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Our Team

Meet the people driving our research

We are a group of passionate scientists based at the Institute of Marine Sciences ( Okeanos, University of the Azores ) dedicated to unveil the deep-sea with a special focus on the Azores, but with extensions to the Atlantic Ocean and other ocean basins.

Leaders

Meet the team leaders

Telmo Morato

Principal Scientist Jan 2021 — Present
All recorded positions (2) on file With the team 2009–2026 About 17 years in these positions on the team
Deep-Sea Exploration Marine Biodiversity Marine Conservation Fisheries Management Marine Policy and Governance
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Marina Carreiro-Silva

Principal Scientist Apr 2022 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2026 About 4 years in these positions on the team
Marine Ecology Coral Reef Conservation Deep-Sea Exploration Climate Change Impact on Oceans Marine Conservation
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Current Members

Actively working with us

Carlos Dominguez-Carrió

Senior Scientist May 2022 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2026 About 4 years in these positions on the team
Marine Ecology Deep-Sea Exploration Marine Biodiversity Marine Conservation Marine Technology
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Luís Rodrigues

Senior Scientist Apr 2022 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2026 About 4 years in these positions on the team
Marine GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Marine Spatial Planning Deep-Sea Exploration Marine Conservation Marine Policy and Governance
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Filipe M. Porteiro

Senior Scientist Jun 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Marine Conservation Marine Policy Ecotoxicology Deep-Sea Biodiversity
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Inês Martins

Senior Scientist Oct 2024 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2024–2026 About 2 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Ecotoxicology Deep-Sea Organisms Heavy Metal Detoxification Marine Contaminants
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Laurence Fauconnet

Senior Scientist Feb 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Ecology Fisheries Science Bycatch Marine Conservation Marine Protected Areas
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Teresa Cerqueira

Senior Scientist Feb 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Marine Microbial Ecology Chemosynthetic Processes Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents Marine Metagenomics
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Marisa Gomes

Early-career researcher Oct 2024 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2024–2026 About 2 years in these positions on the team
Science Communication Project management Deep-Sea Biology Ecology Marine Biology
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Yasmina Rodríguez

Early-career researcher Feb 2026 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file On the team since 2026
Marine Ecology Anthropogenic Impacts Plastic Pollution Conservation Biology Evidence-based policy
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António Godinho

Research Assistant Jun 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Deep-Sea Corals Cold-Water Corals Marine Conservation Ecotoxicology
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Beatriz Arzeni

Research Assistant Sep 2025 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2025–2026 About 1 year in this position on the team
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Emily Corrigan

Research Assistant Oct 2025 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2025–2026 About 1 year in this position on the team
Marine biology Cold-water corals Coral reef conservation
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Gabriela Cardoso

Research Assistant Sep 2025 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2025–2026 About 1 year in this position on the team
Video Editing Deep-Sea Ecology Science Communication
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Inês Correia Bruno

Research Assistant Oct 2024 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2024–2026 About 2 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Aquatic Sciences Cold-Water Corals Marine Research Benthic Species
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João Balsa

Research Assistant Jun 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Deep-Sea Research Meiofauna Nematodes ROV
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João Pontes

Research Assistant Feb 2026 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file On the team since 2026
Science Communication Marine Biology Marine Ecology
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Marc Pladevall

Research Assistant Jun 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Conservation Planning Spatial Prioritization Ecosystem Services Mangrove Ecosystems
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Valter Medeiros

Research Assistant Jun 2022 — Present
All recorded positions (2) on file With the team 2021–2026 About 5 years in these positions on the team
Marine Data Science Marine GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Marine Remote Sensing Marine Cybersecurity Marine Artificial Intelligence
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Anaïs Sire De Vilar

PhD student Sep 2025 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2025–2026 About 1 year in this position on the team
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Gal·la Edery

PhD student Jun 2023 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Marine Conservation Coral Reproduction Restoration Ecology Climate Change
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Manuela Ramos

PhD student May 2022 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2026 About 4 years in these positions on the team
Marine Ecology Deep-Sea Exploration Marine Biodiversity Marine Conservation Marine Environmental Modeling
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João Vasconcelos

MSc student Feb 2026 — Present
All recorded positions (1) on file On the team since 2026
Marine Conservation Marine Spatial Planning Deep-Sea Exploration Conservation Planning
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Past members

A special thanks for all members and their contributions. — ADSR

Gerald Hechter Taranto

Early-career researcher Jun 2023 — Feb 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2023–2026 About 3 years in these positions on the team
PhD Marine Biology Deep-Sea Cold-Water Corals Biodiversity Patterns Anthropogenic Pressures
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José Manuel González-Irusta

Early-career researcher Mar 2026 — Apr 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team in 2026
Biodiversity Patterns Species Distribution Models Anthropogenic Impacts
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Alvise Dabalà

Research Assistant Jun 2023
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team in 2023
Marine Biology Conservation Planning Ecosystem Services Marine Spatial Planning Atlantic Ocean
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Inês Carneiro

Research Assistant Jun 2022 — Jan 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2026 About 4 years in these positions on the team
Marine Ecology Deep-Sea Exploration Marine Biodiversity Marine Conservation Marine GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
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Isabel Areosa

Research Assistant Sep 2025 — Feb 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2025–2026 About 1 year in this position on the team
Project management Science Communication Deep-Sea Ecology
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Marina Navarro Engesser

Research Assistant Oct 2024 — Feb 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2024–2026 About 2 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Oceanography Phytoplankton Primary Production Marine Ecosystem Modeling
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Rachel Lacoste

Research Assistant Oct 2024 — Feb 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2024–2026 About 2 years in these positions on the team
Marine Biology Science Communication Video Editing Nature Documentaries Marine Conservation
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Sérgio Gomes

Research Assistant Jul 2022 — Feb 2026
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2026 About 4 years in these positions on the team
Marine Technology Oceanographic Equipment Marine Research CTD Rosette
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Guilherme Gonçalves

PhD student Jan 2021 — Present
All recorded positions (3) on file With the team 2021–2026 About 5 years in these positions on the team
Marine Ecology Deep-Sea Exploration Marine Biodiversity Marine Conservation Coral Reef Conservation
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Joana Brito

PhD student Jun 2022 — Sep 2025
All recorded positions (1) on file With the team 2022–2025 About 3 years in these positions on the team
PhD Marine Ecology Marine Conservation Deep-Sea Ecology Fishing Impact
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Governo dos Açores
Oceano Azul
Eurofleets
FCT
FCT Investigador
Governo dos Açores
Portugal 2020
Rolex
RP
RP Ciência
União Europeia
Governo dos Açores
Oceano Azul
Eurofleets
FCT
FCT Investigador
Governo dos Açores
Portugal 2020
Rolex
RP
RP Ciência
União Europeia

Location

Institute of Marine Sciences — Okeanos, University of the Azores

Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas — Universidade dos Açores

Rua Prof. Doutor Frederico Machado, No. 4
9901-862 Horta, Portugal

Contact

Email: azoresdeepsea@gmail.com

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ADSR

AZORES DEEP-SEA RESEARCH © 2020-2026 — RELEASE 2.1

Developed by Valter Medeiros VALTER MEDEIROS