Carolina Gomes holds a Bachelor's and Master's in Education Sciences from FPCEUP and is currently a first-year PhD student in the same program. Her academic and research trajectory has focused on well-being in vulnerable populations, particularly in institutional contexts. She contributed to the “Education in Times of Exception” project on teacher well-being during the pandemic and was a research fellow in three editions of Sing4Health, exploring the impact of community music on older adults' loneliness and well-being. Her Master’s thesis, grounded in this work, used mixed methods and tools like SPSS and NVivo. She has presented at national and international conferences and has a journal article under review on institutionalisation and community-based inclusion strategies. She actively participates in the Políticas, Comunidades e Participação CoPIn at CIIE, enhancing her scientific skills and collaborative networks. Beyond research, she is engaged in academic governance as a member of FPCEUP’s Pedagogical Council and Student Association, coordinating events and contributing to research on higher education practices. She also serves on the consultative council of INOV-NORTE, a consortium promoting innovation in Portuguese higher education.