people

PLAnT core team is based at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa, led by Dr. Catarina Frazão Santos.
The project team includes two Postdoctoral fellows, a Project Assistant, three PhD students and three Master students.
​In addition to the core team, project PLAnT is supported by an Advisory Board composed of experts
from around the globe, with multiple backgrounds and expertise related to the ocean in general
and Antarctica in specific.
​

plant's team members

catarina Frazão santos (PI)

 Associate Professor with Habilitation at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Oxford, and PI at MARE-ULisboa. 

catarina pereira santos (postdoc)

Postdoctoral Researcher at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa working under project PLAnT, and Integrated Member at MARE-ULisboa.
​ ​

Francisco o. borges (postdoc)

Postdoctoral Researcher at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa working under project PLAnT, and Integrated Member at MARE-ULisboa.
​ ​​

Teresa faria
(project assistant)

Project Assistant at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa working under project PLAnT, responsible for all project logistics and dissemination. 

david santos
(consultant)

PhD Student at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa, Researcher at MARE-ULisboa, and consultant under project PLAnT.
​

miguel fernandes
(phd student)

PhD Student at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa, Researcher at MARE-ULisboa, ​and contributing researcher to PLAnT.
​

sara garcía-morales
(phd student)

PhD Student at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa, Researcher at MARE-ULisboa, ​and contributing researcher to PLAnT.
​
​​

zahra khan
(master student)

Master Student in Biodiversity, Conserv. & Nature Recovery at the University of Oxford developing her dissertation under PLAnT.​ ​

Beatriz cabral
(master student)

Master Student in Marine Ecology at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa developing her dissertation under PLAnT.
​
​

julia werdenig
(master student)

Master Student in Marine Ecology at CIÊNCIAS ULisboa developing her dissertation under PLAnT.​

plant's advisory board

tundi agardy
​(advisory board)

Head of Sound Seas, and  internationally renowned expert in environmental conservation with extensive field and policy experience across the globe.
​

larry crowder
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Professor at the Oceans Department at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, and senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment.
​

lisa wedding
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Associate Professor at the University of Oxford, and former Research Associate at the Stanford University Center for Ocean Solutions. 
​

José xavier
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Associate Professor at the University of Coimbra, member of British Antarctic Survey, and Head of Delegation of Portugal to the Antarctic Treaty meetings.
​

Kevin A. Hughes
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Environmental Research and Monitoring Manager at British Antarctic Survey, and member of Delegation of the United Kingdom to Antarctic Treaty meetings. 

susie grant
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Marine Biogeographer at British Antarctic Survey, and former Chief Officer of SCAR’s Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System.
​

marinez scherer
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Associate Professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, former Coordinator of MSP at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change in Brazil.

will McClintock
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Senior Fellow at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara, and Head of SeaSketch.
​

Elena gissi
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Senior Researcher at the National Research Council of Italy and Marie Skłodowska Curie Alumni at Stanford University.​
​

HELENA calado
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Associate Professor at the University of the Azores, and expert in coastal and marine planning and management worldwide.
​

cassandra brooks
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Associate Professor at University of Colorado Boulder and Chief Officer of SCAR’s Standing Committee on the Antarctic Treaty System.
​

amanda lombard
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Professor of Marine Spatial Planning at Nelson Mandela University with experience in climate-smart MPA design in the Southern Ocean.
​

charles ehler
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Former Senior Consultant IOC-UNESCO on MSP and Head of Ocean Visions Consulting.

renuka bahde
​​(ADVISORY BOARD)

Former Executive Officer of SCAR and Executive Secretary of the European Polar Board.

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Funded by the European Union under GA 101117443 — PLAnT. Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the European Research Council can be held responsible for them. © 2025 PLAnT