Team: Diogo Alagador

Meet Diogo, a postdoc researcher with Araújo Lab based at Évora University in Portugal.

Can you share a bit about your academic and research background?

At 9-years old I was fascinated by two books which I frequently grasped to my teacher after lunch: one was the physical atlas of the world and the other was an encyclopedia of wild animals (full of photos). Me and some of my close colleagues then planned a safari to be ran Nile up, when we were 18. Unfortunately, we probably were too ambitious! In the years after, seeing many TV documentaries on wild life, from Sir David Attenborough, Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente and Jacques Cousteau prompted me to take a bachelor degree in Biology – marine biodiversity – in the Faculty of Sciences in Lisbon. After that I decided to refine my statistical and mathematical skills and I entered into a reputed master course on Applied Statistics in the Lisbon’s Agronomy Institute. During my master I developed an optimization model to guide the selection of conservation areas using the spatial properties of stellar systems. By that time, I was faced with the first publications of Miguel Araújo, I approached him and he offered me the opportunity to accompany him in his studies. I therefore took my PhD partially between Lisbon (the Agronomy Institute) and Madrid (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales). After that, I joined Miguel’s team in the University of Évora, at the Biodiversity Chair.

What specific research projects have you been involved with in the past, and what role did you play?

Within my first years in the Biodiversity Chair I participated in the inception studies that established the research grounds of the Chair. A few years after, I coordinated a project funded through the Portuguese Scientific Funding Institution, aiming to test-proofing and develop quantitative methodologies on dynamic conservation area selection under climate change. More recently I was the coordinator of AgroSatAdapt., a regional project funded through La Caixa Foundation, on which we tested the use of multi-objective decision making to preserve biodiversity adaptation routes in three Alentejo agriculture spots, taking advantage of financial incentives for carbon sequestration and water saving in agriculture.

What are your primary research interests, and how did you become interested in these areas?

I’m constantly fascinated by the complexity of nature—it’s what drives me every day. My work focuses on supporting decision-making in conservation planning to help preserve that complexity in a world dominated by socioeconomic pressures. To do this, I use operations research, mathematical programming, and graph and decision theories, to support policy making under dynamic and uncertain conditions. At the core, I’m committed to safeguarding the intricate structures of nature against the growing challenges and threats we face today.

What will you be working on in our research group, and what are your goals for this project?

I will conceptually test conservation plans in the context of global changes. My goal is to apply tools like multi-objective optimization, dynamic programming, and robust decision-making to identify the best areas where the typically scarce resources in conservation should be spend. In practice, I’ll work on developing new conceptual frameworks that bring environmental dynamics and complexity into clear, actionable decisions.

How does your current research align with the overall objectives of our research group?

The group has a very strong background on theoretical biogeography and ecology. I will use all the knowledge produced within the group as an inspiration for me, in the development of dedicated conceptual schemes for conservation. I feel responsibility in best using quantitative tools for preserving the findings in the group, using the practical perspective of biogeographical and ecological studies: the conservation side.

Are there any particular challenges you anticipate facing in your current research? How do you plan to address them?

My research is highly multidisciplinary, made of a precise combination of interests cross-cutting mathematical and natural sciences. Up to now, it has not been easy finding people with a similar research alignment. The lack of informed criticism and the hard job in entangling my research into established research lines raise difficulties and is a characterizer of my work. On the operational side, my research very often deals with the “curse dimensionality”, which is particularly hard to tackle in combinatorial problems like the ones that frame my research.

What skills or knowledge are you hoping to develop during your time in this research group?

The diversity of expertise and mindsets in the group is fascinating. Most of my colleagues work in cutting edge biogeographical and ecological themes that bring into play new entities and processes to consider in conservation planning. I will try develop dedicate strategies to safeguard their findings in the real world. Therefore, I fell enthusiastic to increase my cross-disciplinary knowledge, in particular the one linked with the complexity of nature as envisaged in the group.

Where do you see your research taking you in the next five years?

