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My academic path began with a degree in Biology (Universidade de Évora, July 2020), which included an Erasmus+ exchange at the University of Life Sciences in Poznan, Poland. I later completed my MSc in Marine and Coastal Systems (Universidade do Algarve, January 2023), where my thesis focused on the ecology of Arctic cold seep meiofauna assemblages. My research experience started with voluntary work and laboratory training at the Nematology Laboratory of Universidade de Évora, focusing on meiofauna processing. After my Master’s, I moved to the Azores for an internship with the Azores Deep-Sea Research (ADSR) group at the Okeanos-UAc Institute. This position evolved into my current role as a Research Assistant, where I have participated in several national and international research projects, including the Horizon Europe projects REDRESS and Marine Beacon, but also MapGES and DEEP. During my time with ADSR, I have accumulated more then 300 hours of manual annotation of deep-sea imagery, which allowed me to develop a specialized taxonomic expertise in deep-sea megabenthic fauna from the Azores, covering more than 470 different morphospecies. I have been deeply involved in the group’s field operations, participating in 12 offshore survey campaigns and spending more than 100 days at sea. On four of these missions, I served as Chief Scientist, taking responsibility for the scientific coordination and data acquisition. Beyond biological analysis, I have also contributed to the technical maintenance and improvement of our cost-effective imaging tool, the Azor drift-cam, specifically working on the integration of positioning systems (USBL) and crucial power supplies. I have enriched my professional training by attending several international courses, such as the Marine Robotics Summer School (MIT Portugal) and an advanced course on AI tools applied to underwater image analysis (University of Glasgow). I have also presented my research at international meetings, including the 18th International Meiofauna Conference in New Zealand and the ICES Annual Science Conference 2025. My work has contributed to several peer-reviewed publications, including a co-authorship in the high-impact journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution regarding the democratization of deep-sea research and a multidisciplinary study on Arctic oil seeps in Science of the Total Environment. Currently, I have two additional manuscripts under revision in peer-reviewed journals. Furthermore, I have contributed to 18 scientific and technical reports, including a first-authored cruise report. I am also active in science communication, participating in documentaries like “Meia Milha para Baixo” and “Minuto Azul-escuro” and delivering invited lectures to university students, experiences that strengthen my communication skills. Outside of research, I have a strong interest in underwater photography and video, having achieved recognition in national and international competitions. I also hold a local skipper license and am a certified Divemaster. Other personal interests include trekking, and endurance sports. My regular participation in ultra-marathons reflects the persistence and resilience I bring to my scientific career. In summary, my career centers on the ecology of megabenthic fauna and the application of cost-effective underwater imaging technology for deep-sea exploration. I aim to leverage this experience to bridge traditional observation with automated and scalable research workflows.
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
João Pedro Esteves Balsa

Citation names

  • Balsa, João

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
0118-D650-7E4D
ORCID iD
0000-0001-9962-9156
Google Scholar ID
jHys3PMAAAAJ&hl
Scopus Author Id
58663335400

Email addresses

  • joao.pe.balsa@uac.pt (Professional)
  • balsa.j2000@gmail.com (Personal)

Telephones

Mobile phone
  • 927861423 (Personal)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Marine Biology

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1) Advanced (C1)
Spanish; Castilian Upper intermediate (B2) Upper intermediate (B2) Intermediate (B1) Intermediate (B1) Upper intermediate (B2)
Education
Degree Classification
2020/10 - 2023/01
Concluded
 Marine and coastal systems (Master's Degree)
Major in Oceanography
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
"Meiofauna assemblages from cold seeps in the Arctic" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 17/20
2020/02 - 2020/07
Concluded
 Exchange program (Erasmus +) (Others)
Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu, Poland
2016/09 - 2020/06
Concluded
 Biologia (Licenciate Degree)
Universidade de Évora, Portugal
"Diurnal courses and variation of forest soil carbon dioxide fluxes at reforested windthrow area" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 13/20
Affiliation

