1. Tell us a bit about the work you’ll be doing at CCMAR.

I will be assessing different sources of microplastic pollution to the aquatic environment, and analyze organic pollutants attached to them. I will focus on microplastics released by wastewater treatment plants around Ría Formosa, and microplastics deposited from the atmosphere. I will also evaluate the “degradability” of most common types of plastics, as well as of “bioplastics”, and analyze the bacterial community implied in this process.  

2. What were you doing before you joined us?   

I have a mixed background in the areas of biogeochemistry, microbiology, and conservation. My master’s project focused on isotopic signatures of loggerhead sea turtles in the Mediterranean Sea. I then moved to smaller organisms and spent a year analyzing bacteria and protozoa from wastewater treatment plants. During my PhD, I analyzed the effect of aerosols on marine microbial communities. After that, I spent two months at the Galápagos Islands in a project of environmental education. 

3. What are your interests and hobbies when you’re not doing science?  

I enjoy spending my free time in nature, hiking mountains or doing aquatic activities, looking for birds, fish, or other animals. I really love to travel, as well as learn from other cultures and study new languages. I also like just spending time with friends, going out for a drink or playing some board games.