Zara Teixeira is a researcher at MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, at the University of Coimbra. Her research has been focused on environmental and ecosystem services assessment and management; geographic analysis and modelling; governance; and implementation of EU Environmental Directives.

​

With more than 15 years of experience, participating, (co)supervising and managing over 20 research projects, and over 250 science communication initiatives, on marine, coastal and estuarine ecosystems, her practice has gradually been incorporating Ocean Literacy Research hot topics.

​

Zara is a member of MARE’s Board of Directors, being responsible for the Dissemination and Science Communication Actions affairs, a member of the scientific committee of Escola Azul (an educational program from the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea); one of the funding members of SERMARE and the local coordinator of O MARE vai à Escola - two highly successful educational programmes from MARE.

​

She is currently (co)leading Ocean University, bLueTIDE, and Quinta do Sal projects; is a Geographic Information Systems teacher and coordinates several accredited training courses for school teachers in Ocean-related themes.