I earned my Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, including a minor in the same field, in 2021, followed by a Master's degree in Chemistry in 2023, both from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Porto, Portugal. In October of 2024, I began my PhD in the Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP). My doctoral research focuses on the development of novel bio-based materials for the selective recovery of platinum group metals from spent automotive catalytic converters real leachates, in line with Circular Economy and Green Chemistry principles. During my undergraduate studies, I contributed to research on cobalt complexes as p-type dopants for hole-transporting materials, particularly in thin-film form. This project, carried out as part of my BSc project and an internship under the “Programa de Estágios ExtraCurriculares” (PEEC), led to a publication in The Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics (IF: 2.2). During my MSc, I was awarded a research grant under the “Verão Com Ciência 2022” program, which allowed me to conduct advanced experimental work for my dissertation in physical chemistry laboratories. My dissertation, entitled “Interfacial Nanostructure and Wetting Behavior of Thin Ionic Liquid Films on Solid Surfaces”, focused on investigating the morphology and wetting properties of thin ionic liquid films. This research resulted in two publications: one in Fluids (IF: 1.96), exploring the influence of deposition conditions on film morphology, and another in Langmuir (IF: 3.7), analyzing the effect of carbon-coated substrates on thin-film structure. During this time, I also gained valuable mentorship experience by supervising undergraduate research projects, which helped develop my leadership and teaching skills. This collaboration resulted in an additional article published in Langmuir (2025), titled “Tailoring Morphology and Wetting Behavior of Films of Ionic Liquid Mixtures,” further expanding this line of research. Throughout my academic journey, I have actively disseminated my work at scientific events. I participated in three national and five international conferences, delivering four oral presentations and been (co)-author in ten posters communications. In 2025, I was accepted to present a poster communication at the International Symposium on Green Chemistry - ISGC 2025, France. Beyond research, I have been involved in other academic and professional activities. I served as a member of the local organization committee for the 7th International Conference on Ionic Liquid-Based Materials and in the 27th IUPAC International Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics, assisted the local organization for the Spertus 2022 reunion (Energy Transition and Industrial Competitiveness), and acted as a trainer in the iCER.R Workshop (Innovation in Science Education), where I helped support science communication for educators. In 2024, I mentored school-aged students through the “Universidade Júnior” summer program. To prepare for this role, I completed the training course “Capacitação para a Liderança de Grupos Juvenis,” which equipped me with tools to effectively engage and communicate with middle and high school students.