Stocker destined his career to the military. By 1784 (at the age of 25) he was a captain, enrolled at the University of Coimbra in mathematics. He obtained a bachelor's degree at the "Academia Real de Marinha" ("Royal Marine Academy"), where he began his investigation into the limits of differential calculation. While at the "Academia Real" Stockler was elected member of the "Academia Real das Ciências de Lisboa" ("Lisbon Royal Academy of Sciences") in 1791, beginning a period of academic work resulting in many of publications, including his "Memórias da Academia" ("Memories From The Academy"). He published work essentially on the limits of differential calculus, becoming available in Portugal and published in Europe, gaining sufficient notoriety.