Previously, she was Research Fellow in the National Defense Institute (Portugal, 2013-18), worked as Research Consultant to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (2008-10), Advisor for International Relations of the Ministry of National Defense of Portugal (2006-09) and Research Assistant at the Portuguese Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Lisbon (2001-03). She holds a Ph.D. on International Relations and develops her research on Identity in International Politics and Security issues, mainly regarding European Union, Middle East and North Africa (MENA). She authored various academic publications on European Union Security and Defense Policy and MENA Geopolitics and collaborates extensively with Portuguese media.