Ana Maria is a neuroscientist specializing in infant and child cognitive development, with a robust quantitative research background, and a multidisciplinary and multi-institution perspective. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biology and postgraduate studies in Health Sciences at the University of Minho, before moving to London to do a PhD in Psychology at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck, University of London, in 2015. There, she developed a passion for infant cognitive development, and worked on a complex longitudinal project that combined parent-report, eye-tracking, and behavioural data to study the influence that infant touchscreen use could have on attention and executive functions.

In 2020, Ana moved to Stockholm where she undertook two postdoctoral positions at the Karolinska Institute and Uppsala University, focusing on behavioural genetics and infant individual differences in attention, social perception, and eye movements.

Beyond academia, she has engaged in various science dissemination projects, from intimate discussions with parents and educators to dynamic museum workshops and festivals with children.

In 2024, inspired by motherhood, Ana returned to Portugal and joined the ProChild CoLAB, aiming to
contribute to research, development, and innovation, benefiting future generations.