Others

Category
Host institution		 Employer
2026/03/19 - Current Research assistant at Azores Deep-Sea Research group Universidade dos Açores Centro do IMAR, Portugal
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2024/02/13 - 2026/02/12 Research assistant at Azores Deep-Sea Research group Fundação Gaspar Frutuoso, Portugal
Universidade dos Açores - Campus da Horta, Portugal
2023/02/01 - 2024/02/12 Internship at the Azores Deep-Sea Research group Fundação Gaspar Frutuoso, Portugal
Universidade dos Açores - Campus da Horta, Portugal
2022/08/01 - 2022/08/31 Student Initiation Fellow (BII) at CESAM Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
2020/06/01 - 2020/09/15 Research Volunteer – Deep-sea meiofauna processing and analysis Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Portugal
University of Évora Laboratório de Nematologia, Portugal
2019/10 - 2020/01 Extra-curricular laboratory training – Meiofauna and Nematode processing methodologies Universidade de Évora, Portugal
University of Évora Laboratório de Nematologia, Portugal
Projects

Contract

Designation Funders
2025/03/02 - Current DEEP: Deep-sea Ecosystem Evaluation for Policy solutions
2025.00366.AZO
Researcher
Fundação Gaspar Frutuoso, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2024/01/01 - Current REDRESS - Restoration of deep-sea habitats to rebuild European Seas - European Union’s Horizon Europe
101135492
Researcher
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
 Horizon 2020
Ongoing
2024/01/01 - Current Marine Beacon - Monitoring and elimination of bycatch of endangered and conserved species in the NE and high seas Atlantic region
101135237
Researcher
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
 Horizon 2020
Ongoing
2023/02/13 - Current MapGES2 - Characterization and mapping of deep-sea habitats in the Azores sub-area of the Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone
18/DRPM/2022, ACORES-14-62G4-FEDER-000001
Researcher
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
 Governo dos Açores
Ongoing
Outputs

