Marta Faria Patrão acts in the area of Social Sciences, with emphasis on Psychology. She has a PhD in Health Sciences from the University of Aveiro, a post-graduation in Family and Social System from Instituto Superior Miguel Torga of Coimbra and a degree in Psychology from the University of Coimbra. Presently she is researcher in the University of Aveiro at the Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences. She is member of the research unity on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy (GOVCOPP). Her research is centered on intergenerational family transmissions (namely material inheritances) and other psychosocial processes (social participation, quality of life) of individuals and families in later life. Additionally she also has been studying intercultural competence in diverse populations (especially from socially vulnerable contexts, with low income/low educational levels, migrants, refugees and other minority groups). It is expected that results of research may inform social and family policy and contribute to the development of collaborative intervention methodologies with individuals and families from diverse sociocultural contexts, through the life cycle.