Research Officer, European Commission Joint Research Centre, providing scientific support for the development and implementation of European environmental policies and technical support to Member States.
Lead Author, IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (AR7), Working Group II.
Scientific contributor to the development and implementation of the EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, including the preparation of technical guidance supporting implementation by Member States.
Co-chair, EU Soil Observatory Technical Working Groups on Soil Erosion and Soil Pollution, coordinating scientific exchange across European experts and institutions.
Elected Member, Joint Research Centre Scientific Committee.
Member, World Economic Forum Global Wildfire Leadership Network.
Principal Investigator of the FEMME project and coordinator of multidisciplinary international scientific collaborations.
Internationally recognized researcher, author of 50+ peer-reviewed publications, including Nature Geoscience, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment and Global Change Biology.
Professional profile
Environmental scientist and science-policy expert with more than 15 years of international experience in climate change, natural resource management, soil health and ecosystem resilience. Research Officer at the European Commission Joint Research Centre and Lead Author for the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report. Extensive experience translating scientific evidence into environmental policy, coordinating multidisciplinary international initiatives, and supporting the implementation of European environmental legislation. Proven record of leadership across international scientific networks, policy development and stakeholder engagement.
Education
University of Aveiro
PhD. In Environmental Sciences and Engineering
May 2015
Thesis: “Understanding and modelling hydrological and soil erosion processes in burnt forest catchments.”
University of Aveiro
M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering
2007 - 2008
Thesis: “Cartografia de risco de erosão, à escala de encosta, numa área recentemente ardida na região Centro.”
Polytechnic Institute of Leiria
Graduation in Environmental Engineering
2002-2007
Soil Health Law Directive for EU
STARTING DATE: January 2022
COORDINATOR: The Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV)
FUNCTION: JRC D3 support in scientific knowledge for policy
Spatial Agricultural Information System
STARTING DATE: January 2024
COORDINATOR: The Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG AGRI)
FUNCTION: JRC D3 support in scientific knowledge for policy
Programa de Recuperação das Matas do Litoral
DATE SIGNED : 22 January 2018
COORDINATOR: ICNF
FUNCTION: Member of the Scientific Commission
1. Vieira, D., Sanchez Garcia, C., Cescatti, A., Pickering, M., Colditz, R. et al., Forest resilience against wildfires - Integration from preparedness to restoration, European Commission, Ispra, 2026, JRC145919. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC145919
2. Guimarães H, Martins M, Guiomar N, Kelly C, Vieira D, Nóvoa T, Brito I, Zoka M, Prats S, Cerdà A, Zdruli P, Stathopoulos N, Madeira J, Fidalgo L, Di Giuseppe P, Keesstra S, Dobos E (2025) Outlook on the knowledge gaps to reduce soil erosion. Soils for Europe 1: e150281. https://doi.org/10.3897/soils4europe.e150281
3. European Environment Agency, Zero pollution monitoring and outlook 2025, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2800/6470682
4. European Commission: European Environment Agency, Joint Research Centre, Arias-Navarro, C., Baritz, R. and Jones, A., The state of soils in Europe – Fully evidenced, spatially organised assessment of the pressures driving soil degradation, Arias-Navarro, C.(editor), Baritz, R.(editor) and Jones, A.(editor), Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/7007291
5. European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Broothaerts, N., Panagos, P., Arias Navarro, C., Ballabio, C. et al., EUSO annual report 2024 – Providing data and knowledge to monitor, safeguard and restore soils, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/9304175
6. Guimarães MH, Martins M, Vieira D, Brito I, Kelly C, Guiomar N, Stathopoulos N, Zoka M, Nóvoa T, Cerdà A, Faria B, Madeira J, Fidalgo L, Panagos P, Zdruli P, Keesstra S, Prats S, Di Giuseppe P, Dobos E (2024) Preliminary assessment of the knowledge gaps to prevent soil erosion. Soils for Europe 1: e118669. https://doi.org/10.3897/soils4europe.e118669
7. European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Broothaerts, N., Panagos, P., Arias Navarro, C., Ballabio, C. et al., EUSO annual bulletin 2023, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/46142
8. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Vieira, D., Franco, A., De Medici, D. et al., Pesticides residues in European agricultural soils – Results from LUCAS 2018 soil module, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/86566
9. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Vieira, D., Martin Jimenez, J., De Medici, D. et al., IACS65 AA – Soil case studies – Soil contamination by pesticides, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/771731
10. Cláudia Lima, Juliska Princz, Björn Scholz-Starke, Paola Grenni, Bonnie Brooks, Mike Simini, Ulrich Menke, Mathieu Renaud, Mireia Marti, Amy Gainer, Vera Silva, Matty P. Berg, Kees van Gestel, Tiago Natal-da-Luz, Diana Vieira, Silvia Pieper, Pia Kotschik, 2023, Reflections from the “Assessing Risk in Soil: Challenges and Opportunities” Webinar. Globe. https://globe.setac.org/assessing-risk-in-soil-challenges-and-opportunities-webinar/
11. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Maréchal, A., Panagos, P., Jones, A. et al., EUSO annual bulletin – A review of 2022 activities, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/501153
12. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Zero pollution: outlook 2022, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/39491
13. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Marechal, A., Panagos, P., De Rosa, D. et al., EU soil observatory 2021 – Review and reflections, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/582573
14. Vieira DCS, Corticeiro S, Lopes AR, Nunes JPC, Neves R, Keizer JJK. Modelação do risco de erosão como apoio à gestão florestal pós incêndio. Indústria e Ambiente nº 112, setembro/ outubro 2018.