Publications

Conference poster
  1. Balsa, João; Bruno, Inês; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Pladevall-Vilavendrel, Marc; Silva, Gabriela; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Morato, Telmo. "Azor BenthicClicker: A versatile manual annotation tool for cost-effective deep-sea imaging workflows". Paper presented in Marine Imaging Workshop, 2026.
  2. Gonçalves, Guilherme; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; Balsa, João; Ramos, Manuela; Bruno, Inês; Pladevall, Marc; et al. "Megabenthic communities observed in four seamounts of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to inform the identification of VMEs in the Azores". Paper presented in ICES Annual Science Conference, 2025, 2025.
  3. Balsa, João; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Bruno, Inês Correia; Gomes, Sérgio; Morato, Telmo. "Enhancing Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) identification with the Azor drift-cam, a cost-effective and user-friendly underwater imaging solution". Paper presented in ICES Annual Science Conference, 2025.
  4. Balsa, João; Argentino, Claudio; Riva, Frederica; Adão, Helena; Panieri, Giuliana; Ramalho, Sofia P.. "Nematode communities from a natural oil seep off Svalbard". Paper presented in CAGE International Conference on Methane in a changing Arctic, 2022.
Journal article
  1. Clippele, Laurence De; Balsa, João; Beckmann, Lara M; Boolukos, Corie M.B; Burgués, Itziar; Diez, Anna De la Torriente; Easton, Blair; et al. "Using machine learning effectively in marine ecology: a question-driven toolkit". Royal Society Open Science (2026):
    Open access • Accepted
  2. Morato, Telmo; Carreiro-Silva, Marina; Rodrigues, Luis; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Balsa, João; Ramos, Manuela; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; et al. "Deep-sea benthic communities on one seamount (Hard-Rock Café) and two Mid-Atlantic Ridge segments (Chaucer South and Estrela) of the Northern Azores". Deep-Sea Research Part ll (2026):
    Under revision
  3. Morato, Telmo; Rodrigues, Luís; Carreiro-Silva, Marina; Balsa, João; Bruno, Inês; Carneiro, Inês; Fauconnet, Laurence; et al. "Democratizing deep-sea research for biodiversity conservation". Trends in Ecology & Evolution (2025): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2025.09.015.
    Published • 10.1016/j.tree.2025.09.015
  4. Panieri, Giuliana; Argentino, Claudio; Ramalho, Sofia P.; Vulcano, Francesca; Savini, Alessandra; Fallati, Luca; Brekke, Trond; et al. "An Arctic natural oil seep investigated from space to the seafloor". Science of The Total Environment 907 (2024): 167788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167788.
    Published • 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167788
Report
  1. Balsa, João; Bruno, Inês; Rodrigues, Luis; Cardoso, Gabriela; Gomes, Marisa; Vasconcelos, João; Bravo, Emilia; et al. 2026. MapGES 2026 Cruise Report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the MT Physeter. https://zenodo.org/records/21537924.
  2. João Balsa; Inês Bruno; Guilherme Sampaio-Gonçalves; Gabriela Cardoso; Inês Carneiro; Luís Rodrigues; Marc Pladevall Vilavendrell; et al. 2025. MapGES 2025 Cruise Report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the MT Physeter. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.17224667.
    10.5281/ZENODO.17224667
  3. Guilherme Gonçalves; João Balsa; Luís Rodrigues; Inês Bruno; Gabriela Cardoso; Manuela Ramos; Marc Pladevall Vilavendrell; et al. 2025. MapGES 2025 Cruise Report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the RV Arquipélago. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.17225533.
    10.5281/ZENODO.17225533
  4. Telmo Morato; Gerald Hechter Taranto; João Balsa; Inês Bruno; Inês Carneiro; Marina Navarro Engesser; Laurence Fauconnet; et al. 2024. MapGES 2024 cruise report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the MT Physeter. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.14181251.
    10.5281/ZENODO.14181251
  5. Telmo Morato; Guilherme Sampaio-Gonçalves; Luís Rodrigues; João Balsa; Gabriela Cardoso; Sérgio Gomes; Rachel Lacoste; et al. 2024. MapGES 2024 cruise report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the RV Arquipélago. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.14774840.
    10.5281/ZENODO.14774840
  6. Telmo Morato; Gerald H. Taranto; Laurence Fauconnet; Luís Rodrigues; João Balsa; Isabel Areosa; Inês Bruno; et al. 2023. MapGES 2023 cruise report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the MT Physeter. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10787943.
    10.5281/ZENODO.10787943
  7. Telmo Morato; Luís Rodrigues; João Balsa; Inês Bruno; Inês Carneiro; Diana Catarino; Nicolás Collazo; et al. 2023. MapGES 2023 cruise report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the RV Arquipélago. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10785023.
    10.5281/ZENODO.10785023
  8. Telmo Morato; Guilherme Gonçalves; Laura Neves de Sousa; Filipe Porteiro; Manuela Ramos; Teresa Cerqueira; João Balsa; et al. 2023. OceanX 2023 cruise report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores on board the RV OceanXplorer. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10810581.
    10.5281/ZENODO.10810581
