People​
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Group Leader (PI)

Catarina Frazão Santos, Ph.D.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
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​Catarina is a researcher and lecturer at the University of Lisbon. She holds a PhD in Marine Sciences, and has a background in marine biology and environmental management. Her primary research focus pertains to the multiple dimensions of ocean sustainability, particularly sustainable ocean planning and governance under global environmental change. For the past 6 years, she has been supporting the European Commission, UNESCO and the World Bank on related topics.

Assistant Researcher, Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon
Member, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Center
Visiting Researcher, NOVA School of Business and Economics
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cfsantos@fc.ul.pt
@CFrazaoSantos
Google Scholar
​ORCID

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​Postdoctoral Researchers

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Vanessa Madeira Lopes, Ph.D.
POSTDOC

kuka.forbesi@gmail.com
​Google Scholar
​ORCID
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​Vanessa is an expert on climate change effects on marine ecosystems, particularly the impacts of harmful algae blooms on species and habitats that can affect a variety of ocean uses such as fisheries, tourism, or aquaculture. She has a research contract under project OCEANPLAN.

Maria Rita Pegado, Ph.D.
POSTDOC

​mrpegado@fc.ul.pt
​Google Scholar
​ORCID

​Maria Rita has a background on climate change effects on key marine species, namely on sharks, and is dedicated to communicate and disseminate scientific information to a variety of audiences and stakeholders. She has a research contract under project OCEANPLAN. ​

Doctoral Candidates

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​Catarina Pereira Santos
PHD CANDIDATE
cdcsantos@fc.ul.pt
​Google Scholar
​ORCID

​Catarina is a Ph.D. Candidate in 'Biology' at the University of Lisbon. Her thesis - soon to be concluded - focuses on the impacts of anthropogenic pressures on top predators, namely sharks, and on the development of tools (e.g., risk analyses) to support marine conservation and management. She is co-advised by Prof. Rui Rosa (Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon). Catarina's work is supported by project OCEANPLAN and project NGANDU. 

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Vasco Pissarra
PHD CANDIDATE
vasco.pissarra@gmail.com
Google Scholar
​ORCID

Vasco is a Ph.D. Candidate in 'Biology' at the University of Lisbon since early 2021. His thesis focuses on the importance of sharks and marine ecosystems to human communities in Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe. He is co-advised by Prof. Rui Rosa (Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon) and Prof. Lia Vasconcelos (NOVA-FCT). Vasco's work is supported by an individual Doctoral Grant from FCT (2020.05435.BD) and by project NGANDU. 

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Miguel Fernandes
PHD CANDIDATE
marmfernandes@gmail.com
​Google Scholar
​ORCID
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​Miguel is a Ph.D. Candidate in 'Marine Sciences' at the University of Lisbon. He started his thesis in early 2022, focusing on the spatially explicitly vulnerability of ocean uses and marine ecosystem services to climate change in order to support climate-smart marine spatial planning processes. He is co-advised by Dr. Carina Vieira da Silva (School of Law, University of Lisbon). Miguel's work is supported by project OCEANPLAN.


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David Santos
PHD CANDIDATE
​davidsantos226@gmail.com
​Google Scholar
​ORCID

David is a Ph.D. Candidate in 'Climate Change and Sustainable Development Policies' at the University of Lisbon & New University of Lisbon. His thesis - to be started in September 2022 - focuses on the development of marine spatial planning processes in polar regions, namely in the Arctic and the Antarctic. He is co-advised by Prof. José Xavier (School of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra). David's work is supported by project OCEANPLAN and by project MSPOLAR.
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Sara García-Morales
PHD CANDIDATE
saragmhurtado@hotmail.com
​Google Scholar
ORCID
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Sara is a Research Fellow (M.D.) at the University of Lisbon since early 2020, under project OCEANPLAN. Her work focuses on the adaptation of marine spatial planning processes to (climate) change. She is soon to be a Ph.D. Candidate in 'Marine Sciences' at the University of Lisbon under the co-supervision of Dr. María José Martínez-Harms (Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Chile).

Master Students

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​Filipa Bernardo
MASTER STUDENT
Ecology & Environmental Management, University of Lisbon, since 2021
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​Diogo Caeiro
MASTER STUDENT
Marine Ecology, University of Lisbon, since 2021
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Mafalda Carvalho
MASTER STUDENT
Marine Sciences, University of Lisbon, since 2021
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Júlia Simões
MASTER STUDENT
Ecology & Environmental Management, University of Lisbon, since 2020
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LAB ALUMNI
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Postdocs

• Carina Vieira da Silva (2019-2020). Postdoctoral Researcher. Google Scholar, ORCID. ​

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​Master Students

• Camila Pegorelli Gomes (2018-2019). Master Student at the Erasmus Mundus Master Course on Marine Spatial Planning, Universitá Iuav di Venezia, Universidad de Sevilla & Universidade dos Açores. Main supervisor: Prof. Helena Calado. 
• Sara García-Morales (2018-2020). Master Student in Marine Ecology, University of Lisbon.
• Matilde Almodovar de Faria Laurentino (2019-2021). Master Student in Marine Ecology, University of Lisbon. 
• Miguel Ângelo Represas Martins Fernandes (2019-2021). Master Student in Marine Ecology, University of Lisbon.
• David Miguel Alves Abreu dos Santos (2020-2022). Master Student in Marine Ecology, University of Lisbon.