I am a geotechnical engineer serving as an Assistant Professor in Carbon Cycle Dynamics within terrestrial ecosystems at the Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics (ELD). My research interest focuses on the intricate interplay between soil microorganisms, the global carbon cycle, and climate. With a unique background spanning both empirical and modelling environments across diverse disciplines, my objective is to bridge the gap between fields of research and scales using data-driven mechanistic modelling.

My academic journey started with a PhD in Geotechnical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), specializing in Hydrogeology. Subsequently, I transitioned into Microbial Ecology through two postdoctoral positions at Lund University (LU): first at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science and later at the Department of Biology. Eventually, I joined the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science as a researcher (LU), and secured my position as Assistant Professor at ELD, University of Amsterdam. Here, I delve into the complexities of carbon cycle dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems, incorporating insights from microbial ecology and hydrogeology.

A key aspect of my research involves developing mechanistic models to characterize the influence of environmental factors, such as soil moisture or temperature, on microbial functioning and soil biogeochemistry, and their implications for the soil carbon balance. My research methodology involves using lab or field data to develop new mechanistic models. Model simulations are then used to interpret empirical data and to identify uncertainties, which serve as cues for subsequent experimental testing. This iterative cycle of data generation, model development, simulation, and empirical validation enhances the robustness of our understanding of the studied phenomena. I also enjoy integrating models and empirical data across scales, facilitating the connection of microbial functioning at the soil scale to ecosystem-level fluxes measured in chambers or eddy-covariance towers.