  9. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Areosa, Isabel; Balsa, João; Bruno, Inês; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; et al. 2023. Relatório das campanhas realizadas durante o primeiro período de missões de campo (RM1). Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.o 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa..
  10. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Ramos, Manuela; Gonçalves, Guilherme; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; Balsa, João; et al. 2023. Base de dados georreferenciada contendo informação pré- existente e a nova informação compilada e analisada sobre a biodiversidade do mar profundo dos Açores (BD1). Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.o 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa..
  11. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Fauconnet, Laurence; Taranto, Gerald H.; Rodrigues, Luis; Gonçalves, Guilherme; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; et al. 2023. Fichas técnicas digitais das unidades geomorfológicas do mar profundo dos Açores (FTD1). Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.o 11/DRPM/2022 – Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa..
  12. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Ramos, Manuela; Taranto, Gerald H.; Cerqueira, Teresa; Gonçalves, Guilherme; et al. 2023. Azores deep-sea ecosystem: final report with protection recommendations (RF). Direct Adjustment no 11/DRPM/2022 - Characterization of deep-sea habitats, with a view to mapping them up to the outer limit of the Azores sub-area of the Portuguese exclusive economic zone..
  13. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Taranto, Gerald H.; Fauconnet, Laurence; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Balsa, João; et al. 2023. Relatório das campanhas realizadas durante o segundo período de missões de campo (RM2). Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.º 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa..
  14. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Ramos, Manuela; Cerqueira, Teresa; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; et al. 2023. Base de dados georreferenciada sobre a biodiversidade do mar profundo dos Açores (BD2): versão final contendo a informação pré-existente atualizada com a nova informação adquirida. Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.º 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa..
  15. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Fauconnet, Laurence; Taranto, Gerald H.; Rodrigues, Luis; Ramos, Manuela; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; et al. 2023. Fichas técnicas digitais das unidades geomorfológicas do mar profundo dos Açores (FTD2). Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.º 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa..
  16. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Ramos, Manuela; Gonçalves, Guilherme; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; Taranto, Gerald H.; et al. 2023. Base de dados georreferenciada da informação pré-existente (BD0) sobre a biodiversidade do mar profundo dos Açores. Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.º 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da zona económica exclusiva portuguesa.
  17. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; ADSR. 2023. The Azor drift-cam Project funded by Rolex (2024: Morato, T., Dominguez-Carrió, C., & the Azores Deep-Sea Research Group. The Azor drift-cam Project. Okeanos-UAc/IMAR. October 2024..
  18. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Fauconnet, Laurence; Taranto, Gerald H.; Rodrigues, Luis; Gonçalves, Guilherme; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; et al. 2023. Fichas técnicas digitais das unidades geomorfológicas do mar profundo dos Açores (FTD0). Produzido no âmbito do Ajuste Direto n.º 11/DRPM/2022 - Caracterização dos habitats de profundidade, com vista ao seu mapeamento até ao limite exterior da subárea dos Açores da 83 Telmo Morato, Curriculum Vitae, page 83 zona económica exclusiva portuguesa.
  19. Telmo Morato; Luis Rodrigues; Sérgio Gomes; Gerald H. Taranto; Manuela Ramos; Guilherme Gonçalves; João Balsa; et al. 2022. MapGES 2021 Cruise Report: Exploration and mapping of deep-sea biodiversity in the Azores, summer 2021. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.12785665.
    10.5281/ZENODO.12785665
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. "Meiofauna assemblages from cold seeps in the Arctic. Master in Marine and Coastal systems, Universidade do Algarve, 2022". Master, Universidade do Algarve, 2022. https://sapientia.ualg.pt/entities/publication/8fc4786b-39a1-43ef-81b0-124406395887.
Working paper
  1. Balsa, João; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Rodrigues, Luis; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Bruno, Inês; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; P. Viavendrell, Marc; et al. 2026. "Megabenthic community structure at two opposing seamounts (Agulhas Corvo-Graciosa and Óscar) of the Mid-Atlantic ridge in the Azores".
  2. Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Mendes-Carneiro, Inês; Balsa, João; Ramos, Manuela; Bruno, Inês; Vilavendrell, Marc P.; et al. 2026. "Deep-sea megabenthic communities dwelling on four Azorean seamounts located on the Mid-Atlantic ridge".

