The Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs) resulted, in 2013, by merging two units: partly from the Centre for Mechanics and Materials Technologies - CT2M, from University of Minho (UMinho) - and Unit of Environmental Biotechnology - UBiA, from New University of Lisbon (UNova).

Due to the main skills of the MEtRICs' researchers, 4 research topics were defined for this period. Those topics are based on existing industrial and scientific projects, publications and interaction with society. Additionally, they are encouraged by both European and National funding programs. Currently the center has 24 integrated members with PhD. Of these, 5 from NOVA.ID.FCT (managing institution), 2 from CVR (participant institution, linked to the UMinho) and 17 from the UMinho. Another 37 members are integrated members (no PhD), most of which are PhD students. In addition a substantial number of students develop their projects and dissertations within the center, as documented by the number of Master thesis completed every year under supervision from integrated members (average of 70/year). The advanced training is linked with projects in which the center is an institutional member: integrated masters in Mechanical and Materials Engineering (UMinho), MSc in Food Technology and Safety, Bioenergy and Renewable Energy (UNL) and PhD programs in Mechanical Engineering, Waste Management and Treatment (UMinho) and Bioenergy (UNL). The center has also 11 members as collaborator researchers who are professors in other institutions, mostly foreign: Brazil, USA, Japan, Germany, Spain and the UK. Such partnerships honor our institution but, chiefly, result from solid relationships built over the years. They bring in valuable expertise to our team and provide unique opportunities for collaborative actions in projects, advanced training and publications.