Projects

AIR Data Centre

Initiator, Infrastructure Architect & Operations Lead · Azores, PT (2020–present)

AIR Data Centre is a sovereign Earth-observation data facility developed within the AIR Centre network. It serves as the foundational node of Atlantic Cloud and supports sustained EO data acquisition, processing, and external distribution.

The facility includes a direct receiving station for near–real-time satellite data acquisition and product generation, aligned with established EO ground-segment workflow patterns. In response to projected ingestion volumes (~300 GB/day) and the lack of suitable local infrastructure, I built the case for an on-island data centre and led delivery end-to-end, including physical layout definition, coordination with engineering firms, and responsibility for critical facility systems spanning fire protection, cooling strategy, power delivery, and operational resilience under island constraints.

I designed the platform around an API-first, microservices-based architecture and an S3-compatible, software-defined object storage layer (MinIO), including an NVMe-backed first tier (~100 TB). The network was future-proofed with 4 × 100 Gbps connectivity per server, enabling high-throughput EO transfers and supporting modern AI-oriented workloads.

The deployment operates across six racks with redundancy in core systems and cooling, and was designed from inception for hybrid-cloud interoperability while maintaining local control and operational responsibility.

Atlantic Cloud

Initiator & Architectural Lead · Atlantic (2025–present)

Atlantic Cloud is a transatlantic computation and data infrastructure initiative developed within the AIR Centre network. It addresses the need for distributed, sovereign-capable computing and data services in support of Earth observation and environmental research.

I initiated the concept and have led the overall system design, governance model, and technical direction, coordinating contributions across institutions and partners.

Official page: https://www.aircentre.org/atlantic-cloud/

Internal Waves Service

Initiator, Programme Architect & Infrastructure Lead · Azores, PT (2024–present)

The Internal Waves Service is a planetary-scale ocean monitoring system that detects internal solitary waves globally using synthetic aperture radar imagery from the Sentinel-1 constellation.

I initiated the service after recognising the technical potential to operationalise internal wave detection at planetary scale. Working from data and domain expertise provided by AIR Centre colleague Adriana Santos-Ferreira, I built the first classification algorithm that demonstrated near-real-time processing was viable—classifying all Sentinel-1 images generated daily for the entire Earth.

From this proof of concept, we brought leading oceanographers and remote sensing scientists into the collaboration, with the network growing organically as each contributor connected others. The initiative now involves over 20 research institutions and includes an annual workshop series, with inaugural results published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

I continue to oversee data pipeline architecture, web platform development, model training strategies, and the Atlantic Cloud infrastructure on which the service operates. I also lead grant applications for the service and contribute to strategic discussions on its evolution with the research group.

Platform: https://services.aircentre.org/iw/map
Official page: https://www.aircentre.org/internal-waves-service/ · publications: SPIE 2025, BAMS 2025

Custodian

Project Initiator & System Architect · Azores, PT (2021–2024)

Custodian is a grant-funded initiative focused on sustainable fishing and marine monitoring, combining connected devices with a supporting data and web platform.

I initiated the project and led its system-level design, integrating sensing hardware, data pipelines, and user-facing components. The work resulted in patented technology, for which I am a co-inventor.

Official platform: https://custodian.solvit.pt/

JuliaEO — International Workshop on Earth Observation with Julia

Founder & Lead Organizer · Azores, PT (2023–present)

JuliaEO is an annual international workshop series dedicated to the use of the Julia programming language in Earth observation and environmental sciences.

I founded the series and continue to lead its organization and strategic direction across editions, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and infrastructure providers from multiple regions.

Series hub: https://aircentre.github.io/JuliaEO/ · editions: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Bahrain Parks

Project Founder & Delivery Lead · Bahrain (2016–2020)

Bahrain Parks is a cloud-based GIS platform developed for the inventory, monitoring, and public engagement with urban parks in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

I led the project from initial concept through design, development, and deployment, coordinating closely with public-sector stakeholders. The platform was later transferred to the Ministry and integrated into its official digital infrastructure.

Current official platform: https://bahrainparks.mun.gov.bh/

Strategic Spatial Solutions

Co-Founder · Berkeley, CA (2011–2013)

Strategic Spatial Solutions was a software-as-a-service venture focused on streamlining spatial analysis and planning workflows, including operationalized Space Syntax methods.

As a co-founder, I contributed to product definition, system design, and the translation of advanced spatial analysis techniques into usable, web-based tools.

@depth

Founder · Azores, PT (2024-present)

@depth is an ongoing initiative exploring highly energy-efficient and security-oriented private cloud infrastructure, with a focus on long-term operational efficiency and data sovereignty.

The project investigates unconventional deployment models, including high-density computing nodes placed underwater in port environments to reduce cooling energy requirements. My role centers on system architecture, feasibility analysis, and the coordination of engineering, regulatory, and operational expertise.