I am a marine biologist with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Porto (FCUP) and a Master’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Algarve (UAlg). Since my second year of my Master's, I joined the CETUS project, a cetacean monitoring programme at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), where I combined land-based observations, species identification, eDNA sampling, and laboratory work to study the endangered harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Later, for my Master’s thesis, I mapped potential interactions between common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and fisheries along the north coast of Portugal, integrating spatial analysis, statistical modelling, and ecological interpretation. This work led to an oral presentation at the European Cetacean Society Conference and a poster presentation at the Blue Think Conference, as well as a research paper (pre-print: 10.64898/2026.03.25.714190). Since then, I have continued collaborating with the CETUS team, volunteering as a marine mammal observer in "Botos da Foz" and contributing to the CIIMAR Watch monitoring program. I have also engaged in scientific dissemination, participating in CIIMAR Open Day and European Researchers’ Night. More recently, I completed a six-month professional internship through Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP), contributing to manuscript preparation, data processing, statistical analysis, and ecological modelling. I am currently finalizing a manuscript for submission and preparing a poster for my second consecutive participation in the European Cetacean Society Conference. These experiences have strengthened my ability to integrate field and laboratory research and have prepared me to pursue a PhD focused on marine ecology, conservation, and ecotoxicology.