Maria Loureiro (born March 26, 2000) is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto (FLUP). She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Sociology, specializing in Inequalities and Social Intervention, as well as an MBA in Management of Social Centres and Services. Previously, she worked as the technical coordinator of the Social Intervention Team of the “Radar Social” Project in Caminha Municipality, where she conducted a study on social isolation among older adults. She is currently fully dedicated to her doctoral research, focusing on ageing, social isolation, and social inequalities.

Since 2021, she has collaborated in the research project “The Place of the Religious in the Commercial Spaces of Viana do Castelo”, organized by the Centre for Regional Studies, where she has taken part in various research and dissemination activities. Her path also includes volunteer work and leadership in initiatives promoting equality, inclusion, and active ageing. In 2024, she received the Dulce Magalhães Academic Award, granted by the Department of Sociology at FLUP, in recognition of her outstanding academic performance in the Master’s in Sociology (2022/23).