Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Passo Fundo (UPF, 2001), with a Master’s degree (2004) and Ph.D. (2009) in Mining Engineering, concentrating in Mineral Technology, Environmental Engineering, and Extractive Metallurgy, from the Graduate Program at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Completed a Sandwich Doctorate at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), Barcelona (2006 – 2007), under the supervision of Professor José Luis Cortina Pallás. Holds a Postdoctoral degree in the field of Environmental Geotechnics, conducted concurrently with the Mineral Technology Center (CETEM) and the Geotechnical Laboratory of COPPE/UFRJ, as part of the Civil Engineering Program (PEC) at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), under the supervision of Professor Márcio Almeida. Completed a Postdoctoral internship abroad at the University of Texas/Austin (UT-2012), in the Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, under the supervision of Professor Jorge Zornberg.