PhD in Civil Engineering
University of Granada, 15 April 2004. Thesis: Hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes on large-scale littoral features. Advisor: Miguel Á. Losada Rodríguez.
Cum LaudeEuropean DoctorateUGR Extraordinary Doctoral Award
Curriculum vitae
A career on the coast
Professor of Hydraulic Engineering at the University of Granada since 2018, with more than two decades of research on coastal and estuarine processes.
Education
Education
Civil engineer and doctor from the University of Granada.
Degree in Civil Engineering
University of Granada (1995 – 2000).
Research interests
Coastal processes
- Estuarine and river-mouth hydro-morphodynamics
- Mixed sand–gravel beaches and shoreline dynamics
- Long-term morphodynamic evolution of estuaries and deltas
Risks and adaptation
- Compound coastal flooding and sea-level rise
- Climate-change adaptation and coastal resilience
- Aquatic ecosystem services (catchment-to-sea)
Tools and management
- Remote sensing and coastal monitoring
- Field campaigns and numerical modelling
- Science-based coastal and port management (SDGs)
Career
Academic positions
From undergraduate research grants to full professorship.
- 2018 – presentProfessorCatedrático de Universidad · Área de Ingeniería HidráulicaFaculty of Civil Engineering, University of Granada
- 2009 – 2018Associate ProfessorProfesor Titular de Universidad · Área de Ingeniería HidráulicaFaculty of Civil Engineering, University of Granada
- 2007 – 2009Associate ProfessorProfesor Contratado DoctorFaculty of Civil Engineering, University of Granada
- 2005 – 2007Assistant ProfessorProfesor Ayudante DoctorFaculty of Civil Engineering, University of Granada
- 2004 – 2005Assistant ProfessorProfesor Ayudante DoctorFaculty of Civil Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha
- 2001 – 2004Research grant for PhD candidatesBecario FPUUniversity of Granada · Funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science
- 1999 – 2000Research grant for undergraduate studentsBecario de colaboraciónUniversity of Granada · Funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science
- 1999Research grant for undergraduate studentsBecario de iniciación a la investigaciónUniversity of Granada
Recognition
Recognition and awards
Research and teaching periods evaluated positively, and distinctions received.
3 of 3National research periods (sexenios)2003–2008, 2009–2014 and 2015–2020, evaluated by CNEAI
5 of 5Regional research periodsJunta de Andalucía (2019)
4 of 4Teaching merit periodsUniversity of Granada
97.9Teaching quality scoreRated Excellent by the University of Granada (2018)
Awards
- 2015Social Involvement Award to IISTAForum of Social Councils of the Andalusian Public Universities (as member of the institute).
- 2009Social Council Award of the University of GranadaAwarded to the Environmental Fluid Dynamics research group (as member of the group).
- 2004UGR Extraordinary Doctoral AwardPremio Extraordinario de Doctorado, Technical Studies (2003–2004). PhD graded Cum Laude with European Doctorate mention.
International experience
Research stays
Visiting positions at leading coastal and oceanographic institutions.
EPOC Laboratory
University of Bordeaux, France
Hosts: Bruno Castelle & Isabel Jalón-Rojas · Salvador de Madariaga programme
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
College of William & Mary, USA
Host: Carl T. Friedrichs · José Castillejo programme
College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
Oregon State University, USA
Host: H. Tuba Özkan-Haller · Junta de Andalucía
Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil
Lisbon, Portugal
Host: F. Sancho · Visiting PhD candidate (FPU)
Network
Selected collaborations
- EPOC Laboratory – University of BordeauxFrance
- Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceUSA
- College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State UniversityUSA
- Plymouth UniversityUK
- Università di PadovaItaly
- Università degli Studi di GenovaItaly
- Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia CivilPortugal
- École Supérieure d'Ingénieurs des Travaux de la ConstructionFrance
- Instituto de Mecánica de los Fluidos e Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad de la RepúblicaUruguay
- Universitat Politècnica de CatalunyaSpain
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC)Spain
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC)Spain
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC)Spain
- Universidad de SevillaSpain
- Universidad de MálagaSpain
- Universidad de Castilla-La ManchaSpain
Service
Service to the scientific community
Editorial work, evaluation of research proposals and organisation of scientific meetings.
