Biography

Full Professor of the University of Algarve (UAlg), Portugal, since 2003 (with the age of 37).
Graduation in Psychology (1989) and PhD in Educational Psychology (1997), both at Coimbra University. Postgraduate degree in Human Resources Management, and three post-doctorates, two in Psychology and one in Visual Arts.
Currently, he is the Director of the PhD in Psychology at UAlg (since 2009), and the Coordinator of the University Center for Research in Psychology (CUIP) (since 2013).

Previously, have held several relevant management roles in UAlg, including Vice-Rector (2017-21), President of the Scientific Council (2013-17), Director (2007-09), and President of the Pedagogical Council (2004-06) of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences (FCHS). Also served as Director of the Department of Psychology (2001-04), and was the proponent and first Director of the Graduation in Psychology (1999-2002), as well as the Director of several master's courses (2000-2010).
Was also the President of CIEO/CinTurs (2015-18), an R&D Unit funded by FCT and rated “Very Good,” where coordinated the research group “Well-Being in Society.” This R&D Unit was characterized by interdisciplinarity, with more than 100 integrated researchers from various scientific areas within the scope of social sciences.
In addition to management roles held at the University of Algarve, also have management roles in other institutions, both national and international. Currently, is the Coordinator of the Portuguese Psychology Forum (since 2020), an entity that integrates the 31 Portuguese HEIs with courses in Psychology.
Moreover, is the Portuguese representative in the "Stress, Trauma, Anxiety, and Resilience Society" (STAR), where more than 40 countries are represented (since 2012).

Collaborates with several Portuguese and foreign universities, on master's and doctoral juries, research projects, conferences, classes and short courses.
Has supervised postdocs of colleagues from several countries, and has already supervised 49 successfully completed doctoral theses.
Has published some scientific books and more than 300 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, namely indexed in Scopus and/or the Web of Science, most of them about Positive Psychology variables, as well as stress management, motivation, mindfulness, well-being and organizational health topics.

Played a significant role in evaluating and fostering research excellence as member of the panel of experts in the competition for awarding PhD and Pos-Doc FCT scholarships in Psychology (2011 to 2015), assuming the role of coordinator of the panel in 2013.
Since 2020, have actively participated in External Assessment Committees (CAEs) of Psychology courses conducted by the Higher Education Assessment and Accreditation Agency (A3ES), occasionally serving as the President of CAEs.
Furthermore, have been extensively involved in peer review activities, having reviewed over 100 articles for various journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science.
Additionally, have served as a member of more than fifty Scientific Committees and Organizing Committees for international congresses, having been Coordinator of the organization of some of them (for example, see https://aidap2023.ualg.pt and https://star2023.ualg.pt).

Throughout his career, obtained several national and international awards/distinctions, within the scope of scientific research and its impact on society, such as the “Premio Iberoamericano a la Excelencia Educativa 2008”, by the Consejo Iberoamericano in Honor a la Calidad Educativa (CIHCE), the “Luso-Brazilian Research Award in Health Psychology” (2009), awarded by the Brazilian Association of Health Psychology.
In 2011, was honored by the Methodist University of São Paulo (Brazil) with the prestigious "Honor of Merit" distinction.
In 2019, was honored to receive the "APP Career Research Award in Psychology-2019", a prestigious prize attributed every three years by the Portuguese Psychology Association (APP). This award aims to “recognize a Portuguese researcher whose career in Psychology has decisively impacted research in their field”.
In 2023, received the "OPP Career Award", from the Order of Portuguese Psychologists (OPP). Additionally, was honored with the Career Award from the "Stress, Trauma, Anxiety and Resilience Society – STAR Society", the "STAR Lifetime Career Award 2023".