Marco Bernardes

Associate Professor of Engineering

I Serve in...

Physics & Engineering Department

Education

• PhD, Mechanical Engineering, University of Stuttgart (Germany)
• MSE, Mechanical Engineering, UFMG (Brazil)
• BE, Mechanical Engineering, CEFET-MG (Brazil)

Career Highlights

• Over 29 years of combined experience in academia and industry, contributing to research, innovation, and the development of advanced products and methodologies. 
• Proven track record in publishing, peer review, and international collaboration.
• Recognized for excellence in materials science, sustainability, and life cycle assessment.

Awards and Honors

• Winner, ADL’s Building Materials Challenge (Sto Corp. & U.S. Department of Energy), 2018
• Recognized Reviewer for multiple high-impact international journals
• Runner-up, UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Assessment Award for LCA Projects in Developing Countries, Zurich, Switzerland, 2007
• Recipient of Prestigious Scholarships in the USA, Japan, Germany, South Africa, Brazil, and Luxembourg
• Examiner and Advisor for doctoral, master’s, and diploma theses (4 total), including service as Principal Examiner at University College, London

Featured Publications

Editor of Special Issues

• MDPI Entropy: Thermal Science and Engineering Applications 
• MDPI Hydrogen: Innovations in Hydrogen Combustion and Safety 
• MDPI Mathematics: Fluid Mechanics: Theory and Applications (ongoing)

Book Editor

1. Developments in Heat Transfer, ISBN 978-953-307-569-3, INTECH, September 2011
2. Biofuel Production-Recent Dev. and Prospects, ISBN 978-953-307-478-8, INTECH, September 2011
3. Environmental Impact of Biofuels, ISBN 978-953-307-479-5, INTECH, September 2011
4. Economic Effects of Biofuel Production, ISBN 978-953-307-178-7, INTECH, August 2011
5. Biofuel's Engineering Process Technology, ISBN 978-953-307-480-1, INTECH, August 2011

Books

Briem, S., Blesl, M., Bernardes, M. S., Fahl, U., Krewitt, W., Rath-Nagel, S., Nill, M., Voß, A., Grundlagen zur Beurteilung der Nachhaltigkeit von Energiesystemen in Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, v.1. p.118, 2002.

Lebenszyklusanalysen ausgewählter zukünftiger Stromerzeugungstechniken, Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Rationelle Energieanwendung (IER), Stuttgart, n.d. 

Book chapters

Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients for Solar Chimney Power Plant Collectors (2011), Aziz Belmiloudi (Ed.) ISBN 978-953-307-550-1, INTECH, In book: Heat Transfer

Solar Chimney Power Plants– Developments and Advancements (2010), Solar Energy, Radu D Rugescu (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-052-0, INTECH, DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4529.7604 In book: Solar Energy

Reports

Carlos Feu Alvim, Omar Campos Ferreira, Olga Mafra Guidicini, Frida Eidelman, Paulo Achtschin Ferreira, Marco Aurélio Santos Bernardes. Comparison of the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the generation of electricity in Brazil with those of other sources, ecen consulting, Brazil, Mar 2011

Peer-Review papers

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes (2024). Introducing Novel Geometric Insights and Three- Dimensional Depictions of the Pythagorean Theorem for any Triangles. International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Research, 4(2), 47-58. doi: 10.51483/IJPAMR.4.2.2024.47-58

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, 2017, Correlations for the symmetric converging flow and heat transfer between two nearly parallel stationary disks similar to a solar updraft power plant collector, In Solar Energy, Volume 146, 2017, Pages 309-318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2017.01.067

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, 2017. Preliminary stability analysis of the convective symmetric converging flow between two nearly parallel stationary disks similar to a Solar Updraft Power Plant collector. Sol. Energy 141, 297–302.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2016.11.042

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Experimental Evidence of the Working Principle of Thermal Diodes Based on Thermal Stress and Thermal Contact Conductance – Thermal Semiconductors, Int. Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 73C, pp. 354-357, 2014

Zhou, X., von Backström, T.W., Bernardes, M.A. dos S., Introd. to the Special Issue on Solar Chimneys. Solar Energy 98, Part A, 1, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2013.10.029

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, X. Zhou, Strategies for solar updraft tower power plants control subject to adverse solar radiance conditions, Solar Energy, Volume 98 – Part A, December 2013, Pages 34–41, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2013.06.007.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, On the heat storage in Solar Updraft Tower collectors – Influence of soil thermal properties, Solar Energy, Volume 98 – Part A, December 2013, Pages 49–57, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2013.07.014

X. Zhou, S. Yuan, M.A.d.S. Bernardes, Sloped-collector solar updraft tower power plant performance, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 66(0) (2013) 798-807

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Xinping Zhou, On the heat storage in Solar Updraft Tower collectors – Water bags, Solar Energy, Volume 91, May 2013, Pages 22–31, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2012.11.025

Xinping Zhou, Marco A. dos S. Bernardes, Reccab M. Ochieng, Influence of atmospheric cross flow on solar updraft tower inflow, Energy, Volume 42, Issue 1, June 2012, Pages 393–400, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2012.03.037.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Theodor W. von Backström, Evaluation of Operational Control Strategies Applicable to Solar Chimney Power Plants, Solar Energy, 84, (2), 277-288, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2011.03.031

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Theo W. von Backström. Analysis of Some Available Heat Transfer Coefficients Applicable to Solar Chimney Power Plant Collectors. Solar Energy. 83, 264-275, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2009.11.009