Other

Other output
  1. Supporting the development and production of the "Atlas of the Geomorphological Structures of the Azores Deep Sea". Technical sheets and videos of geomorphological structures of the Azores deep sea (up to 1000 m depth) developed by the Azores Deep-Sea Research group.. 2026. Morato, Telmo; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Fauconnet, Laurence; Taranto, Gerald H.; Rodrigues, Luis; Ramos, Manuela; Gonçalves, Guilherme; et al. https://deepsea.uac.pt/atlas.
  2. Participation in Social Media Outreach: Translating Azores Deep-Sea Research for Public Audiences. Active participation in the ADSR group’s digital outreach strategy on Instagram. Mainly through short-form video content and visual narratives to communicate deep-sea research findings, offshore mission logistics, and marine technology (e.g., Azor drift-cam).. 2026. ADSR. https://www.instagram.com/azores.deepsea/.
  3. Azor drift-cam 1.3. I contributed to the technical refinement of the Azor drift-cam, extending its operational depth to 1,500 m through the integration of an enhanced umbilical system and optimizing real-time video quality for deeper deep-sea observation. 2026. ADSR. https://deepsea.uac.pt/azor-drift-cam.
  4. Participation on the Darwin200 initiative mini-series about the Azores Deep-sea Research group and the scientific work developed in the Azores. 2025. ADSR.
  5. Participation in the RTP mini-series "Minuto Azul-escuro". Participation in the production of the RTP3 mini-series Minuto Azul-escuro, a set of thirty short episodes based on an original concept by Telmo Morato and the Azores Deep-Sea Research group (Okeanos Institute). The series explores large-scale deep-sea scientific research in the Azores and was broadcast on Portuguese national television.. 2025. ASDR. https://www.rtp.pt/play/p13941/minuto-azul-escuro.
  6. Participation in the science documentary "Meia Milha para Baixo" (Half-Mile Down) produced by Pepe Brix. Participation in the production of the 56-minute documentary "Meia Milha para Baixo", showcasing deep-sea ecosystems of the Azores through advanced imaging technologies. The documentary explores coral gardens, hydrothermal vents, and submarine landscapes while promoting accessible approaches to deep-sea exploration. Developed by the Azores Deep-Sea Research group (Okeanos Institute).. 2025. ADSR. https://www.rtp.pt/programa/tv/p48429.
  7. Azor drift-cam 1.2. Contributed to the technical development and improvement of the cost-effective imaging tool Azor drift-cam, including the integration of positioning (USBL) and external power supply systems.. 2025. ADSR. https://deepsea.uac.pt/azor-drift-cam.
  8. Technical Contributor in the efficiency of a specialized coral collector device. Assisted in the optimization of a specialized deep-sea coral collector to improve sampling yields and mechanical reliability. Focused on refining the recovery mechanisms to minimize sample loss during ascent. These technical improvements directly supported biological sampling for regional restoration and biodiversity projects (e.g., REDRESS).". 2025. ADSR.
  9. Institutional video Presentation: Azores Deep-Sea Research (ADSR) group. Featured Researcher – ADSR Institutional Presentation Video (2024). Directed by Pepe Brix. Contributed to the visual and narrative documentation of the group’s multidisciplinary expertise. The video showcases the team’s unique approach to deep-sea ecology, the technical development of the Azor drift-cam, and the group's strategic role in informing marine policy and conservation in the Azores.. 2024. ADSR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZZGpD8DbJk&t=13s.
  10. Technical description of the Azor drift-cam on Biosfera series. Biosfera is a weekly programme focused on environmental awareness, promoting good practices in energy use, biodiversity protection, and nature conservation. The interview consisted in the technical presentation of the low-cost underwater imaging tool "Azor drift-cam".. 2023. ADSR. https://www.rtp.pt/programa/tv/p46765.
Software
  1. Balsa, João; Bruno, Inês; Sampaio-Gonçalves, Guilherme; Pladevall-Villavendrel, Marc; Silva, Gabriela; Gomes, Marisa; Rodrigues, Luis; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Morato, Telmo. "Azor BenthicClicker". Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos. 2026.
Activities

