Valéria Tavares holds a PhD in Biology (Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics) from the City University of New York / American Museum of Natural History (CUNY/AMNH), a master’s degree in Ecology, Conservation and Wildlife Management from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), and a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the same university.
As a full researcher at ITV DS, she leads the Biodiversity and Environmental Solutions group. A lecturer and advisor in graduate programs at various institutions, she has experience in phylogenetic systematics, taxonomy, mastozoology, ecology, and conservation, with a focus on bats (Chiroptera), geographic diversity, faunal monitoring, and community ecology analyses.

Maurício Watanabe holds a PhD and a master’s degree in Science (Botany) from the University of São Paulo (USP), and a teaching degree (Licenciatura) in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) (2005). He completed a sandwich doctorate at the Field Museum of Natural History. As a researcher at ITV DS, Watanabe focuses on taxonomy, systematics, molecular phylogeny, and morphometry, especially in the Eriocaulaceae family.

Juliana Galaschi holds a PhD in Entomology from the University of São Paulo (USP), a master’s degree in Biosciences (Zoology) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), and a degree in Biological Sciences from PUCRS. As a researcher at ITV DS, she works in Zoology with an emphasis on Entomology, focusing on geometric morphometrics, chemical and molecular markers, and pollinators, particularly stingless bees.

Leonardo Trevelin holds a PhD in Zoology from the Federal University of Pará / Emílio Goeldi Museum of Pará (UFPA/MPEG), with a sandwich doctorate at the University of Kent. He also holds a master’s degree in Zoology and a bachelor’s degree in Ecology from São Paulo State University (UNESP). As an assistant researcher at ITV DS, he works with landscape ecology and genetics, mammal ecology, forest restoration, and subterranean ecology.
He is a collaborating professor in master’s and graduate programs, with a focus on Chiroptera.

Rafael de Fraga holds a PhD in Ecology from the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), a master’s degree in Ecology, and a degree in Biological Sciences from the Positivo University Center. He completed a sandwich doctorate at Macquarie University, Australia, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA) and ITV DS. He is an assistant researcher at ITV DS, with experience in herpetology, ecological diversity metrics, niche theory, landscape genomics, and fauna monitoring. He works in the conservation of Amazonian biodiversity, applying statistical methods and habitat connectivity models, and integrating research groups in conservation and taxonomy.

Rafael Assis holds a PhD in Ecology and Natural Resource Management from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, a master’s degree in Botany from the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), and a degree in Biological Sciences from the State University of Londrina (UEL). He was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo, where he coordinated the Biodiversity Research Consortium Brazil-Norway. Currently, as an assistant researcher at ITV DS, he works on the ecology of Amazonian ecosystems, forest dynamics, ecological succession, and phytosociology, with an emphasis on soil-plant interactions and tree regeneration.

Tereza Giannini holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of São Paulo (USP) and is a biologist at the same university’s Institute of Biosciences, having worked at the Naturalis Museum in Leiden, Holland, and at the Center for Ecology and Hydrology in Edinburgh, Scotland. As an associate researcher at ITV DS, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in biodiversity databases at USP’s Polytechnic School, including a research period at the University of Rio Negro in Bariloche, Argentina.

Markus Gastauer holds a PhD in Botany from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), a post-doctorate in Ecology from the same institution, and a master’s degree in Entomology from the University of Bonn, Germany. He has a degree in Agronomy. As a researcher at ITV DS in the area of recovery of degraded areas, he is dedicated to monitoring and developing bioindicators. He also works as a collaborating lecturer at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and the Federal University of Pará (UFPA). His research includes biodiversity patterns, restoration ecology, soil-plant interactions, and the dynamics of the Atlantic Forest.

Silvio Ramos holds a PhD and a master’s degree in soil science, and a degree in Agronomy. As a researcher at ITV DS, he is a professor and coordinator of the graduate program in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources at ITV DS, as well as a lecturer at the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA). He works on the propagation and growth of native species, the recovery of mined areas, bioindicators, and soil carbon stocks. He teaches subjects related to forest restoration.

Cecílio Caldeira holds a PhD in Integrative Plant Biology from the Université de Montpellier/SupAgro (2013), a master’s degree in Plant Physiology from the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), and is an agronomist from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). As an assistant researcher at ITV DS, he has experience in plant physiology and nutrition, large-scale phenotyping, analysis of large databases, and transcriptomics. He co-supervises students in Brazil and France.