José Xavier

After spending many years abroad, I started exploring opportunities at the University of Coimbra around 2007–2008, through Professor Jaime Ramos’s team. From this first contact, I realised that I would find everything I needed to conduct my research at the UC. I came here as a researcher in 2010, became an Assistant Professor in 2017, and have been an Associate Professor since 2022. My professional growth has been closely linked to the University of Coimbra, first through research and now through teaching too, both of which have been truly enriching experiences.

These 15 years have flown by! My relationship with Coimbra has always been very special; it's a stunning place to live and an ideal location for research, so I've always been excited at the prospect of being here.

I graduated in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the University of Algarve and then went on to complete a PhD at the University of Cambridge in the 2000s. Afterwards, I worked on several research projects and travelled around the world. I spent two years in New Zealand, two in the United States, two in France and two in Germany, while maintaining close ties with Portugal and the UK (I'm affiliated with the British Antarctic Survey due to my research on polar regions). Once I started teaching at UC in 2017, I began spending more time in Portugal.

Since I was a child! The ocean has always been part of my life: I’ve always lived an hour or two away from it, went fishing with my dad and friends, and spent a lot of time in São Martinho do Porto, a really safe bay where we’d spend the whole day. I’ve always associated the sea with happy memories — fishing, summer holidays, playing with crabs and little fish, or doing beach sports. So, studying Marine Biology felt like the obvious choice.

Around my second or third year at university, something clicked — I thought: “Could I actually make a living from the sea?” Once that thought took hold, everything changed. I started getting involved in scientific projects, and I can honestly say I’m living my dream — working in a field I love, teaching students at the University of Coimbra, and doing research. It’s demanding, but it makes me happy, and I'm really lucky to be able to do what I do.

It’s quite a challenge. Our first Antarctic expeditions began in 1999 - we’ve now done more than ten, - and they usually last two months (for the kind of research we do), but can go up to nine. When you're early in your career, the more time you spend in the field, the better. For me, there were never any obstacles to conducting research in Antarctica — that drive never faded over time.

It’s a privilege to work with animals like penguins, seals, albatrosses, fish, and squid, and in such an international context. Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, which brings together over 50 countries to keep it a place for science and peace, encouraging global cooperation. Since my first expedition, I’ve stayed closely involved, and I also take an active role in the Portuguese Polar Programme (PROPOLAR).

Over time, though, my family life has also become increasingly important. In the beginning, my career was all about Antarctica and travelling the world doing what I love, but now family is a big part of it. Finding the right balance between the two is essential to make it all work.

Probably the constant change of scenery — switching between teaching, fieldwork in Antarctica, and research.

I’m not scared by the animals or the discoveries themselves. What worries me is political inertia — how slow decision-making can be. Politics moves very slowly because of international factors and things outside Antarctica. That delay affects the creation of laws that are really needed to protect the polar regions and address climate change. My biggest frustration isn’t the science or inspiring younger generations — it’s the political difficulty in taking strong decisions for the sake of the planet.

We know melting ice has global consequences, like rising sea levels. Many animals are already struggling with global warming — for example, emperor penguins could be gone by 2100, in our children’s lifetime. And we’re partly responsible for that. It’s alarming.

We have the Paris Agreement and political commitments to fight climate change — yet the US pulled out. There are great initiatives, like the UN Ocean Conference in Portugal in 2022, which showed that strong political action is possible. But when you look at national contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, few countries are meeting their targets.

This slowness is a big concern for me, especially since I follow it closely. I’m currently Portugal’s Head of Delegation to the Antarctic Treaty meetings, appointed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Science and Innovation, and the Foundation for Science and Technology. To tackle this, our UC team works to make scientific findings more visible to policymakers — in Portugal, globally, and in Antarctica — so that decisions can be made faster to protect the planet. We need to move quicker.

The first thing is technology. My first expedition was in 1999, when the internet was just starting — I sent a fax every day just to say I was alive! Compare that with today, where we have internet 24/7. We’re there, but still connected to the world.

Another big change is how much better prepared we are for research. For example, one of our students, Hugo, uses satellite images to track penguin behaviour across Antarctica — he can actually identify individual birds from space, almost like Google Maps on a high level! Twenty or thirty years ago, that would have been impossible.

International collaboration has also grown enormously, now involving more than 50 countries.

At the same time, tourism in Antarctica has grown almost exponentially and really needs regulation. Fishing has also increased, though great efforts are being made to manage it properly. Even scientific work can be improved — we need to think about how to do research without leaving a human footprint. Every expedition should aim to use more eco-friendly materials and minimise impact. This concern has become much more visible over the years.

Another key change is connecting with younger generations through science communication, showing what we do and why it matters. Portugal has been a good example. The Portuguese Polar Programme is vital for engaging new generations of scientists, allowing researchers from Portugal to go to the Arctic and Antarctica every year. This means we regularly see our scientists working with teams worldwide. The University of Coimbra’s team has a strong international network and a promising future.

I think diplomacy is key. We need to get all the countries involved in the Antarctic Treaty together and create incentives to take action to protect Antarctica. But it’s not easy, because different countries have very different interests, which can be quite challenging.

Some see Antarctica as a place that should be fully protected, where nothing should happen, not even research. Others think it should be managed so it can benefit humanity through fishing, tourism, or scientific research. Balancing these views is tough, especially since priorities change over time. A clear example is the United States: a new election can shift the country’s focus, and we don’t yet know what that might mean for Antarctica. Another challenge is that, when countries lose interest in a discussion, they simply leave the room — and without dialogue, it’s impossible to achieve strong, widely supported laws. Even though the Antarctic Treaty is considered one of the most successful international agreements ever, political action is still very slow. We need to be more proactive. How? By putting concrete measures into practice.

For example, we could encourage countries to use electric-powered ships instead of fuel-burning ones that emit greenhouse gases. Research stations in Antarctica could be carbon-neutral or zero-emission. We could rethink the equipment taken on expeditions, share devices between teams, and make cooperation and data exchange easier. These changes might seem simple, but implementing them can be complex because of different perspectives on how Antarctica should serve all countries. The best way to deal with this difficulty is to maintain dialogue and collaboration.

First, I’d like to highlight the quality of our research. The University of Coimbra produces excellent science, on par with the rest of the country and at the international level. I think we’re doing great.

Second, a message to the students: the University of Coimbra is here to give you the best skills and preparation for the world ahead, to thrive in your future career, whatever path you choose to take, whether in industry or research. We believe that your success will benefit not only you, but also Portugal and the planet. I want to leave a message of hope for this new generation, but also a reminder that there’s hard work ahead. We need everyone, including the younger generation at the University of Coimbra, to help care for our planet.