Raissa is an oceanographer who has worked on the ecology, conservation, and evolution of diverse marine species and environments, from shallow waters to the deep sea. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Oceanography from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Brazil; a Diploma in Cinematography from Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Ireland; an Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (EMBC), with studies at Ghent University (Belgium), University Pierre et Marie Curie – Paris VI (France), and IRD (France/Guadeloupe); and a PhD in Marine Science and Zoology from the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Over the past decade, Raissa has focused her research on the deep sea, with an emphasis on deep-sea corals, particularly sea pens and black corals. Using molecular and taxonomic methods, she investigates their evolutionary history and biodiversity. She is particularly interested in unravelling complex evolutionary narratives through time and space using multidisciplinary approaches. Raissa has extensive experience at sea, having worked as a fisheries observer on small boats and traditional canoes in South America. She has participated in over twenty national and international research expeditions worldwide, with half of them dedicated to deep-sea exploration.
In addition to her research, Raissa served as the first Diversity Officer for the Deep-Sea Biology Society and was a member of the steering group for the Permaculture Gathering Ireland.
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