Prof. Dr. Rubens M. Lopes holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of São Paulo (1985), a master’s degree in Ecology from the University of São Paulo (1989) and a doctorate in Zoology from the Federal University of Paraná (1997). He currently works as a full professor at the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo (since 2002), where he is accredited as a master’s and doctoral supervisor. Prof. Dr. Lopes conducts research in Biological Oceanography, with an emphasis on marine plankton ecology, developing studies on the following themes: spatial and temporal variability of plankton; trophic interactions in the pelagic system; plankton behavior.