecurity Skills."

Adm. Rodolfo took the opportunity to present Francisco Brigas, president of the Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, with a commemorative book about the association and its activities.

In March, Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), regional vice president of AFCEA International Atlantic Region, and Maj. Gen. Miguel Rosas Leitao, PRT A (Ret.), chapter member, visited the Portuguese Military Academy to motivate military electrical engineering students to create an AFCEA student club.

Adm. Rodolfo talked to about 50 engineering cadets joining the Signal Corp, Material Service Electronic and Signal Gendarmerie (National Republican Guard) in the presence of Col. Henrique Cunha, PRT A, Signal course director at the Portuguese Military Academy, and José Borges, chapter vice president and professor at the Portuguese Military Academy.

During this presentation, Adm. Rodolfo explained the AFCEA organization and objectives, the value of SIGNAL Magazine and the importance of connecting the AFCEA student clubs to the national scientific and technological system through the chapter. He also highlighted the attribution of academic awards to the best students of m … Read more

In cooperation with the chapter, the Military University Institute (IUM) organized the "Conference on Research and Development in Defense and the 6th Annual Student Clubs Meeting," which took place in September at the IUM in Lisbon, Portugal. The event was attended by armed forces officers, university students and other key players to share innovation, research and development (R&D) activities and find opportunities with representatives from government, industry and academia. The conference opened with a welcome from Lt. Gen. Martins Pereira, PRT A, commander, Military University Institute; and an opening address by Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), regional vice president, Atlantic Region, followed by Augusto Mateus, former Portuguese Industry state secretary and economy minister. As keynote speaker, Mateus addressed the topic, "Research and Development in the Area of Defense, as a Factor of Evolution of the Portuguese Economy."

Next, there were institutional presentat … Read more

In April, the chapter, together with AXIANS Portugal, organized a Web Forum on the theme "Women and the Challenge of the Digital Agenda," under the Women in AFCEA program, which brought together about 40 participants. Underrepresentation of women in the STEM fields is a major global concern, not only as a fundamental human right, but also as a cornerstone of the modern economy that can provide sustainable and inclusive growth. To rationalize this matter, the moderator, Luisa Teixeira, presented updated data that demonstrated the imbalance in the number of women who develop their activity in the areas. The remaining participants in the debate, Carmo Palma and Teresa Romão, gave testimony as to their experience in the business context and in the academic sphere, explaining with tools and practices that can be followed to promote gender equality in the work environment.

In March, the chapter and the Portuguese Association for Distribution of Water held the webinar "Water: a matter of survival."

As an essential element for human life, water constitutes a valuable resource, and it is often the topic of discussion between various powers within the scope of complex geopolitics. The systems and equipment that manage the entire water cycle (from capture to distribution) make up critical infrastructures. The management of these infrastructures is increasingly dependent on the interconnection of operational technologies with information technologies in an exploitation of cyberspace. The consequences of this interconnection often results in vulnerabilities and risks.

In November, the chapter collaborated with the Portuguese Industrial Association (AIP) and organized the webinar, "Cybersecurity of Operational Technologies (OT): the new frontier of cybersecurity." Attended by 120 representatives of government institutions, military, academia and industry, the event opened with communication by João Manso, who identified the security problems that the industrial sector faces, namely those that result from the use of older protocols in productive systems that do not implement effective security solutions and are not likely to be updated.

Hugo Pernicha then addressed the perspective of a service provider, supporting his communication in a security architecture with different layers of protection of OT and information technology, with control tools at the lower levels (production lines), intermediate levels (operation and control systems) and in the higher levels (corporate networks).

Finally, a debate focused on specific security exper … Read more

In September, the webinar organized by the chapter was attended by 90 representatives of government institutions, military, academia and industry.
The recent ability to encode information in quantum systems, such as atoms, is at the origin of an ongoing revolution in information technology (IT), namely, quantum technologies. Although incipient, this technology will bring new paradigms that allow encrypted communications with much greater security, information processing with much greater speed, and detectors with much greater sensitivity.
These discoveries, disruptive for IT, have strategic and sovereign implications. Also, given that quantum technologies are still at an early stage of development, they also represent an opportunity for differentiation and competitive advantages for those who bet on them early.

