I hold a PhD in Anthropology (U. of Florida), an MSc in Agroecology and Sustainable Development (U. Internacional de Andalucía), a postgraduate degree in Amazonian Studies (FLACSO-Ecuador), and a BSc in History (UAB).
My research uses an interdisciplinary approach to understand the dynamic relations among peoples, biota, and environments. I use a multidisciplinary perspective (working with ecologists, economists, psychologists, agronomists, archaeologists, and computer scientists) and empirical data mostly collected among Indigenous Peoples and local communities. My current areas of research include 1) the adaptive nature of local environmental knowledge, 2) indigenous peoples and cultural change, (3) local participation in biodiversity conservation, 4) people and plants, and 5) ethnoclimatology.
In my ongoing research I am exploring the potential contributions of local knowledge systems to scientific research, and particularly the impacts of climate change on local biophysical systems and livelihoods. I am also exploring with new methods of scientific inquiry including citizen’s science (e.g., to collect and share traditional ecological knowledge) and community-based environmental monitoring.