João Paulo Fernandes’ hands tremble as he clicks into the exam results that will decide his future. With high hopes of studying medicine, the 18-year-old requires top marks for a place on a course in his native Portugal – yet disappointment grips him as the rejection sets in. With his dreams of being a doctor dashed, the initial dismay hardens to determination as Fernandes embarks on a new path that will help humanity in ways that he never imagined.
“My mother always said that being a doctor wasn’t for me, and as usual, she turned out to be right,” says Fernandes. “Instead, I studied mathematics and computer science, and though it wasn’t my first choice, every day, I became more interested and excited by the possibilities unfolding before me.”
Fernandes threw himself into the degree at the University of Minho, Portugal, graduating in 2004 as the best in class before achieving a PhD in Informatics at the same university in 2009. From there, he headed to the Universidad de la República in Uruguay before joining the University of Beira Interior back in Portugal as a faculty member.
After mastering how to build computer software, Fernandes’ thoughts immediately turned to using the newly acquired skills as a way of building a greener, more eco-friendly future.
“Sustainable development is about securing the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations, but progress these days is not sustainable,” he says. “I’m not denying development, but we must think about the impact of the technology we use.”
By optimising the energy efficiency of software systems, Fernandes hopes that humanity can continue to use technology to break new boundaries while protecting the planet. Over the last 15 years, his research has intensified alongside the demand for smartphones, laptops, iPads, and, more recently, AI.
“Today, everybody has a smartphone, most people are carrying a laptop, and business models worldwide are supported by the cloud,” he says. “We are producing lots of knowledge, and everybody has access to this knowledge and this is great, but the energy required to support this is huge.”
“These days, AI and all large language models such as ChatGPT and similar systems require a huge number of resources. I agree they are amazing, and I don’t think we will go back to life without them, but recent estimates suggest that one AI-generated image requires the same energy as fully charging a smartphone.”
Throughout his research, Fernandes has focused on providing information and tools for developers to build energy-efficient systems. So far, he has founded and contributed to projects including GreenHub, Green Sw Lab, Green Haskell, GreenStamp, and Sustrainable. His scientific achievements, meanwhile, have been detailed in 75 recognized conferences and journals such as IEEE TSE, ACM TOCE, EMSE, JSS, EASE, SANER, and SLE.
Since joining NYU Abu Dhabi in 2023, he has experienced huge interest from UAE students keen to join his sustainable tech crusade. He hopes to lead the next generation in sustainably powering progress.
“My research has demonstrated that by improving software components, we can improve the overall energy efficiency of ICT systems, and so many students are interested in being part of that,” he says.
“I believe that there are still many more opportunities for technology to become even more present in our everyday lives, and it’s important to educate the developers of the future on how we can achieve this responsibly.”