In January, in partnership with APDSI, the chapter organized a conference on "Conflicts in the Era of AI," which took place at the campus of the New University of Lisbon and was attended by 130 participants. Artificial Intelligence can play a role of social manipulation capable of modifying our individual and collective consciences and changing human affections, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors in the contexts of future conflicts and cyber war environments. The first part of the conference was filled with a presentation by Rear Adm. Mário Durão, PRT N (Ret.), chapter president, who spoke about Future Trends in the Battlefield. In the second part, there was a debate on Manipulation of individual and Collective Consciences in Conflict Environments, which enjoyed wide participation.

With support of the chapter and under the initiative of the Covilha Student Chapter, the Fourth Annual Student Clubs meeting took place in May at the University of Beira Interior (UBI), in Covilha, Portugal. The event, focused on Cybersecurity Aeronautics, Space and Defense, was attended by armed forces officers, university students and other key players to share research and development activities and opportunities with representatives from government, industry and academia. The conference opened with introductions from Antonio Fidalgo, university rector; Silvio Mariano, president of the faculty of engineering; and Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), regional vice president, Atlantic Region, followed by Fernando Carvalho Rodrigues, keynote speaker. Cmdr. Luis Arsenio, PRT N, head of research and development for the General Directorate for Resources at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense, presented on opportunities and priority technology areas for research and development defens … Read more

In May, the chapter, in partnership with IDC Portugal for the eighth consecutive year, hosted the IDC & AFCEA Cybersecurity Forum 2019 at Hotel Sana Lisboa in Lisbon. More than 440 representatives from the military, industry and scientific community attended the forum. Facing the evolution of threat landscape and the pressure of regulatory reforms, the role and nature of enterprise security is changing. The forum's objective was to introduce the security solutions and approaches that demonstrate security-enabled business outcomes.

In February, the chapter, together with the General Staff of the Armed Forces, organized the International Conference MILTEC 19, which took place in Lisbon at the Military University Institute. The theme was The Changing Face of Warfare: From Cyber to Unmanned Systems. High-level representatives of government, armed and security forces, universities, research centers, industry and a significant number of ambassadors and military attachés attended the conference, with a total of 240 participants. The opening session of the conference was chaired by Dra. Ana Santos Pinto, state secretary of defense. Recognizing that the knowledge and mastery of technology has never been so critical to the military as it is today, a large body of recognized experts presented and discussed the importance of emerging technologies in the planning and conduct of military operations and the development of weapons and sensors of the future.

In January, members of the chapter's governing bodies and technical committees, along with their families, gathered for the traditional New Year's dinner at the restaurant of Ordem dos Engenheiros in Lisbon. The chapter's president, Rear Adm. Mario C. Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), looked back at the achievements of 2018 and the upcoming projects of 2019.

The chapter organized a session on the current and future of cloud services in December. It was attended by about 35 members and heads of the IT departments in the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces. The session was led by Márcio Vinicius dos Santos from Amazon Web Services.

The chapter and the Portuguese AFCEA student clubs held their third annual student clubs meeting in May at the Portuguese Naval Academy to stimulate club action and to encourage government, industry and academia to exchange information about defense R&D. During the meeting, the Almada, Covilha and Porto student clubs had the opportunity to expose their capabilities, activities and projects. The student clubs are linked to the national scientific and technological system to prompt academic work that addresses the needs and opportunities of technological development in the defense and security sectors. Regina Salvador, a professor at the New University of Lisbon (NOVA), presented the opening speech, which addressed the theme "Challenges and Opportunities in the Maritime Domain." Cmdr. Luis Arsenio, PRT N, head of research and development, Director General of National Defense Resources, identified priority technology areas for defense and provided guidelines for future research and dev … Read more

The chapter, in partnership with IDC Portugal for the seventh consecutive year, hosted the Cybersecurity Forum 2018 in May at Portugal's New University of Lisbon (NOVA). More than 280 representatives from the military, industry and scientific community attended the forum, themed "Security and Privacy at the Speed of Business." The forum's objective was to analyze security professionals' challenges in keeping organizations secure, as business operates at an often ferocious pace, while ensuring compliance with the GDPR. At the first Cyber Hack during the forum, 10 representatives of industry, academia and the military participated in a cybersecurity challenge.

