Acknowledgments
Let me start by thanking my supervisors, Guilherme Milhano, Liliana Apolinário and Carlos Salgado. Guilherme and Liliana introduced me to heavy-ion physics, and my inter... although I suspect we started it because none of us wants to admit that we are pushing 30. To my closest friends – Adriana, Ana, Inês, Inês, Joana, Madalena and Pinto –...