Principal marine scientist at the Okeanos-University of the Azores. After completing a PhD degree in Resource Management and Environmental Studies at the University of British Columbia (Canada) and accepting a short-term position as a Fisheries Scientist at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (New Caledonia), I was awarded several research contracts with IMAR and the University of the Azores. Currently, I co-lead the Azores Deep-sea Ecology research group to advance the understanding of deep-sea ecosystems in a changing planet to inspire society and inform the sustainable management of the oceans. I've led several research projects and explorations that unveiled new deep-sea species, communities, biotopes, and even new hydrothermal vents, but also unveiled the impacts of human activities on such ecosystems. I co-lead the development of affordable camera systems to democratize deep-sea explorations. The knowledge gained has been transferred for improved deep-sea ecosystem-based management and conservation at regional, national, and international levels. I've participated in 100+ scientific publications, and as an international rapporteur for the UN World Ocean Assessment, the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and the FAO Deep-ocean climate change report. I'm a national delegate in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, and the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, among others.