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Rafael Loureiro is an Assistant Professor of Botany and Plant Physiology at Winston-Salem State University since August 2018, specializing in organismal biology and conducting research on plant physiological responses and crop production in controlled environments for space exploration. In addition to coordinating the Organismal Biology and Botany and Plant Physiology courses, Rafael serves as a Senior Research Investigator at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, leads a plants in space action group, and holds roles such as Director of Operations at the Space Agriculture Laboratory Analysis Database and Collaborative Research Coordinator for NASA. Previous academic positions include adjunct faculty roles at Florida Polytechnic University and Ave Maria University, as well as lecturer and assistant professor roles in Brazil. Rafael's educational background includes a PhD and a Master's degree in Botany from the Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, along with undergraduate degrees in Marine Biology and Biology Education.