Helena Adão

Prof. Associado (Departamento de Biologia)

Contrato Trabalho Funções Públicas por tempo indeterminado

Associate Professor (University of Évora, School of Sciences and Technology, Department of Biology), Vice-Deputy of the R&D FCT Unit MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences, Coordinator of the Regional Research Unit of MARE-University of Évora, Member of the Board of Directors and Member of the Board of Coordinators of the Associate Laboratory ARNET-Aquatic Research NETwork. The specialisation of the research activities is in the ecology of meiofauna, focusing on nematode assemblages of estuarine and deep-sea sediments to study ecosystem processes. Research activities are now focused on the development of innovative tools to assess habitat responses to Blue Economy activities and to assess Good Environmental Status (GES) in relation to Descriptor 1- Biodiversity, Descriptor 4- Trophic relationships and Descriptor 6- Seabed integrity ensuring proper functioning of ecosystems. Studies have been developed on the ecological processes of benthic assemblages, in particular the nematode assemblages and bacterial communities associated with intertidal seagrass meadows, subtidal estuarine sediments and deep-sea sediments, i.e. marine canyons, mud volcanoes and abyssal faults, through the study of i) spatial and temporal distribution patterns to assess assemblage responses and resilience; ii) ecosystem processes through analysis of stable isotope ecology and the role of benthic assemblages in estuarine and marine food webs iii) molecular approaches to provide tools for rapid assessment of benthic community responses to habitat condition; iv) nematode assemblages of diversity hotspots in deep-sea sediments such as marine canyons and mud volcanoes. PI and CoPI of different projects as D4Ss (FCT LT20-03-0145-FEDER-029400) , CoastNet- Portuguese Coastal Monitoring Network Rede Portuguesa de Monitorização Costeira (ALT20-03-0145-FEDER-022128,FCT). Director of the the Master Management and Conservation of Natural Resources (University of Lisbon and University of Évora); Member board of the Master Engineering and Management of Aquaculture (University of Évora and Institute Poltytecnique of Setubal). Currently coordinating 4 postgraduate courses and teaching on 6 others and she supervised of 2 Ph.D FCT grant students, which they concluded in 2025. Science Communication and Ocean Literacy has become an important objective by communicating science to society through the literacy projects, participation in training modules, participation in public events as exhibitions or through presentations to the general public (GraciosAzul- Fundo Ambiental). Chair of 2 international meetings, namely SEVENTIMCO, 17th International Meiofauna Conference, University of Évora, July 2019; Executive Committee (Chair-2019-2022) of the International Association of Meiobenthologists - IAM (2019-2025); Newsletter Editor of Psammonalia (IAM); Guest-Editor of a special issue of the publication "Ecological Indicators" entitled: "Meiofauna in a changing world". Guest scientist on research cruises Meteor 162 and Meteor 186 (GEOMAR) to study benthic nematode assemblages associated with deep-sea ecosystems along the Oceanic Plate boundary between Africa and Eurasia - Gloria fault and Fluid dynamics of sediment hosted hydrothermal vents on the Azores Plateau (North Atlantique). Comission member of the "Plano Nacional para o Restauro da Natureza"-Grupo 1. Leitos de ervas marinhas (pradarias marinhas/sebas), Rede de Conhecimento para o Restauro da Natureza- Ecossistemas Marinhos and Fórum de Partes Interessadas CNDO ( Comité Nacional para a Década do Oceano).