Roberto Falanga holds a master degree in dinamic and clinical psychology (University La Sapienza of Rome, 2009), and a PhD in Democracy in the XXI Century (Sociology, University of Coimbra, 2013).

He is currently postdoc researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon. His research is based on the analysis of participatory processes with multiple stakeholders in decision-making, with a focus on Southern Europe through a transnational comparative angle. He was co-Principal Investigator at the Institute of Social Sciences of the H2020-funded project "ROCK - Regeneration and Optimisation of Cultural heritage in creative and Knowledge cities" (2017-2020), and research team member of the EU-funded projects "CONCISE - Communication role on perception and beliefs of EU Citizens about Science", "PERSIST_EU - Knowledge, beliefs, Perceptions about Science of European Students". Currently, he is team member of the EU-funded project "CONEXUS - CO-producing Nature-based solutions and restored Ecosystems: transdisciplinary neXus for Urban Sustainability".

At the Institute of Social Sciences, he is member of the research group Environment, Territory and Society and the observatory OBSERVA. He was one of the two conveners of the Urban Transitions Hub, being member of the Organising Committee of the Seminar Series "Responsible Research and Innovation" since 2020, and member of the evaluation board of the Erasmus mobility grants. He is also appointed representative of the collaboration agreement signed by the Institute of Social Sciences and the Urban Informative Centre of Lisbon of the Lisbon city council. He is member of the scientific board of the PhD course in Development Studies at the University of Lisbon, lecturing in this and other PhD courses. Since 2020, he co-coordinates two modules at the Master course in "Design for Sustainability" (University of Lisbon): 'Research Methods' and 'Sustainability, Space, and Society'. He is supervisor of five PhD Theses - two of them funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology - about citizen participation and urban regeneration. 

In his academic and profissional career, he was postdoc researcher in the FP7-funded project "MOPACT Mobilising the Potential of Active Ageing in Europe" (2014-2015); assistant professor of social sciences in the master programme of Architecture at the Catholic University of Viseu (2014-2015); policy evaluator of the EEA-funded project "Portugal Participa - Caminhos para a Inovação Societal" (2015-2016); advisor of Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Council of Europe (2017). Between 2014 and 2020, he has collaborated as an expert advisor with the Lisbon city council on urban regeneration and local development policies (programme BipZip); between 2018 and 2020, he has collaborated with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in the project "Reclaim Europe!". Since 2020, he collaborates with the Urban Planning and Participation department at the Lisbon city council on the design and monitoring of participatory strategies. More recently, he is also coordinating several monitoring and evaluation plans for community-based projects in Lisbon.