Five years is a long time in research—new discoveries and ideas about the natural world emerge every day, making it such a dynamic field that long-term plans often feel unrealistic. That said, if I think strategically and embrace the challenge, I aim to build a small team of researchers and students focused on biogeography, conservation, and global change. As I mentioned earlier, this is a highly specialized niche that’s not easy to fill. On the research front, I’d like to strengthen collaborations both within and beyond the group and take on new challenges in conservation and sustainability.

Are there any particular conferences, journals, or professional networks you are keen to engage with through your research here?

For now I envisage that the work carried within the group may most easily facilitate the establishment of research networks, taking advantage of the individual network already settled in group members. The lab may therefore be a catalyst to reinforce the emergence of new groups and research lines. The pedigreed studies in the group may also trigger the publication of our work in top class, high ranked journals and presentations in high standard conferences on biodiversity conservation.

What do you think are the most pressing questions or challenges in your research field today?

Conservation planning is a matter made of choices and priorities under deep uncertainty. The establishment of an agenda for conservation policies in a context of large dynamics is a challenge and require the solving or integration of a series of uncertainties. Looking strategically ahead in time, anticipating decisions, avoiding regrets and working adaptively is an overarching challenge that deserves consideration and work.

How do you stay updated with the latest developments and research in your area of interest?

I try to follow an etiquette of reading one international study every two or three days. I also undertake frequent searches along relevant journals in my field of expertise, just to read titles, abstracts and to inspire myself in themes and writing styles. There are two activities I consider essential for staying engaged and broadening my research horizons. One is serving as a reviewer for journal submissions, which keeps me connected to current studies. The other is participating in editorial boards, which provides valuable insight into the field’s ongoing developments and emerging trends.

Can you recommend any groundbreaking or influential papers/books in your field that you think everyone should read?

Conservation planning is an emerging field in natural sciences. Its inception goes back to 2000, with the seminal paper of Chris Margules and Robert Pressey in Nature, where grounds of the discipline were structured and concepts formalized. Since then, very many studies have branched different research avenues in the field. For example, the work of Araújo et al 2004, in Global Change Biology, was pivotal in setting the scene on the impacts of climate change over the effectiveness of protected areas. In the same year, there is also the paper of Rodrigues et al in Nature, which for the first time, undertook a global-level analysis on the performance of protected areas. In 2003, it was published a special issue of Biological Conservation on conservation planning in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa, joining a nice set of studies touching the different stages of conservation planning – from conceptual advances to implementation of the ground. In the early 2000s, dozens of publications introduced models grounded in mathematics, which I find particularly valuable to explore. For me, they highlight the elegance of applying mathematics to this field. More recently the studies of Hugh Possingham settle the ground on different aspects of conservation planning. The many global studies leaded by James Watson also serve as reference on how to take the best from geographical databases. At the book level, I would recommend the 2009 book from Atte Moilanen, Kerry Wilson and Hugh Possingham on Spatial Conservation Prioritization. Alongside this, I also consider the book on Conservation Biogeography from Richard Ladle and Robert Whitaker as a land-mark in the field. As a note for inspiration, Biogeography from James Brown and Mark Lomolino deserves reading.

Outside of research, what are your hobbies or interests?

My favorite hobby outside of research is running medium to long distances. When it’s time to rest, I enjoy walking, traveling, reading, and having conversations. I especially love diving into deep philosophical and political discussions and literature. But whatever activity I make, I try always to be gentle with nature, gentle with people.

How do you balance your research commitments with your personal life?

I’m far from great at balancing the two sides of life—work and personal. They often blur together, even though they really shouldn’t. Being single and without children makes it easier in some ways, but there are still psychological challenges to navigate. Honestly, it’s tough, and I’m not sure I have a clear answer to this. A significant part of my life is also dedicated to caring for my parents, who live in Lisbon. Every so often, I visit them to give and receive some energy and love.

Are there any non-research activities or groups within our institution or community that you’re interested in joining?

I’m based in Évora, and honestly, I don’t come across many activities here that draw me in. I usually organize my life in solitude, focusing on fulfilling my daily needs.