Current Position:

Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Baltimore, MD, USA — since Jan 2014
     Assistant Astronomer (tenure track) (AURA)

Research Lines:

Circumstellar disks; solar & extra-solar planetary systems; interplanetary dust; dynamical simulations; extrasolar "comets"; infrared observations; science policy

Education:

Ph.D., Astronomy; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA — 2004
     Signatures of Planets in Circumstellar Debris Disks, Directed by Renu Malhotra.

M.Sc., Astronomy; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA — 2000
     Infrared and Millimetric Study of the Young Outflow Cep E, Directed by A. Noriega-Crespo.

Licenciatura, Physics; Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain — 1998
     Five-year program. Specialty: Fundamental Physics.

Previous Positions:

The Johns Hopkins University, Physics & Astronomy, Baltimore, MD, USA — Sep 2014-Aug 2016
     Associate Research Scientist


Spanish National Research Council, Centro de Astrobiología, Spain — Oct 2008-Dec 2013
     Ramón y Cajal Fellow (tenure-track)


Princeton University, Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton, NJ, USA — Jan 2005-Jun 2014
     Visiting Research Collaborator — Oct 2008-Jun 2014
     Michelson Fellow — Sep 2005-Oct 2008
     Lyman Spitzer Fellow — Jan 2005-Oct 2008


Max Plank Institute fur Astronomie, Heidelberg, Germany — Sep 2004 - Dec 2004
     Postdoctoral Researcher

University of Arizona, Astronomy Department, Tucson, AZ, USA — Oct 1998-Aug 2004
     Research Assistant — May 2001-Aug 2004 and May 1999-Aug 2000
     Teaching Assistant — Aug 2000-May 2001
     College of Science Fellow — Oct 1998-May 1999

Fellowships and Awards:

Visiting Fellow; Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences — 2009
     University of Cambridge (UK).


Ramón y Cajal Fellowship; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas — 2007
     Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain).


Michelson Fellowship, NASA-Michelson Science Center-Caltech — 2005
     (brought to Princeton University).


Lyman Spitzer Fellowship, Princeton University — 2004
     Department of Astrophysical Sciences.


Gerad P. Kuiper Memorial Award; University of Arizona — 2004
     Department of Planetary Sciences.


College of Science Fellowship; University of Arizona — 1998
     Department of Astronomy.

Science Policy Activities:

Vicepresident and founding member of the Spanish Association for the Advancement of Science (since 2018).


Governing Board member of Euroscience (2012-2014).


Governing Board member of Real Sociedad Española de Física (2011-2014).


Promoter of the science advocacy platform Carta por la Ciencia (2011-2015).


Founder and former spokeperson of the science advocacy platform Investigación Digna (2010-2015).


Activities include:

• Lobbying at the Spanish ministries of science and economy, and the Spanish congress, senate, and government headquarters.
• Elaboration and promotion of numerous Spanish and European open letters and petitions.
• Participation in Spanish and European round table discussions.
• Participation in press conferences and elaboration of press releases.
• Organization of March for Science in Spain and other science advocacy citizen initiatives.
• 30+ press articles.
• 100+ interviews.