Ana Luisa Costa

Ana Luisa Costa is an Assistant Researcher at the Center for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE) within the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Porto, Portugal. She holds a PhD in Educational Sciences (2023) and an Integrated Master in Psychology from the same institution. Her academic career bridges rigorous research with practical community application, focusing on professional activism and social justice.

Her research interests center on professional activism (advocacy), political participation and political education, activist learning and knowledge production, professionals' practices with vulnerable populations, educational and community intervention, mixed research methodologies, adult education, community psychology, social justice, and harm reduction. Costa's work examines how professionals advocate for vulnerable populations through political mobilization and social justice approaches, with particular attention to geographical contexts like Portugal's inland regions.

Costa's recent publications (2021-2025) reveal a consistent focus on developing frameworks for understanding professional activism, including measurement tools like the ETAP scale and typological classifications. Her work spans journal articles, book chapters, manuals, conference presentations, and research reports, demonstrating both theoretical development and practical application.

• FCT CEEC IND tender (2023.06314.CEECIND) for 'Know-how to speak out: Education for and in professional activism' (2024-2030)
• Principal investigator for ProActCoP project (2025-2026)
• Member of the SINCRONY European project team (2024)

Costa has received significant research funding through FCT and European programs including Horizon Europe. Her current principal investigator roles demonstrate leadership in advancing knowledge about professional activism education and engagement. She previously served as a PhD Student Fellow (2018-2023), Master Student Fellow for ADVENUS (2017-2019) and REGAP (2016-2017) projects, and researcher for LIDA (2020-2023). Before her doctoral studies, she gained extensive practical experience at APDES, an NGO working with vulnerable communities (2008-2016).

Her research methodology combines mixed methods with action-research approaches, often incorporating artistic components and ethnographic observation. Current projects like ProActCoP employ innovative strategies including co-creation of Professional Activism Communities of Practice (PA CoP), scoping reviews, rapid assessments, reflective sessions, and practical workshops to advance understanding of professional activism in specific geographical contexts.