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 papers and and 78 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

I am an archaeologist working on the palaeovegetation and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, through the study of vegetal microremains, in order to better understand the relationship between environment, humans and use of plants. My research focuses mostly on: i) The study of Fire in Prehistory, with special emphassis on Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. ii) Palaeoenvironmental 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. 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. I amb also a member of the International Committee for Phytolith Nomenclature.