Catarina holds a BSc and MSc in Chemical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) in Lisbon, with a minor in Extreme Environments. She is currently a PhD student in Environmental Engineering at IST and collaborates with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM, Spain) and Trent University (Canada).

  During her Master’s, she discovered a passion for the polar regions while studying the characterisation and chemical availability of various contaminants in the permafrost of Deception Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Her interest has grown exponentially ever since, and she now studies the effect of volcanism on the mercury (Hg) cycle, using Deception Island as her study site. She has already taken part in 3 Antarctic campaigns, with more to come.

  Her main research interests include climate change, science communication, and, if we’re being honest,pretty much everything related to the Antarctic continent.

  Catarina joined the APECS Portugal Executive Committee in September 2026.