The chapter recognized members in February at its 30th anniversary commemoration for their association involvement and strong support of chapter activities. Chapter President Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT N (Ret.), presented the AFCEA Medal for Outstanding Services in 2017 to recipients during the event at the Lisbon Congress Center in Lisbon, Portugal. Recipients include Gabriel Coimbra, IDC Portugal; Pedro Sinogas, Tekever; Cdre. Jorge Pires, head of the Directorate of Communications and Information Systems, Portuguese Joint Chief of Staff; Jorge Oliveira, Oracle; Cdre. Bento Domingues, PRT N, information technology superintendent; Brig. Gen. Passos Morgado, PRT AF, head of the Directorate of Communications and Information Systems; Gil Cartaxeiro, ONEbase; and Brig. Gen. Bento Soares, PRT A, head of the Directorate of Communications and Information Systems, Portuguese Army.

At a February event commemorating the chapter's 30th anniversary, individual members were recognized for their contributions to AFCEA, the chapter and student chapters. Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), AFCEA regional vice president (RVP) Atlantic Region and chapter chairman, honored recipients of the AFCEA RVP Medal for Outstanding Services in 2017. They included Victor Lobo, Portuguese Naval Academy, faculty adviser, Almada Student Chapter; Jorge Reis Silva, University of Beira Interior, faculty adviser, Covilha Student chapter; Lt. Col. Elisabete Vidal, PRT AF, chapter second vice president; Fatima Medina; Paulo Moniz, Cybersecurity Committee; Pedro Machado, Cybersecurity Committee; Col. Antonio Salvado, PRT A (Ret.), chapter first vice president; Joao Annes, Cybersecurity Committee; Pedro Filipe, chapter treasurer; Col. Viegas Nunes, PRT A, commander of the NCISS School Latina; Joao Almeida, Young AFCEAN regional and chapter coordinator; and Cmdr. Pinheiro da Silva, PRT N … Read more

The chapter held a formal dinner in February at the restaurant of the Order of Engineers in Lisbon, Portugal, to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Sixty guests representing the chapter's governing bodies, including committees, Young AFCEANs, Women in AFCEA and Student Clubs, attended. During the dinner, a protocol of cooperation was signed between the chapter and the engineers association, one of the most ancient and prestigious groups in Portugal. Also present were representatives of the military, academia, industry, AFCEA International and NATO.

The chapter celebrated its 30th anniversary in February with a session presided over by Portuguese Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Artur Neves Pina Monteiro at the Lisbon Congress Center in Lisbon, Portugal. The event drew 160 guests, including high-ranking military officials, several CEOs and top representatives from universities. Maj. Gen. Erich Staudacher, GEAF (Ret.), general manager of AFCEA Europe, was present. Chapter President Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT N (Ret.), gave the opening address and was followed by guest speaker Rear Adm. Thomas Daum, Ph.D., chief of staff and chief operating officer for the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency). Adm. Daum spoke about the changing face of warfare and the implications of the cyberthreat. Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT NA (Ret.), AFCEA regional vice president (RVP) for the Atlantic region, handed out RVP medals recognizing outstanding service last year. Other AFCEA service medals were distributed by the chapter president. … Read more

Joao Araujo, country director and CEO of Thales Portugal, received the 2017 AFCEA Medal for Outstanding Services at the December chapter general assembly in Lisbon, Portugal. The medal recognized the significant personal support and active participation of the Thales Group in chapter activities. Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), regional vice president of the Atlantic Region and chapter chairman, presented this award with Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT N (Ret.), chapter president.

