I completed my PhD in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Sciences more than ten years ago. During my PhD, I conducted several research studies at the University of Minho (Portugal) and at the University of Canterbury (New Zealand). After concluding my PhD I worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Canterbury, then as an Invited Assistant Professor and also a post-doctoral fellow, after as an Assistant Research, and since 2021 as an Assistant Professor at the University of Minho. I have been conducting and disseminating my research, both to the scientific community and to the general public. For example, I have published approximately 50 articles in high impact, peer-reviewed international journals and have given more than 100 oral presentations, invited presentations, and conference posters in national and international conferences (e.g., USA, England, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Norway, Spain). I have also participated in many tv shows (e.g., Sociedade Civil, Agora Nós, Grandes Manhãs) and radio programs, and have given several interviews to local and national newspapers. I had three funded projects as Principal Investigator (PI), one international, from the Marsden Society (New Zealand), and two nationals, from FCT and Bial. In 2014 I created (and coordinate) the Research Group in Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Minho - the first evolutionary psychology group in Portugal -, and since then it has been growing and expanding. The group now comprises approximately fifteen investigators under my supervision, including PhD and Master's students, research assistants and collaborators students (undergraduate students), and we meet every week in the School of Psychology. My areas of research are the study of interpersonal relationships, attractiveness, timing, attention, memory, and multimodal perception (e.g., visual, auditory), which I study in a framework based on evolutionary psychology. In 2017, I completed a double post-graduation in Couples Therapy and Sexology, which further deepened my understanding of relationship dynamics and sexual health. In 2024, I also completed a course in mindfulness, which has enriched my research by offering insights into how mindfulness practices can enhance connection in romantic relationships. Specifically, I aim to investigate the impact of mindfulness on neural connectivity and physiological coherence between partners and explore how these changes influence various aspects of relationship functioning, such as communication, emotional regulation, and overall relationship satisfaction. This new line of inquiry complements my broader focus on human cognition and behavior, providing valuable insights into how mindfulness can strengthen interpersonal bonds.