I am Ricardo Pinto, an Assistant Professor at University Lusófona, University Center of Porto, Faculty of Psychology and Education, and a member of the Hei-Lab Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab. My academic journey began with a Ph.D. scholarship from FCT in 2008. I earned my Ph.D. in Health Psychology from the University of Minho in 2013, where I focused on the long-term psychological effects of adverse childhood experiences on children. Since then, I have expanded my research to encompass a broader range of traumatic events, exploring their impacts across the lifespan. In recent years, I have been investigating the differential susceptibility theory through longitudinal designs, seeking to identify resilience and risk factors in children and adolescents. This research holds the potential to inform targeted, personalized interventions that reduce the long-term effects of trauma in vulnerable populations. This evolving work has shaped my commitment to advancing social well-being and improving outcomes for trauma survivors. My current research also utilizes virtual reality to simulate scenarios that expose individuals to stress and triggers of traumatic events, allowing for the study of their correlation with cognitive and behavioural constructs. My work has been published in high-impact journals in the fields of social and behavioral sciences, and I contribute to the global dialogue on trauma and resilience. I serve on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Traumatic Stress and regularly review scientific papers for several international journals, promoting the development of evidence-based practices in trauma research. I am also a clinical psychologist at the University Lusófona’s Porto Center, where I provide psychological support and counseling services to both students and the wider community, contributing to broader mental health initiatives.