Francisco José Soares Alves, Director of CNANS

Francisco José Soares Alves, Professor of underwater archaeology at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas.
Since 1978 he has been a member of all the national consulting organizations within the area of Archaeology (COISPCN, CNPA, CCIPPC and CCIPPAR). He was the representative of the Ministry of Culture on the Commission for the Study and Utilization of the Ocean Floor, the consulting organization for Navy’s General Chief of Staff that replaced the Work Group for Defence of the Underwater Archaeological Heritage, of which he had been a member since 1982.
Due to his functions, he was also a member of the Commission for the Underwater Cultural Heritage and a member of the Consulting Commission of the Project for Reconstruction of the Frigate D. Fernando II e Glória.
He is a member of the Technical-Consulting Commission of the Marine Museum. In 1996, he was scientific consultant within the scope of the JNICT. In 1996, he was invited, as specialist in underwater heritage, to work for the DG X of European Community. In 1997, he represented the Ministry of Culture on the Inter-ministerial Work Group for the Redefinition, Restructuring and Reformulation of the System of Maritime Authority. In 1997, he was part of the Portuguese delegation to the 29th General Conference of UNESCO.
He is currently member of ICOMOS’s Committee for Underwater Cultural Heritage (ICUCH).
  

 Vanessa Loureiro

Vanessa Loureiro, underwater archaeologist, received her master degree in Nautical Archaeology from Paris I University in 2004 and she is currently pursuing her PhD degree in naval construction techniques from the XV and XVI centuries under the direction of Pr. Eric Rieth (CNRS, France).
Since 2003, she is the coordinator of the study and field work of the 15th century shipwreck Arade 1 (Algarve).
Since 2004 she has been instructor of NAS courses.
She participated in several projects, namely the ANSER, and shipwrecks excavations, such as the mid-15th century shipwreck of Ria de Aveiro A, the 16th century shipwreck of Aveiro F and the roman shipwreck of river Charente (France).

 João Gachet Alves

João Gachet Alves, underwater archaeologist, is the responsible for the Nautical Archaeology Society courses organisation in Portugal since 2002.
He graduated in France at Paris I University under the direction of Pr. Eric Rieth (CNRS, France).
He is also a scientific professional diver graduated by the Institut National de la Plongée Professionelle. He the coordinator of the excavation of Arade 1, a 15th century shipwreck found in Arade river mouth.
He participated in the excavation of the hull remains of Ria de Aveiro A, a mid -15th century shipwreck, of the wreckage site of the Indiaman carrack Nossa Senhora do Mártires (1606) at the Tagus river mouth, of Angra C and D, two wrecks from the 16th century found during the construction of Angra do Heroismo’s Marina, of a 16th century wreck, Aveiro G, found during dredging works of Aveiro’s harbour, of a 18th century shipwreck found in St Gingolph in the Leman Lake (France), of Camargue 28, of a 15th century shipwreck found in Guernika (Spain) and of a Roman shipwreck found in the river Charente (France).

 Pedro Caleja

Pedro Caleja is CNANS manager of the archaeological finds, including verification of sites and inventory.
He also has an active participation in the archaeological chart project. Actual manager of the archaeological itineraries run by MC-SG’ CNANS.
Has been instructor of several NAS courses, Webmaster of several sites regarding Nautical Underwater Archaeology issues, including a Portal.
He is a permanent collaborator of the electronic diving magazine “Planeta d’Água” and moderator of a diving forum on the subject of “Archaeological Diving” and “Wreck Diving”.

 Helder Hermosilha

Helder Hermosilha is doing a PhD on “Shallow” Geophysics for Environemental and Geotechnical applications at Aveiro University, is also the Technical Director of Geosurveys, Geophysical Consultants, Lda.
Has been cooperating since 2003 with MC-SG’ CNANS on the planning, data acquistion/ processing of several geophysical surveys, mainly magnetic and sidescan.
His scientific interests concern shallow geophysical methods, mainly ground penetrating radar on land and on fresh water, dinamic characterization of sub-soil elastic propreties for geotechnical applications, seismic data processing both marine and inland, development of integrated acquisition systems for seismic and electromagnetics methods for inland apllications.