My primary research interests have been concentrated within the sphere of social and educational policies, with a particular focus on the pervasive issue of social inequality. My overarching aim has been to cultivate scholarship that not only contributes to the advancement of knowledge but also holds tangible societal relevance with transformative potential. To achieve this goal, I have undertaken research funded by national and international agencies. With respect to nationally-funded research, I highlight that conducted under the auspices of the Portuguese Social Security, targeting the alleviation of poverty and the mitigation of social exclusion. This work entailed the generation of evidence-informed recommendations intended to inform the formulation and implementation of social and educational policies. Additionally, I spearheaded a research and intervention project on conflict mediation, funded by FCT (PTDC/CED/66812/2006), which culminated in receiving an evaluation score of A from the FCT evaluation panel upon its completion in 2010. More recently, I have taken up leadership roles within the University of Porto's participation in research projects such as the FCT-funded EDUPLACES project ("Locais Educadores: práticas, vozes e percursos de educação inclusiva") and the Horizon 2020-funded YOUNG_ADULLLT project ("Policies Supporting Young Adults in their Life Course. A Comparative Perspective of Lifelong Learning and Inclusion in Education and Work in Europe"), wherein I directed a Work Package. Presently, I serve as Co-Principal Investigator for the FCT-funded project "Equity through PISA: results and discourses," and as coordinator of the University of Porto's involvement in the European Commission-funded project "CLEAR ¿ Constructing Learning Outcomes in Europe: A Multi-Level Analysis of (Under)Achievement in the Life Course" (HORIZON-CL2-2021-TRANSFORMATIONS-01, Grant agreement No. 101061155). Over the past nearly 15 years, I have also been conducting research into secondary schools' rankings, grade inflation, and the efficacy of compensatory education. These topics, which have significant societal and political implications, have been providing a solid, long-standing, fertile ground for the continuation of my research on social and educational policies. Moreover, they have enabled my work to extend its impact through frequent participation in the media and, more recently, in a consulting role with the Direção Geral do Ensino Superior (General Directorate for Higher Education). Currently, I am an Associate Professor and hold the position of Director of the Doctoral Program in Education Sciences at the University of Porto, where I am committed to nurturing scholarly excellence and fostering critical inquiry within the field.