PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

João Pavão Martins

João Pavão Martins is an AI researcher and entrepreneur whose work applies AI to transport planning. He began teaching at Instituto Superior Técnico in 1974, graduated in Mechanical Engineering there in 1976, earned a PhD in AI at SUNY Buffalo in 1983, and formed an AI teaching and research group in 1984. He co-founded SISCOG in 1986; the company started a crew-scheduling prototype for Portuguese Railways in 1988, and he received AAAI's Innovative Application Award in 1997, 2003 and 2012. At Técnico, he became a full professor in 1993, led its computer science and AI programs until retiring in 2022, published Lógica e Raciocínio in 2021, and received the Medalha de Mérito Científico in 2023. He became an Emeritus Professor of the University of Lisbon in 2024 and remained a senior adviser to SISCOG after its 2025 acquisition by Modaxo; as of October 2026, he is an Emeritus Professor and a former Full Professor at Técnico.

Badges

Timeline

  1. 1974–1976

    Teaching at Técnico

    While still a student, he begins teaching at Instituto Superior Técnico in 1974 and graduates in Mechanical Engineering there in 1976.

  2. 1983–1984

    An AI PhD and group

    With a Fulbright scholarship, he earns a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1983. In 1984, he creates a student group at IST for teaching and research in Artificial Intelligence.

  3. 1986–1988

    Co-founding SISCOG

    In 1986, he and Ernesto Morgado co-found SISCOG, a Portuguese company for AI applications. In 1988, the company begins its first crew-scheduling prototype for Portuguese Railways.

  4. 1993–2022

    Full professor at IST

    In 1993, he becomes a full professor at IST. From 1997 to 2002, he coordinates the Computer Science and Engineering degree and is responsible for its Artificial Intelligence area until retiring in 2022.

  5. 1997–2012

    AAAI awards for rail AI

    He receives AAAI's Innovative Application Award in 1997, 2003 and 2012. In 2003, the award recognizes SISCOG's CREWS-based system for Norwegian Railways.

  6. December 2021–2023

    Logic book and science medal

    In December 2021, he publishes Lógica e Raciocínio, which connects logic with knowledge representation in AI and declarative programming. In 2023, he receives the Medalha de Mérito Científico.

  7. October 2024

    Emeritus professor at ULisboa

    On 29 October 2024, he receives the title of Emeritus Professor of the University of Lisbon at a Técnico ceremony.

  8. October 2025–October 2026

    SISCOG adviser and emeritus professor

    In October 2025, he remains actively involved as a senior adviser to SISCOG after its July 2025 acquisition by Modaxo. As of October 2026, he is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Lisbon and a former Full Professor at Técnico.

Career

  1. NowUniversity of LisbonEmeritus Professor
  2. From 1986SISCOGCo-founder, Senior Adviser
  3. 1974–2022Instituto Superior TécnicoFull Professor, Coordinator, Computer Science and Engineering degree

Education

  1. 1983University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkPhD in Artificial Intelligence
  2. 1976Instituto Superior TécnicoMechanical Engineering

From the biography.

  1. 23% of people shaping AI who left a university for a company later returned to a universityIncludes João Pavão Martins. We estimate that 468 of the 2,011 people shaping AI who left a university for a company (23%) later returned to a university after a median of 5 years, and 163 of 829 (20%) made the reverse round trip.
  2. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes João Pavão Martins. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  3. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes University of Lisbon. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  4. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Lisbon. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of João Pavão Martins yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. João Pavão Martins - Departamento de Engenharia Informática dei.tecnico.ulisboa.pt. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. The EPIA 2026 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence - Speakers epia2026.web.uma.pt. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. SISCOG | About | Optimisation resource scheduling and management software for rail and metro siscog.eu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. LÓGICA E RACIOCÍNIO - ISTPress - Loja IST istpress.tecnico.ulisboa.pt. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Três professores do Técnico recebem insígnia de Professor Emérito da Universidade de Lisboa tecnico.ulisboa.pt. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. SISCOG: uma nova vida no grupo Modaxo portugalglobal.pt. Checked 20 October 2026.