Susana Paula Franco Serpa Silva has a PhD in Contemporary History (Pre-Bologna), since 2007/03/26, by the University of the Azores. She is an Assistant Professor at the School of Social and Human Sciences of the same University, where she is currently Director of the Masters and PhD courses in Island and Atlantic History (XV-XX Centuries) and is also Director of the International and Inter-University PhD in Atlantic Islands: History , Heritage and Legal-Institutional Framework. She is an integrated researcher at CHAM - Humanities Center (FCSH of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa and the University of the Azores) and is currently deputy director of CHAM Açores (core of this UI&D). She is a collaborative researcher at LABIMI (Immigration Studies Laboratory of the State University of Rio de Janeiro). She has 5 books published as author, 5 books as co-coordinator, 70 book chapters, entries and articles in national and international journals and magazines. She has the following reaserch interests: History of Portugal, Azores and Atlantic World in 19th and 20th centuries. Her main focus is: Social and Cultural History, behaviours and everyday life. She studies criminal violence, types of social exclusion (specially abandoned children) and judicial institutions. Has a particular interest about History of emigration (legal and illegal), gender studies and family History. She has also some works about press and social care.