In November the chapter promoted a visit to the new Lisbon Cruise Terminal (LCT). More than 25 members participated. The visit, organized in collaboration with the Port of Lisbon Administration (APL), was conducted by Eng. Rui Pinto and Dra. Filipa Fouto from the terminal concessionaire and Eng. Carlos Correia from APL. The event was of great interest and an opportunity to learn more about the new infrastructure, designed as a modern and flexible terminal in order to easily adapt to the characteristics of the ships and the passengers. It was noted that the materials and the equipment used for the Port Security Operations earned LCT the recognition of Europe's safest port.

The chapter's Cybersecurity Committee collaborated with Portugal's Ministry of National Defense (MDN) to organize a November seminar on the implications of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in defense at the EDP Auditorium in Lisbon. Attendees represented the entire universe of defense, including all the core services of the MDN, the General Joint Staff and the three branches of the armed forces. The event consisted of two panels moderated by Rear Adm. António Gameiro Marques, National Security Authority, and Rear Adm. Mario do Carmo Durão, PRT N (Ret.), chapter president, respectively. It aimed to stimulate discussion among different defense leaders responsible for the new obligations that the GDPR establishes in May. The chapter intended to alert those responsible for the MDN and armed forces to the need to adapt the information and security structures to guarantee the protection of personal data and to report on the direct and intangible costs that might occur from se … Read more

The chapter along with the Almada, Covilha and Porto student chapters, organized a meeting in June in Lisbon, Portugal. The objective of the event was to exchange information between government, industry and academy to stimulate research and development (R+D) on defense, detect opportunities for new projects and recruit candidates. Cmdr. Luis Arsenio, PRT N, head of research and development for the General Directorate for Resources at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense, presented the keynote address. He identified priority technology areas for defense and provided guidelines for future R+D projects. The student chapters' presentations showed their capabilities, activities and projects. The AFCEA student clubs in Portugal are linked to the National Scientific and Technological System to stimulate scientific work and projects that addresse the needs of technological development in defense and security sectors. Carlos Sezoes, Stanton Chase International, moderated an industry panel dis … Read more

In May the chapter's Cybersecurity Committee organized the conference "Managing Security and Privacy in Digital Transformation" on the campus of European University in Lisbon. The event, attended by 120 professionals from government, military, academia and enterprises, aimed at reflecting on the impact of the digital transformation in organizations and addressed the challenges of security and privacy through these new digitization processes. The opening session was attended by the rector of European University Dr. Joao Proenca and Chapter President Rear Adm. Mario Durao. Guest speaker Dr. Rui Pereira framed the constitutional rights of security and freedom and the concerns of cyber crime, which currently threatens the traditional borders of criminal law. Keynote speaker Eng. Alexandre da Fonseca illustrated the issue of cybersecurity as an asymmetric threat and as such, organizations should translate investments in security into an effective increase of its digital resilience.

The chapter hosted the Cybersecurity Forum 2017 in May, in partnership with IDC Portugal for the sixth consecutive year. Speakers included national and international experts in cybersecurity. This year's event, "Digital Security: a pervasive threat vector for economic, competitive and criminal subversion," was held at the auditorium of the Military University Institute (IUM) in Lisbon. The objective of the forum was analyzing how national organizations must rethink their strategies of information security and risk management, a reality—that of digital transformation—that is increasingly at the top of the organizations' priorities. The key factor is the ability to harness information security as a facilitator for digital transformation The event was attended by more than 250 representatives of institutional organizations, armed and security forces, industry and entities from the scientific and technological systems community.

