Sónia Alves is a researcher in housing policy, urban governance and spatial planning, with an international academic trajectory developed across Portugal, Denmark and the United Kingdom. Her research focuses on housing and territorial inequalities, governance, institutional change and the design and implementation of public policy, combining comparative research with empirically grounded analysis.

She has published extensively in leading international journals in housing, urban studies and planning, with a substantial share of her Scopus-indexed publications appearing in Q1 journals, including Housing Studies, Progress in Planning, Housing, Theory and Society, Cities and Land Use Policy. Her work has addressed topics such as affordable housing, rental regulation, social mix and segregation, urban regeneration, housing vacancy and the territorial dimensions of inequality.

Her research has been developed through national and European-funded projects and international research networks, including roles involving scientific leadership, project coordination, co-leadership and work package responsibility. She has also contributed to comparative and interdisciplinary research involving academic, public-sector and policy partners across several European countries.

Alongside her academic research, she has collaborated with European institutions including the European Commission, the European Research Executive Agency (REA) and DG REGIO, contributing to the evaluation of research proposals and funded projects, as well as to policy-oriented studies and expert work in the fields of housing, urban development and territorial policy.