Gonçalo Figueiraa is an Associate Professor at the Physics Department of IST, University of Lisbon and a Senior Researcher at IPFN.

For the past 30 years he has been working in high-power, ultrafast laser science and technology. During his PhD he developed a terawatt laser system based on CPA, one of the first in Europe.

He played a leading role in the design and operation of the Laboratory for Intense Lasers at IST and introduced new lines of laser R&D, such as ultrabroadband amplification, diode-pumped solid-state amplifiers, and advanced ultrashort diagnostics for innovative pulse shapes.

He currently leads the research in his laboratory exploring the new mid-infrared laser system. In the framework of the Portuguese Roadmap of Research Infrastructures, he led the creation of the Laserlab-Portugal consortium.

In teaching, for the past 10 years he has been in charge of courses for undergraduate Physics Engineering students such as Optics & Lasers and Introductory Experimental Physics.