In April, the chapter, together with the University Institute of Maia (ISMAI) and the Center for Safety and Defense Studies (CEISDTAD), organized the seminar “Cyber Resilience in Smart Cities” at the facilities of ISMAI. The event aimed to promote the debate on the impact of digital transformation on society, particularly on the safety and security of citizens in smart cities. In attendance were Professor Domingos Silva, president of ISMAI, Professor Galvýo Meirinhos of CEISDTAD and Rear Adm. Mario C. Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president. The seminar was attended by 80 participants, with representatives from the chapter, academia, industry and research and development centers interested in discussing the topic of cybersecurity in smart cities. The event was coordinated by Maj. Gen. Dario Carreira who moderated two panels, "Reflection on the Challenges Faced by Urban Communities to Improve Digital Resilience" and "Definition of Strategies and Reference Models for Cyber Resilience.”

The International Conference on Cybersecurity was held in March with the support of the chapter at the Institute Polytechnic of Guarda. Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.), regional vice president, Atlantic Region and Portugal Chapter chairman, spoke about AFCEA’s mission and its activities, and also on cybersecurity and cyber defense. The event resulted in a partnership between the Portugal Chapter and the Academia in Guarda. It was also an opportunity for the chapter to reach potential new members in northern Portugal.

The chapter, along with the Office for the Promotion of the European Funding Programs (GPPQ) and the General Directorate for Resources at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense (DGRDN), organized a March briefing on the future European Defense Research and Development (R&D) program in the Hall of Presidents of AIP-CCI. In attendance were Eduardo Maldonado, coordinator of the Horizon 2020 national contact points at GPPQ; Maj. Gen. Henrique Macedo, deputy director of the National Defense Resources; and Rear Adm. Mario C. Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president. The 80 participants represented the chapter, academia, industry and R&D centers interested in the program's future opportunities. A first phase of short-term project applications is planned for this year. The challenges are immense, with the objective of testing the process management procedures. If successful, the procedures will become the referential for the Integrated Defense R&D program in the next Multiannual Financial Framew … Read more

The chapter's Cybersecurity Committee hosted the Security and Privacy Executive Forum in March at Lisbon's Evolution Hotel. This was the first meeting of the 23-member working group to encourage discussion around prevention and mitigation of security risks and preparing for adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The group's purpose is to strengthen communication and data sharing between information security directors and other similar officials in government, military, academia, industry and research and development centers. The committee is limiting the number of participants by means of a specific invitation to make the discussion more effective.

In March, the chapter held the international conference "Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies: Implications in the Planning and Conduct of Military Operations" at the Military University Institute (IUM). Society is experiencing a profound transformation in the use of digital technologies that has caused significant changes in the way people think, work and communicate. The armed forces are no exception. The conference, sponsored by the chapter and the IUM, was attended by more than 160 participants who stimulated debate and shared knowledge. The opening session was attended by Secretary of State of National Defense Dr. Marcos Perestrello; Vice Adm. Edgar Ribeiro, PRT NA, IUM commander; and Rear Adm. Mario C. Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president. In his keynote address, Holger Mey, vice president of advanced concepts, Airbus Defense and Space, presented insights on the effects of digital transformation and technology in resolving military conflicts. In the afternoon, P … Read more

In January, members of the chapter's governing bodies and technical committees, along with their families, gathered for a traditional New Year's dinner at the Jardim da Luz restaurant. Rear Adm. Mario C. Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president, looked back at the achievements of 2016 and offered guidance for 2017.

In November, the chapter organized a visit to the Lisbon Naval Base, in Alfeite, Portugal. The chapter was welcomed by Vice Adm. Luis Carlos de Sousa Pereira, PRT N, who emphasized the commitment of the Navy to maintain collaboration with AFCEA Portugal. Thirty-five chapter members, including members of the corporate body and representatives from government, the military, academia and industry, participated in the event. The program began with an interesting presentation coordinated by the Commander of the Sub-surface Squadron, Capt. Silva Gouveia, PRT N, on the characteristics, potentialities and operational use of the submarines and the Frigates Class “Bartolomeu Dias.” After the presentation the participants had the opportunity to visit two of the most modern naval units; the submarine NRP Arpão, led by Lt. Paulo Henriques Frade and the frigate NRP D. Francisco de Almeida, led by Cmdr. Monteiro da Silva. Taking into account the background of most of the participants, the emphasis … Read more