Scientific co-coordinator — Water4All Knowledge Hub on Aquatic Ecosystem Services
Steering committee of a network of researchers from 23 projects funded by the European Partnership Water4All, which disseminates research outcomes through policy briefs, reports and position papers to support evidence-based decision-making.
Chair of the Congress Organising Group — 39th IAHR World Congress (Granada, 2022)
Editorial activity
- Editorial board member — Water (MDPI), since 2021
- Editorial board member — Frontiers in Marine Geosciences, since 2021
- Regular reviewer for 20 JCR journals, including Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering (ASCE), Journal of Hydraulic Research, Science of the Total Environment and Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Evaluation panels and research proposal review
- Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology – CDTI (Spain, 2025)
- Technical committees of the State Research Agency – AEI: PIN-ICA (2024), Ramón y Cajal PIN panel (2023), CTM-MAR (2021)
- UNEP Adaptation Gap Report (2020), invited by the UNEP DTU Partnership
- National Science Centre (NCN, Poland), since 2020
- Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), since 2018
- Ministry for Education, University and Research (Italy), since 2018
- Scientific Research Sectoral Commission, Universidad de la República (Uruguay), since 2018
- COST Actions – European Cooperation in Science and Technology, since 2016
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia – FCT Investigator Programme (Portugal), since 2012
- Civil Engineering area, Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Prospectiva – ANEP (Spain), since 2012
- Geomorphology and Land-Use Dynamics Program, National Science Foundation (USA), since 2010
- Xunta de Galicia – Ángeles Alvariño and Isidro Parga Pondal programmes, since 2009
Scientific committees and networks
- Chair of the Congress Organising Group — 39th IAHR World Congress, Granada (2019–2022); editor of the proceedings
- Scientific Committee — 8th IAHR Europe Congress, Lisbon (2024)
- Scientific Committee — 7th IAHR Europe Congress, Athens (2022)
- Scientific Committee — 8th International Short Course and Conference on Applied Coastal Research (SCACR 2017), Santander
- Spanish representative — PIANC Task Group: PIANC–Universities Consortium (2015–2019)
- External Advisory Board — Erasmus+ ScolaMAR project (2017–2019)
Management
Academic management
Selected positions at the University of Granada.
- 2017 – 2022Secretary of the Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA)
- 2013 – 2023Secretary of the Academic Committee, PhD Programme in Dynamics of Biogeochemical Flows and their Applications
- 2015 – 2020Coordinator of the Master's Degree in Environmental Hydraulics
- 2017 – 2020Coordinator of the research group Environmental Fluid Dynamics – Marine Section (TEP-209)
- 2011 – 2015Director of the Environment Seminar / José Saramago Chair, University of Granada
- 2020 – 2024Member of the University Senate (Claustro), University of Granada
Transfer
Registered software and data
9 intellectual property registrations (Andalusia, Spain), used by public administrations, port authorities and industry.
Hillslope erosion modelling including gullying assessment
Registered 2018Formation and evolution of bedforms
Registered 2017Routines for the design of nourishments on heterogeneous beaches
Registered 2017Field measurements on Andalusian heterogeneous beaches (dataset)
Registered 2016Tool for the analysis of oceanographic instrument data
Registered 2016Dredging operations database
Registered 2016Maritime climate analysis tool
Registered 2016Western Europe shoreline undulations database
Registered 2015Construction management tool for submarine outfalls
Registered 2013Talks
Invited seminars
- 2014Carchuna beach: a natural labRoyal Academy of Engineering, Madrid (Spain)
- 2010Morphodynamic processes at the Guadalquivir estuary (Spain)Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary (USA)
- 2007Nearshore coastal processesSchool of Engineering, University of Porto (Portugal)
- 2006Coastal processes at the South Coast of SpainCollege of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University (USA)