The esad—idea researcher was awarded for her presentation "Design for Inclusive Communities: Universities as Drivers of Sustainable and Social Engagement Networks in Local Communities", in which she demonstrated the work carried out in the O Bairro está IN(clusivo) project. She also presented the paper "Blue Design Alliance: Transformative Strategies in Education for Water Resource Valorisation and Advanced Social-Environmental Sustainability" about the Blue Design Alliance programme, a training course aimed at water resource valorisation and environmental sustainability.

Born in Porto in 1987, Ana Sofia Cardoso has a degree and a master's in Interior Design from ESAD. She is currently completing a PhD programme at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP). Throughout her professional career, she has combined university teaching with research, teaching on the Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Design at ESAD - Escola Superior de Artes e Design, in Matosinhos. Her work as a curator includes the exhibition celebrating 20 years of MatosinhosHabit (Matosinhos Town Hall, Norteshopping and Casa da Arquitectura, 2018). As well as research projects funded by the Portuguese government and DGArtes, respectively, O bairro está in(clusivo) and Dwelling in Transition. She is currently the coordinator of the Blue Design Alliance short courses.