João Frias

João Frias is a Senior Researcher at the Department of Natural Resources & The Environment and Principal Investigator at the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC) at ATU, Galway. His work focuses on marine litter, microplastic pollution, ocean literacy, and behavior change strategies to address environmental challenges. He actively collaborates on international projects such as JPI Oceans and has been recognized with the President's Award for Research Excellence and Impact (2022).

• Affiliations: ATU Galway Campus, MFRC
• Accepting PhD Students

His research integrates ecological, social, and policy perspectives, with publications emphasizing microplastic bioaccumulation, marine bioindicators, and spatial pollution monitoring. Recent work highlights innovative eco-engineering solutions and the role of seabirds in tracking plastic pollution.

• Key Awards: Top 2% Scientists List (2022), 6 news media mentions

He leads impactful projects such as the Galway Bay microplastics monitoring initiative and contributes to global environmental risk assessments. His lab focuses on translating research into actionable policies for ocean conservation.