Maria Margarida Cortez Vieira got her PhD in Biotechnology and Food Engineering in 2001 at the School of Biotechnology of the Portuguese Catholic University, also having a Master's degree in Food Engineering since 1991 issued by Purdue University, USA and a Degree in Chemical Engineering obtained in 1982 from the Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon.

She is a Coordinator Professor and has been teaching for more than thirty years topics related to Food Engineering at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia of the University of Algarve. She belongs to the MED Research Centre (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) and her research group is dedicated to the study of food preservation, mainly in sustainable and innovative preservation technologies such as UV-C radiation, ultrasound and active packaging and to the development of new biodegradable packaging materials of biological origin. She published more than 50 peer-reviewed publications on the research work carried out. She is also dedicated to supporting new food producers in the development of new food products.

She is currently the Head of the Master's degree in Food Technology at the University of Algarve, the President of the ISEKI Food Association and deputy Editor-in-chief of the ISEKI Journal of Food Studies. She also belongs to the Specialization Commission in Food Engineering of the Order of Engineers.