Graça holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering (social systems), a MSc in Sanitary Engineering and a BSc in Environmental Engineering, all at NOVA FCT.

Currently holds the following positions: President of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering; member of the Board of the research center MARE – Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences; coordinator of the MARE NOVA regional unit; member of the steering committee of the Associated Laboratory ARNET – Aquatic Research NETwork; member of the Monitoring Committee of the Portuguese Environment Agency (CAGER); President of the Technical Commission for Standardization – Waste (CT 209), of the Institute of Welding and Quality (ISQ), monitoring European (CEN/CENELEC/ETSI) and international ((ISO/IEC) waste standards. She was also Student Ombudsman at NOVA (2018-2021), Vice Dean of NOVA FCT for scientific and academic matters (2011-2018), and President of NOVA.ID (2014-2018). S

Her teaching and research fields are: planning and policy instruments for management of waste, special waste streams management, waste collection systems, mechanical processing and material recycling, waste management models for the circular economy and social psychology applied to behaviors towards waste. It is in these areas that she supervises master’s dissertations and doctoral theses and coordinates as an investigator responsible for several research and development projects

She is co-coordinator of the National Waste Management Plan (PNGR 2020-25) and the Strategic Plan for Urban Waste (PERSU 2020-25) and author of several scientific articles and co-author of the well-known books “Practical Manual for Waste Management” (Verlag Dashöfer Professional Editions) and “Waste Management” (Open University), widely used by university students and waste sector professionals, and the book “Sustainable Solid Waste Collection and Management” (Springer International Publishing), awarded the 1st prize from the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the ISWA Publication Award 2019.