Hélder Ferraz holds a Ph.D. in Educational Sciences and a Postgraduate degree in Data Analysis from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Porto. His academic background is focused on Public Policies and Social Inequalities, with a particular emphasis on conducting studies and academic research related to the Portuguese compensatory education programme, Territórios Educativos de Intervenção Prioritária (TEIP). Hélder Ferraz imparts knowledge in the field by teaching the course unit on Socioeconomic Inequalities and Education - Assessment and Intervention at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto, and has been invited to deliver seminars on social inequalities and the significance of intervention in educational contexts at the Escola Superior de Educação Paula Frassinetti and the Instituto Superior de Serviço Social do Porto. Additionally, he has authored several published scientific articles (6), has actively participated in various national and international scientific events, and he has joined application evaluation teams for A3ES and Erasmus+, and as a peer reviewer for scientific articles in various international scientific journals. Presently, he is a researcher at the Center for Research and Educational Intervention at the University of Porto (CIIE-UP), contributing to the University of Porto's research team in a consortium involving 8 European countries for the CLEAR project. This project, titled CLEAR - Constructing Learning Outcomes in Europe, conducts a multi-level analysis of (under)achievement in the life course, and is funded by the Horizon Europe programme of the European Union. Additionally, he holds the position of Operations Director at the European research group RYOT - Research on Youth Opportunities and Transitions, and he is an active participant in the Community of Research Practices (CoPIn) within the PCEP - Participation, Communities, and Political Education, which operates under the umbrella of the Center for Research and Educational Intervention at the University of Porto (CIIE-UP). Furthermore, his extensive research background encompasses both national and european projects. Notably, he attended a Postdoctoral fellowship at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Porto, contributing as a researcher to the CAOP project - Climate Adaptation for Older People living in Vulnerable Urban Areas. This consortium included the Faculties of Pharmacy, Architecture, and Engineering of the University of Porto, along with the University of Coimbra, and received funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). Additionally, he actively participated as a researcher in Erasmus + projects at the CASO50+ Association, including SINCALA - Supporting Informal Carers a Whole-Family & Lifecourse Approach and BestCare4LGBTQI+: Building the capacities of service providers in elder residential care to provide a more inclusive service provision for Older LBGTQI+ users. Another significant project he contributed to, is EducHate, an initiative focused on developing an educational approach to detect, combat, and prevent online hate speech, funded by FCT. Beyond his research endeavors, he has amassed valuable professional experiences working with vulnerable populations, especially individuals with disabilities, and institutionalized children and youth. His hands-on involvement with these communities enriches and informs his identity as a researcher. In previous roles, he served as the Coordinator of the Casa do Xisto Project, that focused its efforts on individuals with disabilities. He also held the position of a specialized technician in education at the Agrupamento de Escolas Escultor António Fernandes de Sá and at the Residential Care Service in CASTIIS - Center for Social Assistance to the Elderly and Childhood of Sanguêdo.