I am, since 2017, a research fellow and lecturer at the Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa [ICS-ULisboa].  I am a chartered Architect (Faculty of Architecture [FA-UTL]) who completed, in 2011, a FCT-funded PhD in Town Planning at the Bartlett School of Planning - University College London [UCL]. Between 2011 and 2017 I was a FCT-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ICS-ULisboa.

Research

My research and teaching sit at the intersection between Climate Action and Spatial Planning. In particular, I seek to understand how, and to which extent, the desired socio-ecological and socio-technical transition to sustainability challenges current institutional dynamics and is facilitated or hindered by them. 

To this effect, I pursue a systemic approach, conceptually nested in the Transition Studies framework: (i) I focus on how such transitions shape up, inquiring into their underlying knowledge governance patterns, power and institutional learning dynamics. (ii) I focus on who drives such transitions, looking into the climate governance solutions that define the shape and pace of climate action.

In this context, past research project participation includes ClimAdaPT.Local – Municipal Adaptation to Climate Change Strategies (EEA Grants); TRANSEAC – Transition sociale et environnementale: Alternatives et Communs (CRNF) and BEACON-Bridging European and Local Climate Action (BMU). At present (2022-2027), I participate in FoodClic (EC  HORIZON-IA) and Shared Green Deal (EC - Research Executive Agency) where I focus  on how current forms of knowledge transfer, actor mobilization and multi-level institutional relationships contribute, or not, to the streamlining of the European Green Deal.

I have published work in journals such as: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, World Development, Planning Theory and the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. I have supervised 4 concluded PhDs. I currently supervise 7 PhD research projects in three different institutions. Theme-wise, completed and ongoing dissertations cover multiple objects from Land Use Policy to Nature and Biodiversity Conservation, Nature-Based Solutions, Climate Migrations, Forestry Policy, Energy Democracy, Spatial Planning and Climate Action and Community Based Development. The common denominator are the issues of power, knowledge governance, decision-making and policy design from a Transition Studies perspective.

At ICS-ULisboa, I am currently a member of its Outreach Commission, vice-coordinator of OBSERVA and, in 2024, vice-coordinator of SHIFT - Environment Territory and Society Research Group.

Research > Policy

As a knowledge broker, my research has yielded frequent contributions to policy design, implementation and monitoring processes. Since 2012, I have had multiple policy consultancy roles in initiatives promoted by DGT, Commission for Regional Development and Coordination of Lisbon and Tagus Valley [CCDR LVT], Lisbon Metropolitan Area [AML], United Nations Economic Commission for Europe [UNECE], European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional Planning [CEMAT].

Since 2020, I am a consultant for the Directorate General for Territory [DGT], Portugal in the context of InC2- National Initiative for Circular Cities, where I contributed to its policy design, monitoring and evaluation.

Since 2021, I represent ICS ULisboa  a member of Adapt.Local, a network of Local Authorities, Academia and Consultants for Local Adaptation to Climate Change.

Since 2023, I participate in the RNA2100 - National Adaptation Roadmap focusing on how Local Climate Adaptation and Spatial Planning Policies articulate [CEDRU-DGT].

In 2024, I will be the scientific coordinator of Lisbon’s Metropolitan Area Climate Action Capacitation Roadmap, consisting of a series of capacity-building / training  initiatives for Local Authorities policy officers [AML].

Research > Teaching

At ICS ULisboa I coordinate the PhD Module on Climate Change and Spatial Planning (PhD Climate Change and Sustainable Development Policy) and the MSc module on Sustainability, Space and Society (MsC Design for Sustainability). I guest lecture at PhD in Urbanism (FA-ULisboa) and the PhD in Geography and Territorial Planning  [NOVA FCSH]).