Experience and Expertise
Professional Experience
Research Experience:
June 2016 - present Research Associate (NERC); Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
June 2014 - June 2016 Research Associate/Marie-Curie Fellow; Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
Jan 2007 - June 2011 PhD candidate; Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
May 2009 Visiting Scholar, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Rovjin, Croatia
Oct 2008 - Dec 2008 Visiting Scholar; Instituto Antárctico Chileno (INACH) and collaboration with Centro de Cultivos Marinos Bahía Laredo, from Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
Sept 2005 - Dec 2006 Researcher Assistant (MSc student); ULB, Brussels, Belgium
Oct 2004 - Jun 2005 Researcher Assistant; Eco-Ethology department at Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA), Lisbon, Portugal
Jun 2004 - Sep 2004 Researcher Assistant; (Leonardo Da Vinci internship) at Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, Argyll, UK
Oct 2003 - May 2004 Researcher Assistant; Eco-Ethology department at ISPA, Lisbon, Portugal
Aug 2002 - Sept 2003 Researcher Assistant (Undergraduate); ISPA/Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (FCUL), in collaboration with the Oceanographic Museum of Arrábida, Portugal
Sept 2000 - Jul 2002 Volunteer Researcher; FCUL, Lisbon, Portugal
Other Professional Experience:
Sept 2011-Dec 2013 Science Communications Consultant at Sustainability Consult, Brussels, Belgium
Scientific Training and Expertise
Introduction to Project Management, 2018. Royal Society of Biology, UK
Basic Course in Radiation Protection in Research and Teaching, 2018. Health and Safety Department, Radiation Protection Unit, Edinburgh University, UK
UK Home Office Personal License in Animal (Fish) Testing: no. I2E02BF6A (2015)
Home Office Licensee Training: Fish – Modules 1 to 3, Charles River, 2014, London, UK
Introduction to RNA-seq Data Analysis Workshop, Edinburgh Genomics, 17-18 September 2015, Edinburgh, UK
Technical skills: uni- and multivariate statistical analysis, nucleic acid extraction and gene expression (Quantitative reverse transcription PCR – RT qPCR), Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (t-RFLP), husbandry of aquatic organisms: invertebrate (echinoderms, mussels, amphipods, lugworms, snails) and fish (zebrafish and trout), manipulation of seawater’s carbonate system (pH via CO2 injection) and temperature, respirometry analysis, biodiversity assessment (nematodes, microfauna), ecotoxicological acute and chronic exposures, microscopy and image analysis, science communications and public engagement, micro-nanoplastics manipulation and characterisation, sorption of co-contaminants (metals and organics) to plastics and sediment, analytical chemistry analysis (e.g. ICP, HPLC, AAS), scientific writing and presentation skills
Teaching and Mentoring Expertise
Co-mentorship of three PhD students, over 15 MSc students, over 15 undergraduate students, four Visiting Scholars (inc. PhD candidates and/or overseas students) and six Erasmus Mundus/Plus (EU and overseas)
Training (2017-present): Enrolled at the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (PGCILT), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. Once completed I will be qualified to apply for the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
2018: Contributing Lecturer (Ocean Acidification) at Aquatic Toxicology, led by Prof Mark Hartl and at (Climate Change and Microplastics) Stressors and Sustainability, led by Prof Teresa Fernandes (4th year, Honours Degree)
2015-2018: Contributing Lecturer (Ecology Statistics, Science Communication) at Applied Research Design and Analysis, led by Prof Theodore B Henry, in MSc Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology
2015-2016: Contributing Lecturer (Ocean Acidification, Microplastics) at Stressors and Sustainability, led by Prof Teresa Fernandes (4th year, Honours Degree)
2008-2010: Invited Speaker at Zoology (undergrad) and Project Seminars at Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, and Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
Other Skills
International Certification of Scuba Diver
Level 2 (P2) from C.M.A.S. (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques - World Underwater Federation)
First Aid Diver Course
Yachtsman’s license
Languages: Portuguese (native speaker); English (fluent; Cambridge University Certificate of Proficiency in English 026PT0098110); Spanish (fluent); French; Italian (good reading skills)