✅ Developed and led several Environmental Education and raising Awareness activities on Freshwater Biodiversity and River Ecosystems with Schools, Master's and Bachelor's students, and general public (in Italy and Portugal). Examples (see also pics below):

• Environmental Education session on River Restoration at a school within an ANP|WWF project funded by ORP - Martim Longo, Alcoutim, Portugal. 05/2024.

• Tutoring kids in climbing and cooking fresh, hand-made pasta with insects flour for the Researchers Day for Ciência Viva - Lisbon, Portugal. 09/2022.

• Guide in a Marine Biology Citizen Science expedition along the Tagus River estuary, for the "Ciência no Verão" initiative, hired by Ciência Viva - Lisbon, Portugal. 08/2019.

• Organizer of an Environmental Awareness activity on Freshwater Ecosystems for the "World Otter Day", in collaboration with International Otter Survival Fund, Biodiversity4All and SPEA, Lagoa Pequena, Sesimbra, Portugal. 05/2018.

• Planner and executor of an innovative method for Environmental Education on Freshwater Ecosystem Conservation at EB1 Natália Correia primary school, Lisbon, Portugal. 05/2018 (see video below!).

✅ Developed awareness tools on Freshwater Biodiversity and River Restoration: 

• Policy Brief on Dam Removal to help improve the engagement of the Portuguese Government and Decision-makers in River Restoration (picture below).

• Pop-up book on Dam Removal to illustrate the benefits of Restoring the River Continuity by removing a dam (picture below).

• Petition to engage the public and appeal to the Government to give priority and urgency to River Restoration, through the Removal of Obsolete River Barriers.

• Freshwater Native and Invasive Species Cards Memory Game (picture below).

✅ Opinion/Popular Articles & Interviews:

• Author of Opinion Articles advocating for the removal of obsolete river barriers in the Portuguese local press ('Expresso' and ‘Observador’').

• Interviews about my scientific research in various regional and national Portuguese newspapers ('Público', 'Diário de Notícias', 'Wilder', 'Nordeste') and radio (rádio Brigantia). Examples:

  1. Article on ‘Público’

  2. Article on ‘Diário de Notícias’

  3. Article on ‘Wilder’

• Interviews about my scientific research on national television (SIC, RTP). Examples: SIC, Biosfera

• National Geographic Society’s release on an Iberian desman I captured.

• Interview and report on my PhD project in the first chapter of the book “Lontras em Portugal”, December 2008 (edited by Caetano, P. & Ferreira, J.P.). 

✅ Courses attended on Scientific Communication, Communication, Personal Development, and other topics that improved my communication skills: 

• Scientific Communication course, CIBIO-InBIO, Vairão, Portugal, 2015.

• Scientific Article Writing course, by "La Sapienza" University of Rome, Italy, 2007.

• Documentary Cinematography course, by Prof. Carlo Alberto Pinelli, held in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, Italy, August 2001.

• Various Personal Development, Communication, and Body Language courses, by HRD (which I used to collaborate with). 2001.

• I often use innovative and entertaining styles to render Science more appealing and comprehensive (and fun!) for all. See for example the "stretching" sessions that I gave during my presentations at the VII Dam Removal Europe International Seminar and at the Italian Theriologists conference (videos below).

✅ Good knowledge of EU nature/biodiversity policies and legal frameworks, particularly related to freshwater ecosystems, and Nature-based Solutions.