Rui has a degree and a master’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Algarve (UALG), after 10 years working as a biologist and skipper in whale and dolphin watching in the Azorean Islands.

   He is currently starting a PhD at the Centro de Ciência do Mar (CCMAR/UALG) and at the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) to better understand the movement and dispersion of cetaceans in the Azores and the North Atlantic. It intends to understand what the limits are for blue whales, or how long false killer whales remain in Azorean waters, or how global warming may be influencing the movements of beaked whales.

   Rui is a member of the APECS Portugal Executive Committee since February 2021.