Bridging cultures through the sea with Andreia Sousa

Andreia Sousa’s work sits at the meeting point of marine science, culture, and human connection. With roots along the Atlantic and island landscapes shaping her path, she brings together research, communication, and creativity to explore how people relate to the ocean. From coastal Portugal to the North Atlantic islands, Andreia Sousa has spent her career listening closely to the ocean and the communities that depend on it. Her approach blends science, art and interdisciplinary collaboration, revealing how marine ecosystems and human lives are deeply intertwined. For Andreia, understanding the ocean is as much about people as it is about species and information. By mixing science with conversation and creativity, she explores how knowledge, culture, and care can help shape more hopeful futures for marine environments.

"The oceans connect us all. They regulate Earth’s climate, produce oxygen, and provide food, livelihoods, and wellbeing to millions of people."

Hi Andreia! What first inspired your fascination with the ocean and its connection to people and culture?

Andreia: I was born and raised in Portugal, a country with a very strong historical and cultural connection to the ocean. So from a young age, I spent a lot of time at the beach and near the sea, and I was lucky to go on boat trips that allowed me to be in direct contact with marine life. Those early moments have shaped my fascination with the ocean, its biodiversity and beauty, and how it is woven into people’s lives, identities, and cultures.

You’ve spent much of your career in the Macaronesian region – what makes this part of the world such a special focus for marine research?

Andreia: Macaronesia is a unique region that includes the archipelagos of Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands. It is considered a biodiversity hotspot and an important region for cetaceans, with many whale and dolphin species using these waters as habitat, feeding grounds, and movement routes across the North Atlantic. What makes this area so special is that it hosts both resident species, which live there year-round, and migratory species that pass through during their migration journeys across the North Atlantic. This makes it an exceptional natural laboratory to study marine biodiversity and the movement and behavior of highly mobile species.

How did your background in academia and science shape the way you approach your work today?

Andreia: My experience working in a variety of roles has helped me understand what audiences are most curious about, what information matters to them, and how scientific knowledge can be communicated in more accessible and meaningful ways. For me, science communication isn’t just about sharing information. It’s about building bridges between different ocean users, from policymakers to fishers to local communities. This is essential for building trust and supporting more collaborative approaches, such as the co-management of marine protected areas.

How do island and coastal communities help us understand the real-world impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems?

Andreia: Island and coastal communities are often the first to experience the impacts of climate change. Their well-being is closely dependent on healthy marine ecosystems, so changes are noted early on. Many of these communities carry generations of knowledge about the sea, which is incredibly valuable for scientists, helping them spot changes and understand what climate impacts might look like in the future. Islands are often seen as living laboratories of climate change, where innovative local solutions are developed, from community-led marine conservation to ecosystem restoration. These experiences show us what adaptation can look like in practice and can inspire solutions in other parts of the world.

What do you hope guests will take away from your talks and shared experiences?

Andreia: I hope they leave with a deeper understanding of the richness of the natural world and the cultural and historical stories that are connected to it. I’d love for them to encounter scientific knowledge that feels new and surprising and that sparks their curiosity to continue to explore, learn, and ask questions afterwards. I also hope these conversations invite reflection on how we relate to the ocean and the planet in our everyday lives, and how thoughtful choices can make a change in the world we share and care about.

Can you tell us more about Upstand and how it brings people together to create social and environmental change?

Andreia: At Upstand, we place human connection at the center of everything we do, because we believe meaningful change happens through trust, care, and dialogue. We’re a social impact agency specializing in participatory research, facilitation, and community-led design. We support more inclusive and context-specific initiatives across climate change, human mobility, ocean biodiversity, and disaster risk. To achieve this, we create spaces where people can share knowledge and work together to support social and environmental transformation.

Your work often bridges science and art – how can creative expression help people connect more deeply with the ocean?

Andreia: Creative expression allows people to connect with the ocean in a way that goes beyond information and facts. Art creates emotional, sensory, and imaginative connections, inviting curiosity and wonder, which helps us feel part of the natural world. Artistic practices can open space for new ways of thinking that include the lives and experiences of other species and ecosystems. This kind of engagement makes environmental challenges feel more personal and closer to our own lives and communities. I hope to invite people into simple creative practices that let them experiment and express their own relationship with the ocean. These moments of creativity can turn learning into something lived and felt, rather than only understood.

Do you find that people respond differently to marine science when it’s shared through storytelling or visual art rather than data?

Andreia: Yes, very much so. When scientific data is integrated with storytelling and artistic expression, abstract concepts become more tangible and relatable for diverse audiences. Art can make complex topics feel more accessible and inviting. It also encourages active participation, which promotes dialogue and creates space for shared reflection rather than one-way communication. Artistic practices tend to resonate on a more personal level, generating curiosity and an emotional connection to the subject.

What’s the most unexpected or funny thing that’s ever happened to you during fieldwork at sea?

Andreia: There is always something unexpected when working at sea. No two days are ever the same, and that’s part of the magic. One memorable moment was in the Azores when we thought it would be a very quiet day with no whale sightings. Just as we were about to head back, a sperm whale surprised us by breaching, which is uncommon behavior for this species. It felt like a gift from the ocean!

You speak English, Portuguese, and Spanish. How does this help you build bridges between different coastal communities?

Andreia: Speaking multiple languages allows me to connect more profoundly with people, understand local perspectives, and share information. It also allows me to support collaboration across regions, making scientific knowledge more accessible and helping communities share experiences and solutions with one another.

How do you balance the scientific and human sides of your work when talking about something as complex as climate adaptation?

Andreia: For me, the scientific and human sides of climate adaptation are inseparable. Scientific knowledge helps us understand what is changing and why, but the human dimension tells us how those changes affect people’s lives. I try to communicate science clearly while also creating space for emotions, experiences, and local stories. That balance helps people see climate adaptation not just as a technical challenge, but as a collective, participatory process that we navigate together.

What can people look forward to learning about marine biodiversity along the Eastern Atlantic?

Andreia: People can look forward to learning about the incredible marine biodiversity of the Eastern Atlantic, from Portugal to West Africa. We’ll explore how climate change is affecting marine species and ecosystems, how species distributions are shifting, and how island and coastal communities are strongly connected to the sea. I’ll also share insights into how art-science approaches can help people connect with marine environments, as well as the social and cultural dimensions of changing coastal livelihoods and what climate adaptation measures are being implemented to address these changes.

If you could trade places with any ocean creature for 24 hours, which would you choose and why?

Andreia: I would choose a humpback whale. They are famous for their complex, beautiful songs, which can travel thousands of kilometers through the ocean. I love the idea of experiencing the world through sound and being able to sing across entire ocean basins!

After years of research and collaboration, what gives you hope about the future of our oceans and the communities that depend on them?

Andreia: What gives me the most hope is committed people who deeply care and are actively working towards a better future. I believe hope is something we practice, that fuels action and inspires change. Through imagination, creativity, and collective action, we can move towards more regenerative ways of living and reconnect with the more-than-human world. The oceans connect us all. They regulate Earth’s climate, produce over half of the oxygen we breathe, and provide food, livelihoods, and beauty to millions of people. Seeing how many people are working to protect them makes me believe that a healthier future is not only vital but possible.