Dr. Zaloa Sánchez Varela is an Assistant Professor and Head of Department at the Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split, Croatia. She received her Ph.D. in Nautical Engineering from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), graduating Cum Laude. Before joining academia, she worked as a deck officer on liquefied gas tankers and held positions in shipping management, bringing extensive professional experience to her teaching and research. Dr. Sánchez Varela serves as the Honorary Secretary of The Nautical Institute Croatian Branch and has participated in several international and interdisciplinary research projects, including BlueWBC, MareLaw, and Pomorkinje 4.0. She has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications in international journals. Her teaching focuses on nautical engineering, maritime safety, and navigation, while her research interests include maritime safety, dynamic positioning, offshore operations, maritime risk assessment, maritime transport, and maritime education. She is committed to advancing safe, sustainable, and innovative maritime operations through research, education, and international collaboration.