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes. Development of the initiative 'The LCA Software Award'. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, v. 14, p. 1, 2008. DOI: 10.1007/s11367-008-0018-8

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes; Alfred Voß, Gerhard Weinrebe, Thermal and Technical Analysis of Solar Chimneys, Solar Energy, v.75, n.6, p.511 - 524, 2003. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2003.09.012

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Ramón Molina Valle, Márcio Fonte-Boa Cortez., Numerical Analysis of natural laminar convection in a radial solar heater, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, Vol. 38, N° 1, Elsevier, 1999. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0035-3159(99)80015-4

Congress Papers

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes*, E. Benetto, A. Marvuglia, D. Koster, Environmental life cycle assessment and optimization of buildings, LCM 2011 - Towards Life Cycle Sustainability Management, Berlin, Germany, August 28 – 31th, 2011.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Thermal Semiconductors as Power Control Strategy for Solar Chimney Power Plants, 2nd International Conference on Solar Chimney Power Technology, Bochum, Germany, September 28 – 30th, 2010.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Thermal Semiconductor Systems-An Innovative Conduction Heat Transfer Application, 30th International Thermal Conductivity Conf. and 18th International Thermal Expansion Symposium, Pittsburgh, USA, September, 2009.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Life Cycle Assessment Modeling for Bifuel Vehicles, Third International Conference of Life Cycle Assessment in Latin America, CILCA 2009, Pucón, Chile, 2009

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Theo W. von Backström, Detlev Kröger. Critical Evaluation of Heat Transfer Coefficients Applicable to Solar Chimney Power Plant Collectors. In: Proceedings of the ISES Solar World Congress 2007, Beijing, 2007.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes. Summary of the progress of the project Initiative to Implement a Center of Excellence in Life Cycle Assessment an awarded proposal by the Life Cycle Initiative released by UNEP/SETAC. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Life Cycle Management, Zurich, 2007.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Desenvolvimento de um Currículo para Formação de Multiplicadores Especializados em Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida, Conferência Internacional de Avaliação de Ciclo de Vida - CILCA 2007, São Paulo, February, 2007.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, A Metodologia da Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida e sua Aplicação no Setor Energético, Congresso Brasileiro de Eficiência Energética, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Anais de CBEE 2005, v.1, p.183-186, 2005.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Chimneys, World Renewable Energy congress VIII, Proceedings of the World Renewable Energy congress VIII, Denver, USA, 2004.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Symmetric Sink Flow and Heat Transfer Between Two Parallel Disks, ASME - Summer Heat Transfer Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, July, 2003, doi:10.1115/HT2003-47103

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Ramón Molina Valle, Márcio Fonte-Boa Cortez, Análise Térmica de um Sistema Aero-Solar Radial, III CIDIN Congresso Iberoamericano de Ingeniería Mecánica, 1997, Havana, Cuba.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Márcio Fonte-Boa Cortez, Ramón Molina Valle, Estudo do Escoamento Laminar em Sistemas Aero-Solares, XIV COBEM - Congresso Brasileiro de Engenharia Mecânica, São Paulo, Brazil, 1997.

Marco Aurélio dos Santos Bernardes, Ramón Molina Valle, Márcio Fonte-Boa Cortez, Modelamento Numérico da Convecção Natural num Sistema Aero-Solar Radial, XVIII CILANCE Congresso Íbero Latino-americano de Métodos Computacionais em Engenharia, Brasília, Brazil, 1997

About

I am a Senior Mechanical Engineer with over 29 years of experience and a broad global perspective. Throughout my career, I have been blessed with the opportunity to contribute to engineering projects in South Africa, China, Japan, Brazil, the United States, Luxembourg, and Germany. I recognize that each of these opportunities was a provision from God—doors He opened and paths He prepared, often beyond what I could have imagined or achieved on my own. This international journey has not only strengthened my technical expertise but also deepened my appreciation for cultural diversity, collaboration, and humility in professional practice.

I am married and blessed with three children. I treasure time with my family and enjoy reading apologetics and creationist works, swimming, and biking. I became a believer at the age of 13, and ever since, God has graciously guided and shaped my life in every aspect—personal, professional, and spiritual.

I am continually learning and growing in biblical apologetics, the presentation of scientific evidence supporting creation, ethics, and the application of a biblical worldview in education and daily life. I seek to integrate faith and reason in a way that honors God and reflects His truth. I am grateful to have learned from leading Christian apologists and scientists, and humbled to be among the signatories of the Dissent from Darwin list—a group of Ph.D. scientists who express skepticism regarding the sufficiency of random mutation and natural selection to explain the complexity of life.

I strive to approach every new environment with the mindset of a respectful guest—eager to learn, serve, and build meaningful relationships. My inquisitive and creative nature motivates me to keep learning and to seek innovative, purposeful solutions. I value openness, curiosity, enthusiasm, flexibility, and vision—qualities I believe God continues to refine in me through each season of growth and challenge.

I aim to continue growing in the engineering field, addressing the increasing complexity of modern systems by embracing emerging technologies and sustainable practices. Above all, I hope to remain faithful in using my skills to serve others and to make a meaningful, Christ-centered contribution to the advancement of engineering and society.

I have been actively involved in community service, including diaconal work, childcare, and soup distribution to the homeless—opportunities through which I seek, by God’s grace, to live out my faith in practical, compassionate ways.