Luis Ceríaco
Auxiliary Researcher
Details
Position
Auxiliary Researcher
Member type
Researchers
Email
Degree
PhD
Address
CIBIO-InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
Groups
My networks
I’m currently an auxiliary researcher at CIBIO-INBIO and Associação Biopolis, where I act as PI of the NATHIST – Natural History, Collections and Taxonomy research group. I’m also the invited curator of the herpetological collections of the National Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Lisbon, research associate and visiting professor at Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and research associate of the Section of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, USA).
I finished my bachelor’s degree in biology in 2008, my M.Sc. in Conservation Biology in 2010, and my Ph.D. in History & Philosophy of Science – Museology in 2014, both at the University of Évora, Portugal. After my Ph.D. I had the opportunity to work as a post-doctoral researcher at the California Academy of Science, the Florida Museum of Natural History, Villanova University and University of Michigan-Dearborn. From 2018 to 2022 I was the head of collections and research at the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto.
My main research lines focus on 1) African vertebrate zoology, 2) Integrative taxonomy; 3) theoretical and practical aspects of taxonomy and nomenclature; 4) general herpetology; 5) Natural history collections management & specimen-based research; and 6) history of science.
Since 2012 I have been involved in several projects in Africa – mainly in Angola and São Tomé & Príncipe – where I have been carrying out and organizing field expeditions with the focus of uncovering the hidden and still unknown biological diversity of such regions.
As an alpha-taxonomist I have described more than 40 new vertebrate species to science. I’m also a Commissioner of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), a member of the centenary Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa (SGL, Lisbon Geography Society), and a National Geographic Explorer. In Africa, I’m currently an external consultant for several governmental institutions related to biodiversity and natural history museums, and have strong ongoing partnerships with local universities, NGO’s, governmental bodies and international agencies.
I finished my bachelor’s degree in biology in 2008, my M.Sc. in Conservation Biology in 2010, and my Ph.D. in History & Philosophy of Science – Museology in 2014, both at the University of Évora, Portugal. After my Ph.D. I had the opportunity to work as a post-doctoral researcher at the California Academy of Science, the Florida Museum of Natural History, Villanova University and University of Michigan-Dearborn. From 2018 to 2022 I was the head of collections and research at the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto.
My main research lines focus on 1) African vertebrate zoology, 2) Integrative taxonomy; 3) theoretical and practical aspects of taxonomy and nomenclature; 4) general herpetology; 5) Natural history collections management & specimen-based research; and 6) history of science.
Since 2012 I have been involved in several projects in Africa – mainly in Angola and São Tomé & Príncipe – where I have been carrying out and organizing field expeditions with the focus of uncovering the hidden and still unknown biological diversity of such regions.
As an alpha-taxonomist I have described more than 40 new vertebrate species to science. I’m also a Commissioner of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), a member of the centenary Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa (SGL, Lisbon Geography Society), and a National Geographic Explorer. In Africa, I’m currently an external consultant for several governmental institutions related to biodiversity and natural history museums, and have strong ongoing partnerships with local universities, NGO’s, governmental bodies and international agencies.