Oral presentation

Presentation title Event name
Host (Event location)
2026/05/20 Lightning talk: Azor BenthicClicker: A versatile manual annotation tool for cost-effective deep-sea imaging workflows Marine Imaging Workshop
University of Gibraltar (Gibraltar, Gibraltar)
2026/04/20 Invited Speaker – “A cost-effective and user-friendly underwater imaging solution in deep-sea exploration ” in the "IV Encontro de Ciência e Tecnologia" Held at Escola Básica e Secundaria das Lajes do Pico, Lajes do Pico, Portugal. Delivered an oral presentation on the low-cost deep-sea imaging system Azor drift-cam and the work developed by the Azores Deep-Sea Research (ASDR) group during the last years. IV Encontro de Ciência e Tecnologia
Escola Básica e Secundaria das Lajes do Pico (Lajes do Pico, Portugal)
2025/12/12 Invited Lecture demonstration - Invited by Dr. Ana Martins to deliver a practical demonstration of the low-cost deep-sea imaging system Azor drift-cam as part of the Master’s programme in Integrated Ocean Studies, University of the Azores.
Universidade dos Açores (Horta, Portugal)
2025/09/05 Oral contribution on the technical specifications of the cost-effective underwater imaging tool "Azor drift-cam" at the EXPAT 25 – 7th Experimenta@ International Conference, Horta, Portugal. EXPAT 25 – 7th Experimenta@ International Conference
Universidade dos Açores (Horta, Portugal)
2025/07/10 Course lecture – 2025 Marine Robotics Summer School, organized by MIT Portugal and Okeanos – Institute of Marine Sciences (EMA, Horta, Portugal). Oral presentation on the development and operational performance of the low-cost deep-sea imaging system Azor drift-cam. 2025 Marine Robotics Summer School
Okeanos – Institute of Marine Sciences (Horta, Portugal)
2025/05/28 Invited Speaker – “À Descoberta do Mar Profundo dos Açores” Held at Fábrica da Baleia, Horta, Portugal. Delivered an outreach lecture on Azorean deep-sea ecosystems to an international group of American students, highlighting regional biodiversity, exploration efforts, and technological approaches to deep-sea research.
Fábrica da Baleia (Horta, Portugal)
2025/03/07 Panel Participant – “Açores com Futuro – Jovens que Inspiram”, Horta, Portugal. Selected as a representative of Faial Island to engage with high-school students, sharing academic and professional experiences to promote higher education, scientific careers, and regional development. Açores com Futuro – Jovens que Inspiram
Escola secundária Manuel de Arriaga (Horta, Portugal)
2022/12/05 Oral presentation “Nematode Communities from a Natural Oil Seep off Svalbard” on the 18th International Meiofauna Conference (IMCO), Wellington, New Zealand, focusing on meiofaunal assemblage structure and ecological patterns associated with Arctic cold seep environments. 18th International meiofauna conference
NIWA - Earth sciences New Zealand (Wellington, New Zealand)
2022/11/11 Invited Lecture – Arctic Cold Seep Ecosystems Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, University of Évora. Invited by Dr. Helena Adão to deliver a lecture talk within the module Biology of Communities, focusing on the ecological structure, biodiversity patterns, and environmental drivers of Arctic cold seep ecosystems.
Universidade de Évora (Évora, Portugal)
2022/05/22 Invited Lecture – Cold Seeps and Hydrothermal Vents Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Biology, University of Algarve. Invited by Dr. Duarte Duarte to deliver a lecture within the module Marine Geology, addressing the geological drivers, ecological dynamics, and biodiversity patterns of cold seep and hydrothermal vent ecosystems. Marine geology class (Marine biology bachelor's degree)
Universidade do Algarve (Faro, Portugal)