The chapter, in partnership with the Army Logistics Command, organized an "Open Day With Industry" in September at the Infantry Regiment 13, the PRT/Army unit where the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (BIMec) from the Intervention Brigade (BrigInt) are located. Attendees took advantage of the opportunity presented by the 11th Meeting of the Steering Committee from the PANDUR User Group, which was held in Portugal. The event opened with remarks from Gen. Quartermaster, the commander of the Intervention Brigade, the vice president of the AG of AFCEA Portugal and the RI Command. Afterwards, the RI 13 Operation Officer presented a briefing regarding his regiment and the 1st BIMec, and an officer of Signal Company from the BrigInt made a thematic introduction to the tactical communications and information networks installed in the VBR PANDUR. Josý Luýs Reis presented tactical communications sub-systems interoperable with the systems installed in the PANDUR from the BrigInt. Nuno Bustor … Read more

In May, the chapter, along with Portuguese AFCEA student clubs, organized a meeting in Lisbon. The objectives of this event were to build bridges between government, industry, academy and research centers and to exchange relevant information about defense research and development as well as to detect opportunities for new projects and recruitment. Joao Neves, General Directorate for Resources at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense (DGRDN), presented the keynote address. He identified priority technology areas for defense and provided guidelines for future research and development projects involving industry and military end users. During this meeting, the Almada, Covilha and Porto student clubs had the opportunity to expose their capabilities, activities and projects. AFCEA student clubs in Portugal are linked to the country's National Scientific and Technological System to stimulate more academic work that addresses the needs and opportunities of technological development in the sec … Read more

In June, the chapter organized a visit to the Convergence Centre of NOS COMUNICA, the second-largest telecom operator in Portugal. The event attracted 26 individuals representing the Ministry of National Defense (MDN), Joint Staff, navy, army, air force and chapter board of directors. The delegation was received at the premises of NOS Communications by several officials responsible for public administration, health and education. The visit began with a briefing on the activities of the Convergence Center by Pedro Figueiredo and Diogo Costa. A question-and-answer session followed. The visit ended with a guided tour, showing participants where the network is supervised and where corporate business customers receive support.

In May, the chapter and IDC Portugal organized the seminar "Cybersecurity Forum: Emerging Risks in Digital Transformation" at the Military University Institute (IUM) in Lisbon, Portugal. The event was attended by 250 individuals from armed and security forces, government organizations, academia, research centers and industry. Speakers included national and international experts. The forum's objective was to share knowledge about cybersecurity, information security, risk management, identity management, regulation and privacy against the backdrop of the digital transformation of the organizations. The combined effect of a new generation of malware, the application of Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS), the Web 2.0 and threats related to this new communications infrastructure and the increasing use of mobile technology has increased exponentially cybersecurity dangers. On the other hand, the pressure for organizations to accelerate their digital transformation has fundamentally changed the sec … Read more

In May, the chapter organized a visit to the Center of Command and Operations Control (CCOC) of the National Republican Guard (GNR) in Lisbon, Portugal. The chapter was welcomed by Lt. Gen. Manuel Couto, general commander of GNR, and Maj. Gen. Luis Botelho Miguel, operational commander. Thirty-six chapter members, including representatives from government, the military, academia and industry, participated in the event. The program began with a briefing on the activities of the GNR in the country and how it collaborates with national and international agencies and counterparts. Maj. Gen. Nuno Silva, deputy operational commander, led a visit to the CCOC, explaining the infrastructure and means used for constant monitoring and responding to national security incidents. Next with an interesting visit to the Museum of the GNR, which showed the historical evolution of this special body of troops responsible for security in Portugal for more than 215 years. The event ended with lunch with … Read more

In March, during the chapter's general assembly, Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT N (Ret.) and Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT N, awarded the AFCEA Medal for Outstanding Services in 2015 to the following members: Victor Lopes Dias, ESRI Portugal; Helder Alves, INDRA Portugal; Nuno Paiva, LUSIS; Marco Galinha, FUTURETE; and Sergio Barbedo, THALES. The award recognizes the outstanding contribution to the association, in particular the support to academic prizes and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities in schools.

