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About

About

Ana Cristina Pires de Oliveira was born in Espinho, Portugal, on January 13th of 1980. She is a Researcher at INESC TEC's Centre for Robotics and Autonomous Systems and has been awarded a 6-year junior research contract under FCT/MCTES (CEECIND/00835/2018) on "Mapping underwater geological resources with robotics: a system tool for space-earth interaction and validation". She has a European Doctorate in Geosciences (Geological Resources and Geomaterials field) and MSc in Georesources and Geotechnics from Aveiro University, a Post-Graduation Course in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto (FLUP), as well as a Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Degree (ISEP). She regularly collaborates as a researcher with the former training centers where spent over 11 years related to multi and interdisciplinary projects (Laboratory of Cartography and Applied Geology - LABCARGA|ISEP, and GeoBioTec|UA research unit). Between August 2019 to July 2020, she was an Invited-Scientist at the School of Engineering (ISEP), Polytechnic of Porto. Presently she has been involved in several projects related to sustainable sea/marine mining, geotechnologies, and georesources, such as EMSO-PT Project and SIDENAV (supported by P2020 and FCT), INSite (Project Manager), UNEXUP, and MineHeritage Projects (supported by EIT Raw Materials). She works very closely with the preparation and submission of scientific or up-scaling projects related to underwater technologies. She was also the first Portuguese woman to finish with success the Scientist-Astronaut Program (Basic Astronautics), Class of 1802, under the framework of Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) supported by NASA. During the Fundamentals of Astronautics Course, that took place in the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Florida, USA) she had the chance to perform acrobatic flights to experience G-forces, high-altitude simulation, and slow-onset hypoxia effects, learn about Spacesuit donning, doffing, pressure regulation, and contingency operations, etc. Ana Pires continues to pursue space training and to attend the research programs, therefore she has completed several courses in the scope of the Applied Astronautics Program awarded by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), namely: AER 101 Suborbital Space Environment (Aeronomy Concentration); BIO 103 Microgravity Space Suit Evaluation (Bioastronautics: IVA Space Suit Evaluation Concentration); EVA 101 Life Support Systems and EVA 103 Planetary Field Geology and EVA Tool Development (Bioastronautics: EVA Space Suit Evaluation Concentration). Currently, she is the Co-Chair Knowledge Management of ¿Space For All Nations¿ (SFAN) project developed by the International Institute for Astronautical Science (IIAS) and PoSSUM Program. Since 2018 she has also made efforts in Portugal to promote human space flight, astrogeology, technology, robotics, STEAM outreach activities, and has also been invited to numerous public talks, media interviews, and conference events. Ana Pires is also a Specialist Diver (SSI Certification), with Marine Ecology and Science of Diving specialty courses. Very recently, she was selected to be part of the main crew of the "GEO-Pegasus" team to carry out an analog mission in April-May 2023 in the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), located in Utah (USA), owned, and operated by the Mars Society.

Interest
Topics
Details

Details

  • Name

    Ana Cristina Pires
  • Role

    Assistant Researcher
  • Since

    05th July 2017
007
Publications

2023

Engineering geosciences, geotechnics and functional geomaterials: new trends on GIS mapping, geotechnologies and design with geohazards

Authors
Chamine, HI; Pires, A; Fernandes, I; Prikryl, R; Tugrul, A; Duzgun, HS; de Vallejo, LIG;

Publication
SN APPLIED SCIENCES

Abstract

2023

Geotechnics, Georesources and Natural Hazards: Impacts in Marine Technology and Oceanic Engineering

Authors
Pires, A; Chaminé, HI;

Publication
Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation

Abstract
This essay addresses the importance of geotechnics and marine georesources in developing technologies. The study proposes a coastal and marine geoengineering approach that focuses on five domains (5G’s): georesources, geology, geotechnics, geomechanics and geotechnologies. These domains are considered in several engineering projects related to coastal, hydraulic, marine, and maritime applications. The reality of a world in rapid, continuous evolution has put into perspective a multidisciplinary approach combining different practices and coastal strategies. That is the main driving force that should be considered when dealing with geoengineering projects in general. Moreover, geological resources and the potential exploitation of mineral and rock raw materials boost innovative techniques and upscaling geo-robotic systems. Finally, the essay unravels new trends in challenging and extreme environments and natural hazards, highlighting emerging fields such as deep-sea mining, geo-exploration, offshore, coastal, harbour and marine geotechnics. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

2023

Hardness Tester for Analog Planetary Rocks: A Preliminary Assessment in Microgravity Flight

Authors
Pires, A; Costa, C; Moura, R; Persad, H; Reimuller, J; Gowanlock, D; Alavi, S; Beatty, HW; Almeida, J; Almeida, F; Silva, E; Pérez Alberti, A; Chaminé, I;

Publication
Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation

Abstract

2023

Methodological insights from unmanned system technologies in a rock quarry environment and geomining heritage site: coupling LiDAR-based mapping and GIS geovisualisation techniques

Authors
Pires, A; Dias, A; Silva, P; Ferreira, A; Rodrigues, P; Santos, T; Oliveira, A; Freitas, L; Martins, A; Almeida, J; Silva, E; Chaminé, HI;

Publication
Arabian Journal of Geosciences

Abstract

2023

MIFIRE- A PLANETARY GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS RESEARCH PROJECT USING A SUBORBITAL MICROGRAVITY SPACEFLIGHT

Authors
Moura, R; Pires, AC; Martins, V; Marques, MC; Caldeira, A; Sá, I; MacHado, D;

Publication
International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference Surveying Geology and Mining Ecology Management, SGEM

Abstract
The MiFiRE (Microgravity Fine Regolith Experiment) experiment, which will be launched this year on a suborbital space flight, currently scheduled for August 2023, was designed with the aim of better understanding the initial stages of planetary formation. The fundamental and embryonic question is to contribute to the study of how the mineral and rock particles, which do not have enough mass for the gravitational force to be influential, can then aggregate through electrostatic forces. In order to recreate the environment of deep space, it is assumed that the composition of meteorites that collide with the Earth, are mainly of silicate mineralogical composition or rich in metallic alloys (eg Fe-Ni). Therefore, in the experiment some fine material, identical to the lunar regolith (JSC-1), is used, in other words, amphiboles, pyroxenes, olivines and volcanic glass, along with two larger elements, a basalt cube and a metalic (siderite) meteorite cube (Octahedrite from Campo del Cielo, Argentina). It is intended that the particles be subjected to the microgravity environment and thus contribute to a better understanding of the general behaviour and the processes of preference of aggregation between the various components. This, in turn, contributes the characterization of the progressive development of planetesimals. This experiment was selected amongst 5 competing proposals in a contest launched by Massachusetts Institute of Technology's national representation, MIT Portugal, in 2020. © 2023 International Multidisciplinary Scientific Geoconference. All rights reserved.

Supervised
thesis

2020

Medição de Dureza em Astrogeologia - Um Estudo Prévio (Hardness Measurement in Astrogeology - a Preliminary Study)

Author
Ana Catarina Moura Loureiro Costa

Institution
UP-FEUP