Joaquim Jorge
Candidate for 2026 IEEE Computer Society President-Elect
UNESCO Chair on AI & XR at IST / Universidade de Lisboa
Thank you for your interest in my candidacy for IEEE Computer Society President-Elect. I am honored to serve our global community and look forward to building a more inclusive, innovative, and impactful future for all members.
The IEEE Computer Society is at a pivotal moment, navigating rapid technological change, evolving professional needs, and growing expectations for inclusive and ethical computing. As an IEEE Fellow, global researcher, and long-time volunteer in AI, XR, and human-centered systems, I bring deep cross-sector experience and a record of building bridges between academia, industry, and policy. If elected President, I will focus on the following priorities:
Supporting Students and Young Professionals (YPs): The Computer Society is empowered by its members. To grow and prosper, we must invest in the future of computing by empowering our student and early-career members. I will expand support for Student Chapters and YPs through micro-credentialing, recognition programs (e.g., early-career awards and certificates), and career transition support — including résumé feedback, interview training, and referral networks. I will advocate for reduced or waived membership fees during key transition periods and offer expanded access to leadership training and mentoring.
Advancing Ethical AI and Strengthening Industry Collaboration: To remain at the forefront of innovation, IEEE CS must lead in responsible AI and real-world applications. I will promote open science, ethical AI design, and reproducibility through partnerships with academia and industry. These efforts will include support for early-career researchers, joint research projects, internship programs, and practice-oriented learning opportunities aligned with workforce development needs.
Expanding Digital Literacy and Accessibility: I will champion inclusive digital literacy efforts and improve access to conferences, mentoring, and technical resources—particularly through virtual and hybrid formats. IEEE CS must ensure its platforms are accessible, multilingual, and student-friendly, helping members from all regions and backgrounds participate fully.
Fostering Interdisciplinary and Global Collaboration: I will expand engagement across IEEE fields such as AI, quantum computing, health, energy, and security, and deepen relationships with global peers like ACM, AAAI and IFIP. These connections will yield joint research, shared events, and cross-society initiatives to amplify the Society's reach and impact.
Creating a Culture of Belonging: Our strength comes from the breadth of member experience. I will encourage programs that recognize multifaceted expertise, empower local leadership, and ensure members from all backgrounds are welcomed, heard, and represented throughout the Society's activities. With decades of IEEE, ACM and IFIP, leadership and mentoring experience, I am committed to a Society that is forward-looking, collaborative, innovative, and globally connected—one that helps all members thrive while advancing the responsible evolution of computing.
I am a Full Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, the School of Engineering of the Universidade de Lisboa, and hold the UNESCO Chair on AI & Virtual Reality, teaching Computer Graphics, VR and HCI. I have chaired or co-chaired the Scientific Program Committee of 16+ international conferences, namely IEEE/VR and AIxVR. A longtime practitioner of VR/AR, Computer Graphics, and Interactive Systems, I joined IEEE/CS in 1982 and the Eurographics Association (EG) in 1986. Having served in the EG Executive Committee 1997-2006, I founded and coordinate the Graphics & Interaction Research Group at INESC-ID, a Research Institute Affiliated with the University, since 2000. I was an Adjunct Full Professor at the University of Calgary 2006-2018 and am currently an Honorary Invited Professor at the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and an Adjunct Full Professor at the Victoria Univesity of Wellington, New Zealand since 2022.
Since January 2007, I am Editor-in-Chief of the Computers & Graphics Journal (Elsevier). I served on the Editorial Board of seven other venues, including Computer Graphics Forum (Blackwells) from 1999—2008, and Springer/Nature HCIS Book Series since 2020 and serve on the IEEE/CS Publications Board. I successfully supervised/co-supervised 18 doctoral theses and 70+ MSc dissertations. A (co-)author of 400+ peer-reviewed publications, including 164 international conference papers, four Springer/Nature books, and 90+ journal articles, I have served in the international program committee of 220+ conferences.
An IEEE/CS Distinguished Visitor and Contributor since 2021, I was a national delegate to the International Federation of Information Processing (IFIP)'s Human-Computer Interaction Technical Committee (TC13) from 2001 to 2013. A member of ACM/SIGGRAPH 1989-present, I was Chairman of the Eurographics Portuguese Chapter from 2000-2008. The first Portuguese ACM Distinguished Speaker Program (DSP) since September 2015, I have given 30+ keynote talks at international scientific events and 42+ guest lectures in academic contexts. He received the IFIP Silver Core (2014) and the IEEE Golden Core (2024) Awards. During 2015-2019, he was an elected ACM Europe Council Executive Committee member.
I was named Fellow of the Eurographics Association (2010), Distinguished ACM Member (2017), IEEE Fellow (2025) and was inducted to the IEEE VR Academy in 2025. I speak Portuguese, English, Spanish and French fluently.