In February, the seminar titled The Soldier of the Future: The Integration in the Internet of Things organized by the chapter and the General Directorate for Resources at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense, was held at the Institute of National Defense in Lisbon. The seminar was attended by 130 participants from governmental and institutional organizations, armed forces, security forces, industry and academia. In an exhibition that was held in conjunction with the seminar, industry, universities and research centers presented and demonstrated several technological solutions that could meet the requirements of the "soldiers of the future." The seminar was also an opportunity for industry, academia and armed and security forces to establish partnerships to develop new projects for defense and national security.

In January, the chapter, with support from Lusis Equipamentos e Servicos Lda, offered equipment to aid education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to the Portuguese Navy Technical School ý Escola de Tecnologias Navais.

The chapter and the Office for the Promotion of the European Funding Programs (GPPQ) organized the seminar “Opportunities H2020 in Cyber Security” in October in the Hall of Presidents of AIP-CCI. This forum was intended to make known funding opportunities in 2016 and 2017 for the program Horizon 2020 in the field of cybersecurity. The event was attended by a large number of chapter members and parties potentially interested in research and development activities in cybersecurity. Speaking during the first part of the program were Alexandre Marques and Fernando Carvalho of the GPPQ and Rodrigo Mendes from the European Union, who addressed these questions: What is the Programe H2020? What is the participation of Portugal in the H2020? What are the H2020 lines of action for 2016-17 in the area of cybersecurity? After a break, Luisa Proenca of the Portuguese Criminal Police presented a practical case of candidacy to the H2020 Program, while Manuel Eduardo Correia from the Cyber Security … Read more

The chapter and the Directorate General of Resources of National Defense (DGRDN) held the seminar “Galileo/EGNOS/PRS: Opportunities for the Armed Forces” in October at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense. The development of the Galileo system and associated subsystems are considered strategic for Europe to ensure sustainable technological and operational autonomy in precision navigation systems. Among Galileo systems, the regulated system, called Public Regulated Service (PRS), is of utmost importance because it is the only system capable of working with the U.S. military GPS. In this seminar, Lt. Col. Albano Coutinho from ANACOM and Maj. Agostinho Freitas from GNS presented the state-of-the-art Galileo project, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2016. The set of services already offered by the Portuguese industries that aim to take full advantage of the Galileo system were presented by Teresa Ferreira from GMV; Pedro Silva from DEIMOS; Ricardo Conde from EDISOFT; Paul … Read more

The chapter and SCRUMDAY Portugal jointly organized the seminar “Agile in the Armed Forces and Public Security” in October at the Institute of Higher Military Studies (IESM). The main objective of this event was to present to the military community success stories in implementing the agile scrum methodology and lean framework to achieve through better management models more competitive and efficient organizations. Dr. Alberto Coehlo, Portuguese National Defense resource director, gave the opening presentation, which highlighted the value of knowledge management and qualification of assets based on the use of innovative tools to improve the effectiveness of organizations and the armed forces. Speakers Thomas Friend and Corey Glickman reinforced the benefits for military decision makers in adopting the agile, scrum and lean methodologies. Rear Adm. Antonio Gameiro Marques, assistant secretary general of the Ministry of National Defense, moderated a panel that included Maj. Gen. Pedro … Read more

In June, Lt. Gen. Robert M. Shea, USMC (Ret.), president and CEO of AFCEA International, with Maj. Gen. Peter Treche, DEU AF (Ret.), visited the chapter and met with its board of directors. Gen. Shea's first visit to Portugal included meetings with the Portuguese Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces (EMGFA) and the Portuguese Platform for Defense Industries (idD). Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT (Ret.), chapter president, and Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT (Ret.), regional vice president, Atlantic Region, and chapter chairman, accompanied the visitors. On the visit to EMGFA, Gen. Shea and Gen. Treche were received by Lt. Gen. Silvio Sampaio, PRT AF, and Capt. Belo Fabiao, PRT N, Communication and Information Services Armed Forces Directorate.

