Rodolfo Leandro Nascimento Silva is a scientist who navigates the mysteries of ocean biodiversity. Born in Maceió, his childhood was marked by an innate curiosity for science, initially with the observation of ants and, later, with a deep fascination with the wonders of marine ecology.

A pioneer in a low-income family, Silva earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at the Federal University of Alagoas. In this institution, he soon obtained a master’s degree in biological diversity and conservation in the tropics. He later went to Rio de Janeiro, where he completed his doctorate in biodiversity and evolutionary biology at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He also completed two postdoctoral periods, one at UFRJ and the other at the Federal University of Espírito Santo.

The biologist loves his hometown and the Jaça neighbourhood on the outskirts of Maceió. Furthermore, he retains his passion for Centro Sportivo Alagoano, his favourite team. After almost a decade of living in Rio, Silva confesses a troubled and ambiguous relationship with the beauty and chaos of the capital of Rio de Janeiro. His musical tastes include playing, dancing, and singing maracatu de baque virado, maintaining a space for rap, samba, reggae, and rock’n’roll. The biologist also continually invests in racial literacy and political training to expand the narrow limits that prevent many from entering the scientific and academic perimeter.