Maria Carvalho is an Auxiliary Researcher (CEEC-IND, Oct. 2022-...) from the NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Portugal. Since 2014, she has coordinated the research line Rights, Policy, and Justice, which includes PhD Researchers from different Universities. She finished a Bachelor's Degree in Education (1986) and obtained a Higher Specialized Studies Diploma in Education and at-risk Groups from the Lisbon Education School, Polytechnic Institute (1999).At NOVA FCSH she completed a Master in Sociology (2003, funded by the Portuguese Institute of Drugs and Dependencies) and a PhD in Sociology (2011, funded by the FCT). She was awarded with a FCT Post-Doctorate Grant (2017-2022). Her interest in sociological research has been built upon on her work as primary/special education teacher working with young offenders in a custodial institution (Ministry of Justice, 1987-2003), and with at-risk children and their families in social housing neighbourhoods state schools in Oeiras (2003-2017). She was coordinator of educational, vocational and professional training programs for young offenders and coordinated/took part in innovative research-action projects through the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Justice (1987-2003). At Carnaxide-Portela Schools Grouping, she held various management positions, including the coordination of TEIP-Educational Territories for Priority Intervention Program (2006-17, Ministry of Education). The everyday practice of working with social disadvantaged populations in such specific contexts is at the basis of her option to do sociological investigation exploring issues on at-risk children/youth, Rights of the Child, violence, delinquency and crime, Justice policy, media uses by children and adolescents and visual methodologies. Much of her career has been dedicated to the interface of research and social intervention by bringing together the resources and the expertise of community-based organizations, State entities and researchers from different scientific fields to address real-world issues concerning high-risk social groups. In 2000, she collaborated with the National Commission of Experts to Follow up on the Implementation of the 1st National Plan Against Domestic Violence (Ministry for Equality). She was co-opted as expert in child protection to the Children and Youth Protection Commission in Oeiras (2003-2007). She has been Scientific Consultant in national/international programs, such as the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation(2007-2021), Child Poverty Group/European Anti-Poverty Network Portugal(since 2009), PROMISE(H2020-2015/693221), DATA Moisac project and Evaluator of EEA Grants at FCG (2013-2022). She has been the Portuguese representative in the Child-Friendly Justice European Network (since 2019) and in the European Council for Juvenile Justice/IJJO (2009-2020). She was co-founder of the Working Groups on Sociology of Law and Justice(2014) and Sociology of Childhood (2018) of the Portuguese Sociological Association (APS). She is member of ISA, ESC and ECREA. She collaborates on graduate courses and advanced specialized training ativities. She has participated in academic juries and evaluation committes. She has accreditation for teacher training by the Scientific-Pedagogical Council (2000, Ministry of Education). In 2016 she was appointed to the National Council of the National Commission for the Promotion of the Rights and Protection of Children and Young People (CNPDPCJ) co-opted as a person of recognized merit in the area of childhood and youth. In 2021, she was elected to the Commission for Follow-up and Monitoring of the National Strategy for the Rights of the Child 2021-2024. In 2022, she was appointed to the Commission for the Integrated Analysis of Juvenile Delinquency and Violent Crime, Ministry of Internal Affairs. Her research work has been disseminated through the media (press, radio, tv).