University of Córdoba
The University of Cordoba (UCO) is the third Spanish University in quality index, the second in research and one of the best according to the number of international publications and research projects. UCO has strong links with Latin America in a broad range of topics from teaching and research, to cooperation strategies, common projects, etc. The Higher School of Agriculture and Forestry Engineering also has an important record of participation in international projects in agriculture and forestry, water economics, rural development, environmental and sustainability topics in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.UCO has participated in 56 research projects, since VFP, leading 11 of them. Currently 3 more projects are in negotiation phase and 4 are part of ERA-Nets.
In collaboration with Latin American partners, the most relevant projects are KASWARMI (6FP) and DELIVER (6FP). UCO has lead and participated in different ALFA programs and CYTED Networks. UCO researchers included in COMET-LA are members of the Departaments of Agricultural Economics and Forestry. They have participated in the following international projects: XEROCHORE: An Exercise to Assess Research Needs and Policy Choices in Areas of Drought (7FP), CAPIRE Assessing the multiple impacts of the Common Agricultural Policies on Rural Economies (7FP), MELIA Mediterranean dialogue on integrated water management (6FP), AQUAMONEY Development and testing of practical guidelines for the assessment of environmental and resource costs and benefits in the WDF (6FP), International Impact Assessment of Agriculture Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (World Bank), Evaluation of rural development experiences in Latin America (InterAmerican Development Bank), Education for Rural Development (UNESCO and FAO), Analysis of the public policies influence in the management of water in agriculture: Incertitude, Climate Change and WDF (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation), CLIMBE: Climate Change and biodiversity loss: the effects on ecosystem (BBVA Foundation).
José Luis es doctor por la Universidad de Granada y Profesor Ayudante Doctor en el Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal de la Universidad de Córdoba. Con el objetivo de abordar el estudio de los bosques con un enfoque multidisciplinar, se ha formado en las áreas de ecofisiología y demografía forestal, dinámica de comunidades vegetales y ciclos biogeoquímicos. Su formación tiene una fuerte base experimental y de modelización, fruto de los diversos centros de investigación nacionales e internacionales donde ha trabajado. Su actividad científica se plasma en 24 publicaciones SCI, entre ellas en las revistas Science y Nature. Ha participado en 10 proyectos de investigación, presentado numerosas comunicaciones a congresos nacionales en internacionales y ha publicado 10 capítulos de libro.
Julio Berbel Vecino , Catedrático de la Universidad de Córdoba, Doctor Ingeniero Agrónomo y Master (M.A.) Agricultural Economics (1986). Su actividad reciente se ha centrado en la economía agraria y ambiental y ha participado activamente en la implementación de la Directiva Marco de Aguas en España y Europa así como en la elaboración de Planes Hidrológicos de Demarcación. En su producción académica destacan la publicación de más de 100 publicaciones internacionales y 50 proyectos y convenios de investigación. Ha participado en la gestión de empresas agroalimentarias (QUASH, SA, Bodegas Nueva Andalucía, Mercacordoba) y de servicios ambientales (Biomasa del Guadalquivir, Sadeco).
Rafael es Dr. Ingeniero de Montes por la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, y actualmente investigador responsable del Grupo de Evaluación y restauración de sistemas agrícolas y forestales cuyas actividades principales están centradas en el estudio de sistemas forestales, selvicultura, restauración y aplicación de nuevas tecnologías al estudio de en ambientes Mediterráneos y tropicales. Ha realizado estancias en centros de investigación en la Universidad de Missouri-Columbia, Universidad de Berkeley, Instituto Agronómico Hassan II de Rabat, Land Development Authority-Israel, Universidad de Murdoch (Australia), y ha participado en varios proyectos europeos. Estas colaboraciones han dado lugar a varias publicaciones en revistas internacionales (Environmemtal Management, Journal of Arid Environments, Forest Ecology and Management, Annals of Forest Science, Ecological Engineering, Remote Sensing of Environment, etc.).
Cecilia graduated from University of Florence with a BSc in Science and Technology of Food at the University of Florence. She was awarded a PhD from the University of Córdoba conducting a study on hyperspectral techniques for food security purposes (SAFEED European Project, VI Framework Programme). During the investigation she has had the opportunity to visit several European research centers and to carry out scientific studies published in international journals. She also has background in international development cooperation. She formerly worked for a project on cooperation for development in Ecuador and Peru and as development project manager in Spain.
Pieter, a Belgian forestry engineer, has been working in different projects in leading positions since 2007, gaining work experience in developing, implementing and evaluating development projects, focusing in the field of forestry and natural resource management. He has a broad understanding and knowledge ranging from general administrative and coordinating tasks, to technical supervision (inventories, GIS, etc.) and the development of participatory techniques and training modules. He has the necessary international, hands-on NRM experience and cultural sensibility through his several projects abroad like in Afghanistan or Rwanda.
He provides methodological support in participatory techniques like stakeholder mapping and prospective analysis.
Pepa is a PhD candidate interested in the psychological and social dimensions of risk and climate change. Her research focuses on risk perception and communication and public understanding of climate change.
She has broad interest in understanding how the idea of climate change is individually and collectively constructed and how climate change messages out of scientific results are conveyed to raise behaviour change.
Pepa has previously worked in the field of rural development exploring urban-rural migration movements and she has developed her career within an international setting. She has a BSc in Sociology awarded by the University of Salamanca (Spain) and a joint International MSc in Rural Development, Wageningen University.
COMET-LA is leaded by Prof. Mª del Mar Delgado, from the University of Córdoba. She has participated in different research and education international projects funded by multilateral organisms and international organizations such as UNESCO, FAO, IADB, UNDP, World Bank, and have ample working experience in Latin America. Her research background has focused on development policies, sustainability and rural development. At present, she concentrates her effort in linking social and environmental perspectives in the analysis of current problems and in connecting science and research to society.