Ana Pires Email & Phone Number

Ana Pires is a Researcher at INESC TEC’s Centre for Robotics and Autonomous Systems, and has been awarded a 6-year junior research contract under FCT/MCTES (CEECIND/00835/2018) on “Mapping underwater geological resources with robotics: a system tool for space-earth interaction and validation”. She has a European Doctorate in Geosciences (Geological Resources and Geomaterials field) and an MSc in Georesources and Geotechnics from Aveiro University, as well as a Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Degree (ISEP). She regularly collaborates as a researcher with the former training centers where spent over 11 years related to multi and interdisciplinary projects (Laboratory of Cartography and Applied Geology – LABCARGA|ISEP and GeoBioTec|UA research unit). Presently she has been involved in several projects related to sustainable sea/marine mining, geotechnologies, and georesources, such as the EMSO-PT Project (supported by P2020 and FCT), INSite and MineHeritage Projects (supported by EIT Raw Materials). She works very closely with the preparation and submission of scientific or up-scaling projects related to underwater technologies. She is also the first Portuguese woman to finish with success the Scientist-Astronaut Program, Class of 1802, under the framework of Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) supported by the NASA flight opportunities, and she continues to pursue space training and attend the research programs. She is also a Researcher at the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). Currently, she is the Co-Chair Knowledge Management of the “Space For All Nations” (SFAN) project developed by IIAS and the PoSSUM Program. Since 2018 she has also made efforts in Portugal to promote human space flight, astrogeology, technology, robotics, and STEAM outreach activities, and has also been invited to numerous public talks, media interviews, and conference events. Ana Pires is also a Specialist Diver (SSI Certification), with Marine Ecology and Science of Diving specialty courses. Very recently, she was selected to be part of the main crew, as the Crew Scientist of the team "Pegasus" (Crew 281), carrying out a 2-week analog mission in May 2023 at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), located in Utah (USA), owned, and operated by the Mars Society. Currently, she is the co-leader of the project CAMões (Caving Analog Mission: Ocean, Earth, and Space), the first analog mission in Portugal that will take place in Terceira Island (Azores region) by the end of November 2023.

Listed skills include Geotechnical Engineering, Cartography, Management, Coastal Management, and 15 others.