In May, the chapter and IDC Portugal organized the seminar “Cybersecurity Forum: Security Challenges in the Third Platform” at the Joint Defense Institute (IESM) in Lisbon, Portugal. The event attracted more than 200 attendees, including members of the armed and security forces, government organizations, academia, research centers and industry. The forum's main objective was to address the strategies and the most current cybersecurity topics in the new technological paradigm based on cloud, mobility, big data and social business technologies. The opening session included Rear Adm. João Valente dos Santos, PRT NA, deputy director of IESM; Rear Adm. Mario C. Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president, and Gabriel Coimbra of IDC Portugal. Jose Carlos Martins, coordinator of the National Cybersecurity Center (NCS), delivered the keynote address, which described the organization and its competencies, objectives and projects. In the first session, Timóteo Figueiró, research and consulting ma … Read more

At NITEC 2015, a collaborative venture between the NATO Communications and Information Agency and AFCEA Europe in May in Madrid, the AFCEA booth was manned by Lt. Col. José Gorgulho, PRT AF, chapter vice president. Col. Gorgulho shared the value of AFCEA and raised funds for the Robert Howell Memorial Educational Fund. The president and CEO of AFCEA International, Lt. Gen. Robert M. Shea, USMC (Ret.), visiting the exhibition area, recognized the chapter's efforts and, with Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT NA (Ret.), regional vice president Atlantic Region, thanked Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president, and Col. Gorgulho.

In February a seminar, "Modeling and Simulation (M&S): A key to the challenges of the future of armed and security forces," organized by the chapter and the general directorate of Resources of National Defence (DGRDN), was held at the Joint Defense Institute (IESM), in Lisbon. The seminar was attended by 130 participants from institutional organizations, armed forces, security forces, enterprises and organizations of the scientific and technological system, which witnessed the interest of the subject and contributed to the success of the event. The seminar discussed the relevance of M&S for the armed and security forces, analyzing the developments in this field and the capacity to ensure the operability of the forces, in a joint or combined environment, in the face of present budgetary constraints. The opening session included: Rear Adm. João Valente dos Santos, PRT NA, deputy director of IESM; Maj. General Henrique Castanheira Macedo, deputy director general of DGRDN; and Chapter P … Read more

In January, the chapter, with support from Lusis Equipamentos e Servicos Lda, offered to the Portuguese Army Sergeants School–ESE (Escola de Sargentos do Exercito) equipment to aid education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Nuno Paiva, general manager of Lusis, presented to Lt. Col. Mario Alvares, PRT AR, educational director of ESE, equipment for the school. Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president; Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT NA (Ret.), AFCEA director and regional vice president, Atlantic Region; Col. Pedro Sardinha, PRT AR, commander of the Portuguese Army Sergeants School (ESE); and a delegation of teachers and students attended the presentation ceremony.

Chapter member Capt. Mário Simões Marques, PRT (N), won the AFCEA Medal of Merit Award 2014, which recognizes his commitment and dedicated service to the association and a professional level of excellence as a military member, an industry-defense facilitator and a C4I researcher and developer. In December, Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT (Ret.), AFCEA director and regional vice president of the Atlantic Region, presented this award along with Vice Adm. António Manuel Fernandes da Silva Ribeiro, PON, the Portuguese Navy's materiel superintendent, and Rear Adm. Mario Durao, PRT NA (Ret.), chapter president.

In November, Rear Adm. Carlos Rodolfo, PRT (Ret.), chapter chairman, AFCEA director and regional vice president for the Atlantic area, presented Dr. Hugo Rocha, M2C project manager, with a corporate membership certificate.