Marlene  Amorim was born in Porto and has a PhD in Management from IESE Business School in Barcelona (Spain). She has a former degree in Economics from the University of Porto, and a Master in Science, Technology, and Innovation Management from the University of Aveiro (Portugal). Marlene began her career in the industry, working within the scope of the internationalization and marketing strategy of companies in the agri-food sector, located in Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium. She then embraced the challenges of management in the context of Higher Education, as Advisor for Internationalization at the University of Aveiro in 2000. She also served as Pro-Rector for Internationalization at the University of Aveiro from 2014 to 2018, and as Director and Vice-Director Masters Degree in Economics, Management and Industrial Engineering and Member of the Scientific Committee of the Doctoral Program in Industrial Engineering and Management. 

She currently works as an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Management, and Industrial Engineering and Tourism. She is also a researcher at the Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies in the  Line of Research on Competitiveness, Innovation and Sustainability. She assured the Coordination of this research Line from 2018 (May) until 2024 (June).

Marlene develops research and conducts projects in the area of ​​Operations Management, Quality Innovation, and Sustainability in Services, regularly presenting his work at meetings and scientific publications in the area, collaborating in seminars and postgraduate courses at Portuguese and foreign universities, and integrating research projects in the area at national (FCT) and international level (FP7, ERASMUS+, URBACT).

In recent years, he has developed applied work to promote the development of new services and social innovation, both in terms of integration into international research networks and through the implementation of training actions aimed at citizens and institutions (Social Innovation Workshops).

MArlene is engaged with connecting the university to society, particularly concerning technology transfer, namely through participation as a trainer and mentor in the Technology-Based Entrepreneurship course, as VET trainer in the UNAVE Micro MBA, and representation of the UA in projects European for regional development (URBACT).