Presentation
My name is Luciano, I am 45 years old, and I carry with me a deep connection to the sea since childhood. On my mother’s side, I come from a family of traditional fishers from Arraial do Cabo, and I believe this heritage shaped a large part of who I am.
The ocean has always been present in my life, but reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea awakened in me a lasting fascination with the underwater world and marine life.
Guided by the passion I developed for the ocean from an early age, I built my scientific path through Biology and, later, Marine Biology, fields that transformed my curiosity about the sea into vocation, research, and a life purpose.
I completed my master’s degree in Invasive Species Ecology at Fluminense Federal University (UFF) and later my doctorate on sambaqui ichthyofauna and Zooarchaeology, developed in partnership between Fluminense Federal University (UFF) and the National Museum of UFRJ.
Throughout this academic journey, I dedicated my studies to understanding the complex relationships between marine environments, the diversity of organisms that inhabit the ocean, and the history of human populations that built their culture and survival along the Brazilian coast.
Along this path, I had the honor of learning from and working with people who deeply shaped my personal and scientific development. Among my greatest references are Flávio da Costa, Eliane Gonzales, and Orangel Aguilera, professionals I admire for their dedication to science and for the way they understand knowledge.
And among them all, I have special appreciation for Dr. André Belém, perhaps the sharpest person I have ever met, someone who taught me that intelligence is also found in sensitivity, observation, and the ability to understand the sea beyond books.
Alongside academic life, diving has always been part of my essence. Not only as a professional activity, but as a way of connecting with the ocean.
I had the opportunity to participate in important scientific cruises in the REVIZEE and MOMAN programs at the Almirante Paulo Moreira Institute for Sea Studies (IEAPM), where I worked for about ten years. This period was fundamental to my development as a researcher and to expanding my experience in oceanography and marine biodiversity.
But above any title or professional trajectory, what truly gives meaning to my life is my family. I am Gabriel’s father and Jaqueline’s husband, the reason for my life. In them I find my balance, my strength, and the true meaning of everything I have built so far.
My story is the result of the meeting between tradition, science, and passion for the sea. A life guided by curiosity, respect for the ocean, and a constant search for knowledge.