Ascensao Ravara

Ascensão Ravara concluded her first degree in Biology in 1994, MSc degree in Sciences of the Coastal Zones in 1997 and PhD in Biology in 2010, all at the University of Aveiro. She is a contracted assistant researcher at the University of Aveiro and an associate member of CESAM (Center for Environmental and Marine Studies). She is also the curator of the Biological Research Collection of the University of Aveiro (COBI; http://cobi.web.ua.pt/). Her main research interests focus mainly on polychaete taxonomy and phylogeny; cryptic species; and general deep-sea biology. She has been participating in several projects focused on the study of deep sea invertebrate communities from particular habitats such as chemosynthetic, cold-water corals, submarine canyons and manganese nodules. As curator of COBI, she is also interested in curatorial techniques and register of marine fauna; management of museum collections of marine invertebrates; public outreach and science communication activities. She has been organizing visits to the collection, in-situ and itinerant exhibitions, and science communication activities aimed at general public and especially at school community (e.g., integrated in “Blue School” educational program of the Portuguese Ministry, https://escolaazul.pt/en) and/or integrated in the initiatives promoted by UA (e.g. Open Campus, Xperimenta, Summer School).