Currently employed as a lecturer at the University of Girona, conducting teaching in the field of Zoology. Throughout my career as a university lecturer, I have been involved in teaching for 16 academic years, conducting both theoretical and practical laboratory and field activities. I hold accreditations as an assistant professor, contracted professor, and full professor from ANECA, as well as accreditations as a 'professora lectora' and 'acreditació de recerca' from l'AQU.
In my scientific career, I have published a total of 29 SCI articles, along with 27 other publications (four of which were peer-reviewed), participated in 36 national and international congresses, and contributed to various R&D projects funded through competitive calls as a researcher in the Gr-PECAT research group, officially recognized as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya (SGR-2005-1035, SGR-2009-127, SGR 2014-37).
During my doctoral thesis, I focused on studying various biological aspects of the Argentine ant aimed at improving current methods of controlling this invasive pest in invaded natural areas. My research during this period was recognized with three awards: the award from the Institució Catalana d'Història Natural for the work titled 'Ecologia alimentària de la formiga argentina (Linepithema humile) en ecosistemes naturals: activitat d'extracció de melassa de Quercus suber i dieta sòlida'; the Young Researchers Award from the Spanish Association of Entomology for the work titled 'Efecto de la temperatura en la tasa de puesta de reinas de la hormiga argentina (Linepithema humile, Mayr) bajo condiciones experimentales de monogínia y poligínia'; and the Extraordinary Doctorate Award in Environmental Sciences for my doctoral thesis.
After completing my doctoral thesis, I continued my focus on researching methods of controlling invasion in invaded natural areas by supervising two doctoral theses related to the eradication of winter nests in the Argentine ant as a control method. At the same time, I continued to enhance my research skills by learning new research techniques, such as cuticular hydrocarbon extraction in ants, lipid content analysis of ants using the Soxhlet method, or queen ovarian dissection.
In 2010, I entered the private sector as a trial officer at the international company I2L Research based in Cardiff, United Kingdom, conducting biocide trials in laboratory and field conditions following European regulation (BPR). The experience gained during this phase of my life provided me with the foundation to offer biocide trial services for companies through the University of Girona.
Since 2009 and up to the present day, I have established knowledge transfer relationships with several national and international companies for the development of efficacy trials of biocidal products against ants. Apart from conducting research to bring new ant control products to the market, I have also conducted market studies to evaluate products compared to competitors' products or reformulated products with the aim of improving the final product.
From 2015 to 2019, I was responsible for writing scientific outreach articles on pests for the digital platforms of the pest control company Anticimex. During this period, I also contributed to the writing of several whitepapers on pests aimed at the hospitality and supermarket sectors.
Also, from 2015 to 2024, the University of Girona contracted me to carry out a specific scientific and technical research project aimed at designing and conducting analyses of biocides against ants for companies.
Currently, I am also conducting research in the field of reproductive physiology, behavior, and chemical communication in Argentine ant queens with the aim of improving current knowledge about the complex social organization of this invasive species and laying the groundwork for the design of control methods based on colonial disruption.