Event participation

Activity description
Type of event		 Event name
Institution / Organization
2026/03/16 - 2026/03/19 Short-duration (8 hours) technical training focused on the operational aspects of underwater gliders, including mission planning, ballasting, deployment/recovery procedures, and real-time data monitoring. The training was focused on the ALSEAMAR SeaExplorer glider.
Workshop
Instituto Hidrográfico, Portugal

Escola do Mar dos Açores, Portugal
2026/03/05 - 2026/03/06 Course “Thinking Like a Champion & Horizon Europe Intelligence” (6 hours). Organized by: REMORA project. Venue: Remote. This online training provided participants with knowledge and practical tools on: Master strategic and operational tools, from work programs to TRLs, guide to proposal development covering idea, connection, reading, encapsulating, attracting partners, transforming drafts, and evaluating proposals, and Techniques to structure proposals for maximum evaluator impact.
Workshop
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025/11/25 - 2025/11/27 Course "Habitat Mapping and Modelling Workshop" (24 hours). Organized by: TwinDEEPS project. Venue: Synergy Coworking, Porto, Portugal. Advanced practical workshop on concepts and methods behind generating biotope maps, cluster analysis techniques for biotope classification, random forest modelling techniques for predictive mapping, and evaluation methods for assessing predictions and communicating uncertainty.
Workshop
 Habitat Mapping and Modelling Workshop
Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Norway
2025/09/15 - 2025/09/18 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Annual Science Conference (Klaipeda, Lithuania). Presented the poster: “Enhancing Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) identification with the Azor drift-cam, a cost-effective and user-friendly underwater imaging solution”, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Azor drift-cam as a scalable tool for improving the identification and monitoring of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs).
Conference
 ICES Annual Science Conference
Klaipedos universitetas, Lithuania
2024/06/03 - 2024/06/07 Course "Underwater Image Analysis from A to Z: From Image Collection to Answering Key Ecological Questions" (35 hours) Organized by the COST Action MAF-WORLD. Held at the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom. Advanced practical course covering underwater image acquisition protocols, annotation workflows, quantitative ecological analysis, and emerging Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning applications for automated image classification and biodiversity assessment.
Workshop
 Underwater image analysis from A to Z: from image collection to answering key ecological questions
University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
2024/03/10 - 2024/03/12 Attendee – Oceanology International 2024, Held at ExCeL London, United Kingdom. Attended a leading international forum on marine science and ocean technology, engaging in technical sessions and industry-focused problem-solving discussions with technology developers and sector specialists.
Exhibition
 Oceanology International 2024
2023/11/20 - 2023/11/27 Course "GBIF and Darwin Core" (5 hours) Organized by the University of the Azores | Remote. Training in biodiversity data standardization and publication workflows using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and Darwin Core standards, including: 1)Preparation and structuring of Darwin Core-compliant datasets; 2)Data publication through the GBIF Portugal IPT; 3)Preparation of a data paper using the Biodiversity Data Journal submission system.
Workshop
 GBIF and Darwin core
Universidade dos Açores, Portugal
2023/06/05 - 2023/06/08 Technical aid on the iAtlantic international workshop: “Azor drift-cam: A cost effective video system for a rapid appraisal of deep-sea benthic habitats
Workshop
 Azor drift-cam: A cost effective video system for a rapid appraisal of deep-sea benthic habitats
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2022/12/05 - 2022/12/09 18th International Meiofauna Conference (IMCO), Wellington, New Zealand. Oral presentation “Nematode Communities from a Natural Oil Seep off Svalbard”.
Conference
 18th International meiofauna conference
NIWA - Earth sciences New Zealand, New Zealand
2022/09/14 - 2022/09/16 CAGE International Conference, Tromsø, Norway. Presented the poster entitled “Nematode Communities from a Natural Oil Seep off Svalbard”, addressing meiofaunal community structure and ecological patterns associated with Arctic seep environments.
Conference
 CAGE International conference
Centre for Arctic Gas hydrate, environement and climate, Norway
2022/07/11 - 2022/07/22 2022 Marine Robotics Summer School (80 hours) Organized by MIT Portugal and Okeanos – Institute of Marine Sciences. Held at Escola do Mar dos Açores (EMA), Horta, Portugal. Advanced training in marine robotics, ocean observation systems, and operational deployment of robotic platforms for marine research.
Workshop
 2022 Marine Robotics Summer school
Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Portugal Program Cambridge Office, United States
2021/11/28 - 2021/11/30 Participant – XII Workshop Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Portugal Participated in a national workshop focused on polar research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and early-career development within the polar science community.
Conference
 XII Workshop APECS Portugal
Universidade do Porto Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal
2021/03/12 - 2021/04/02 Participant – “Bússola” Event, organized by Ocean Hub Portugal. Engaged in a collaborative discussion forum addressing current and emerging challenges facing the ocean, contributing to idea generation and strategic perspectives for sustainable marine futures.
Workshop
 Bússola
Ocean Hub Portugal , Portugal
2019/04/12 - 2019/04/17 Participant – XXII National Meeting of Biology Students (ENEB), Portugal Held at the University of Algarve. Attended a national scientific meeting featuring invited lectures, technical workshops (including Python for scientists), and practical field activities.
Meeting
 XXII ENEB 2019
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal

Association member

Society Organization name Role
2025 - Current FPAS (Portuguese Federation of Underwater Activities)
2022 - Current Deep-sea Biology society Researcher member

Scientific expedition

Activity description Institution / Organization
2026/07/01 - 2026/07/16 Chief Scientist – MapGES 2026 Leg 1 On board the MT Physeter (Azores Deep-Sea Research). Managed at-sea operations of a deep-sea survey campaign aimed at expanding video databased on the slopes of Santa Maria Island. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025/10/11 - 2025/10/11 Scientific crew - REDRESS Leg1 on board R/V Águas Vivas. Participation in a one-day scientific expedition under the REDRESS project for the deployment of landers at Condor Seamount (Azores) to support Cold-water corals habitat restoration studies. Contributed to field operations and deployment procedures. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025/08/16 - 2025/08/24 Chief Scientist – MapGES 2025 Leg 1 On board RV Arquipélago. Managed at-sea operations of a deep-sea survey campaign aimed at expanding video-based habitat and community data across Azorean seamounts. Conducted new transects in previously underexplored areas, including Pico Sul (southern EEZ boundary) and seamount and ridge systems east of Terceira Island. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025/07/25 - 2025/07/25 Chief Scientist – MapGES 2025 Leg 1c On board the MT Physeter. Managed at-sea operations of a one-day deep-sea survey campaign aimed at expanding video databased on the deep slopes of Pico Island and field testing material and instruments. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025/06/21 - 2025/07/01 Scientific crew - MapGES 2025 Leg 1b On board the MT Physeter. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign, conducting new video transects on Graciosa and Terceira Islands and the offshore seamount Vasco Gil, contributing to the expansion of regional deep-sea biodiversity datasets and improving spatial coverage in previously poorly characterized areas. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025/06/04 - 2025/06/04 Chief Scientist – MapGES 2025 Leg 1a On board the MT Physeter. Managed at-sea operations of a one-day deep-sea survey campaign aimed at expanding video databased on the deep slopes of Faial Island and field testing material and instruments. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2024/08/26 - 2024/09/07 Scientific crew - MapGES 2024 Leg 4 On board the MT Physeter. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign conducting new video transects along the slopes of Terceira Island to expand and refine datasets from previous expeditions. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2024/06/30 - 2024/07/07 Scientific crew - MapGES 2024 Leg 1 On board the MT Physeter. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign conducting new video transects along the slopes of multiple islands in the Azores archipelago, including São Miguel and the northern Mar da Prata area. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/09/08 - 2023/09/15 Chief Scientist – MapGES 2023 Leg 5 On board the MT Physeter. Managed scientific coordination of a deep-sea survey campaign targeting previously unexplored geomorphological structures around São Miguel Island, including the northern, northeastern, eastern, southeastern, southern, southwestern, western, and northwestern sectors, as well as the northern Mar da Prata region. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/09/02 - 2023/09/08 Scientific crew - OceanX 2023 Expedition On board the OceanXplorer. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign contributing to a long-term strategy to map regional biodiversity and identify Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) in the Azores. The expedition targeted previously unexplored geomorphological structures around the Princesa Alice Bank and the Dom João de Castro seamount, as well as slope systems near Pico and Faial islands. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/07/14 - 2023/07/30 Scientific crew - MapGES 2023 Leg 3 On board the MT Physeter. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign exploring previously uncharacterized geomorphological structures around São Jorge Island, including the eastern Topo sector and the northeastern region. The expedition also revisited selected areas (e.g., southeastern São Jorge and the southern Urzelina sector) to conduct complementary sampling and strengthen existing datasets. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/07/08 - 2023/07/11 Scientific crew - MapGES 2023 Leg 1 On board the RV Arquipélago. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign targeting previously unexplored geomorphological structures in the central Azores, including the Princesa Alice Bank and the seamount systems north of Graciosa Island (Sedlo, Borda, João Leonardes, and Gaillard). Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/07/05 - 2023/07/05 Scientific crew - Benthic collector Leg 1 on board the fishing vessel Tatiana. Participation in a one-day scientific expedition for the deployment of a coral collector device at Condor Seamount (Azores). Contributed to field operations and deployment procedures. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/05/30 - 2023/06/11 Scientific crew - MapGES 2023 Leg 2 On board the MT Physeter. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign targeting previously unexplored geomorphological structures, including Bourée NE (formerly Açor NW), Açor Bank, De Guerne N (formerly Açor SE), São Mateus de Fora, and Agulhas das 18 Milhas. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2023/05/15 - 2023/05/21 Scientific crew - MapGES 2023 Leg 1 On board the MT Physeter. Participated in a deep-sea survey campaign targeting previously unexplored geomorphological structures, including Bourée NE (formerly Açor NW), Açor Bank, De Guerne N (formerly Açor SE), São Mateus de Fora, and Agulhas das 18 Milhas. Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2022/06/07 - 2022/07/02 Scientific crew - Meeting Societal Needs for Impartial Evidence on the State and Sustainable Use of Ocean Biological Resources: The Case of Nephrops norvegicus Organized by the EUROFLEETS+ Floating University. Held on board the R/V Mário Ruivo, off the Portuguese coast. Offshore advanced training programme in marine ecology and fisheries science, focused on evidence-based assessment and sustainable management of Nephrops norvegicus (Norway lobster) resources. IPMA (Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera), Portugal
Distinctions

Award

2026 Financial support and travel grant for participation in the international conference "Marine Imaging Workshop 2026" in Gibraltar
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2026 Financial support and travel grant for participation in the international conference "World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026" in Bruges
Universidade dos Açores, Portugal
2025 Finantial support and travel grant for the participation on the ICES Annual Science Conference in Klaipeda, Lithuania
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025 Financial support and travel grant for participation in the workshop "Habitat Mapping and Modelling Workshop" in Porto, Portugal
Universidade dos Açores Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar Okeanos, Portugal
2025 Awarded 2nd place in the National Championship and 3rd place in the Portuguese Cup - 2025 CMAS World cup Underwater photography & Video
2022 Swedmark Travel Award that covered registration costs on 18th International Meiofauna Conference for the 10 best MSc/PhD students.
2022 Student support award (full grant) for the participation in the CAGE International conference in Tromsø, Norway

Other distinction

2026 Local Skipper license - Patrão Local
Direção-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Portugal
2025 Divemaster
Scuba Schools International, Portugal
2023 STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers)
Direção-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Portugal