João has broad interests and formal training in marine biology, community ecology, marine biogeography and invasion biology. João completed a PhD degree in Biological Oceanography and Marine Sciences at the renowned GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany in 2008. From 2009 to 2011, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the prestigious Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, USA. He authored over 50 publications and his research has got media coverage in several countries.