I graduated in Marine Biology from the University of Algarve in 1997 and received my PhD degree from the University of the Azores in 2014. During my career I have developed research on marine mammal behaviour and ecology in several national and international R&D projects developed through the Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICNF), the University of the Azores, the Inter-Universities consortium Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) and in the multipolar RD&I consortium Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE). A substantial part of my work has direct application to management and conservation policies, and as a result my services as expert have been often called for by Regional, National, and International bodies. Among other, my expert opinion was requested during the implementation of the Natura 2000 Network in Portugal, the Marine Park of the Azores, and the regulation of the whale-watching and eco-touristic activities in several Atlantic regions (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, and mainland Portugal). I was in charge of the candidacy process that resulted in the designation of Corvo and Graciosa islands (Azores) as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in 2007. I have also been officially nominated to participate in meetings of intergovernmental panels concerned with the conservation of species and habitats, such as the International Whaling Commission and the ICES Working Group on Marine Mammal Ecology. I am member of the Marine Biodiversity Working Group created by the Portuguese Maritime Administration to support the implementation of national and international maritime policies in Portugal. Through these assignments, I have gained skills in engaging and negotiating with different stakeholders and policy makers. Over the years, I have contacted and worked with many individuals and institutions around the world, in the scope of my research and official assignments, creating a strong partner network. I was deeply involved in project writing and reporting, human resources management, and administrative processes both as part of my research activities and as managing director of a Science and Technology consulting company. I have lectured several modules in courses taught in the Azores University and have also informally and formally assisted and supervised students at different levels. Through the course of my life, either for career development or by personal reasons, I lived or spent prolonged periods of time in different countries (Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Panama, UK, US, Norway), having gained a sense of respect for a multi-cultural society and tolerance towards diverse opinions and beliefs. In 2020 I was awarded a prestigious National Geographic Explorer grant to develop new biologging equipment to study sperm whale foraging ecology. Marine animals are highly mobile and face growing pressure from human stressors and global climactic changes. The combination of individual movement behaviours affect the adaptability of the species and can dictate the fate of populations under pressure. However, we still have a very limited grasp about the causes and consequences of internal states and environmental variability on individual movement decisions and their effect on the dispersal patterns of populations. My recent research has focused on developing innovative ways of obtaining and combining environmental, social and physiological data from marine animals, with special emphasis on cetaceans. In pursuing those goals, I utilize biotelemetry tools in combination with other standard tools, to record data on animal’s movements, physiology and the environmental conditions they encounter. To make sense of those data, I resource to state of the art individual-based movement models to answer key questions about animal dispersal and migration. The resulting knowledge is instrumental to advance ecological theory and in aiding the development of policies for the sustainable use of ecosystem services.