Biography

My degree in Physics is from the Moscow State University 'M.V. Lomonósov', Russia (1988-1994), publishing my first article on Mössbauer spectroscopy. In 1995 I was awarded with a pre-doctoral fellowship of the Regional Government of Madrid (CAM) at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), where I changed my research field, obtaining my PhD degree (Physics) in 1999 on ‘Ozone and UV radiation’ (5 publications). During my post-doctoral period (from 1999 on), I was at the Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology Research (CIEMAT) (1999) working in ‘Atmospheric Pollution Modelling’, and at the Centre of Astrobiology (CAB, INTA/CSIC) (2000-2004) in ‘Incidence of the solar UV radiation in extreme environments and Mars habitability’), yielding 5 publications as first author, and numerous attendances at international congresses on Astrobiology. I was also granted with a “Marina Bueno” research stay (CSIC) at the Bristish Antartic Survey (UK), in collaboration with the British Astrobiology Group, leaded by C. Cockell, producing 3 publications in Q1 journals (Photochemistry and Photobiology and Icarus). Additionally, I participated in the calibration testing of the radiation sensor aboard the Beagle-2 lander (ESA Mars Express mission), leaded by the Open University, and I designed (science requirements included) a photometric device to derive the aerosol optical depth in Mars (presented at the First Jet Propulsion Laboratory-In-situ instruments Workshop, Pasadena, USA, in 2002). In 2003, I was awarded with a postdoctoral contract (CAM) for two years at CAB-INTA (2004), and the Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch of the Earth Observation and Space Sciences Division at INTA (INTA atmospheric group) (2005), where I initiated a new research activity on radiative impact in the Earth-atmosphere system. Later, I got a research contract at INTA for 3 years (2006-2008), focusing my scientific trajectory on the study of the atmospheric aerosols. I boosted a new investigation field in the atmospheric group by using active (lidar) and passive (photometry) remote sensing techniques for aerosol (particles and clouds) research, becoming the scientific PI in charge of the INTA lidar observational programme, forming part of NASA/MPLNET (Micro-Pulse Lidar Network), at three regions: Canary Islands (until 2018), Antarctica (until 2022), and SW Iberian Peninsula (currently). In this framework, I also contributed to SPALINET (Spanish-Portuguese Aerosol Lidar Network), leaded by M. Sicard of the Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC), from 2006 up to the present. In 2008, I was awarded with a high-qualified ‘Ramón y Cajal’ (RyC) contract in Earth Sciences at the Universidad de Granada (UGR), forming part of the Atmospheric Physics group (in lidar activities), leaded by L. Alados-Arboledas. This RyC period just lasted until October 2009, since I got a tenured research position (Científica Titular OPIs) at INTA, but keeping the collaboration with the UGR lidar group until now. Since then, my research trajectory is focused on climate-relevant aerosols and clouds: 1) Radiative implications in the climate and environment; 2) Synergetic monitoring using ground-based active (lidar) and passive (photometry) remote sensing techniques; 3) Aerosol observations from aircraft and satellite platforms; 4) Dust and biomass burning: retrieval of the optical properties for radiative forcing assessment; 5) Aerosol-cloud interactions (CCN, INP); 6) Lidar-based Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) studies; 7) Polar Stratospheric Clouds: detection, identification and characterization; 8) Cirrus clouds: properties and radiative effects; 9) Habitability conditions in planetary environments: lessons learned from Earth for Mars research; and 10) Design of instrumentation for planetary exploration. In 2017 I was promoted to Investigadora Científica OPIs (current position). Overall, I have already recognized 4 six-year high-qualified research periods (‘Sexenios’). I have more than 45 articles, mainly as the first author, in Q1 journals (h=14, WoS). I have participated in more than 20 national and international projects, being the Principal Investigator (or co-PI) in 6 of them. I have attended numerous congresses (invited talks, oral presentations, posters). I have supervised university students in training for more than 5 years, and I am currently the advisor of two PhD students. From an international perspective, I stablished several collaborations with international groups, thanks to my long-lasting (1-4 months) research stays in excellence foreign research centres (Germany, Portugal, Brazil, UK), being some of them awarded by the “Salvador de Madariaga” mobility fellowships; that collaboration continues until now, sharing projects and participating in student exchange.