I defended my PhD in Archaeology at the U. of Barcelona in 1999 after 3 years at the Weizmann Inst of Science. I pioneered in applying quantitative and morphological phytolith analyses to Prehistoric sites to identify fuel and collecting strategies. In 2005 I received the Blecua Award (UB). Along these years I have focused on reconstructing the vegetation at different sites such as Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), being one of the first to use a combined study of modern soils and plants to identify past vegetation. In 2011 I created PhytCore, the most extensive phytolith database to date. I have directed more than 20 research projects and written more than 100 papersand and 76 technical reports. From 2005 until 2013 I founded and directed GEPEG recognized as Quality Research Group by Catalan Government. At present, I am responsible for the "Paleoenvironmental and paleovegetation" research area within ERAAUB. 

Research interests

Until December 2013 I conducted my research through GEPEG Research Group. Since January 2014 GEPEG was integrated into the Research Group for Archaeometry and Archaeology of the University of Barcelona (ERAAUB). From ERAAUB I will continue my research on: i) The study of Fire in Prehistory. ii) Paleoenvironmental reconstruction during African Human Evolution. iii) Agriculture and domestication practices in the Levant. iv) Plant uses and landscape at the Balearic Islands, collaborating with Prof. Miguel Ángel Cau on the roman site of Pollentia. iv) Anthropogenic impact on the environment. This is a new and most exciting line of research addressed to understand the effect of human activities on the surrounding landscape. v) Development of digital platforms to exchange databases to improve archaeological research. For this I developed PhytCore: www.phytcore.org, the most extensive database integrating different research centers and universities phytolith databases.