معرفی
Javier Ruiz-Pérez is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Texas A&M University's Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. His research focuses on environmental archaeology, archaeobotany (phytolith analysis), paleoecology, and fire ecology, with a regional emphasis on tropical South America. He investigates anthropogenic land use, indigenous farming systems, and the role of fire in shaping forest-savanna ecosystems in Bolivia.
Educational Background:
- B.A. in History, University of Barcelona
- M.S. in Terrestrial Ecology, Autonomous University of Barcelona
- Ph.D. in History (Archaeobotany), Pompeu Fabra University
Research Interests: Ruiz-Pérez combines experimental and archaeological methods to study plant-water relationships, ancient agricultural practices, and environmental change. He advocates for open science practices and has advanced reproducible protocols in phytolith and charcoal analysis. His fieldwork spans Bolivia, Brazil, India, and Spain.
Publications & Grants: He has published in Nature and Global and Planetary Change, with recent work emphasizing automated phytolith classification and FAIR data principles. A National Geographic Society grant supported his research on fire ecology in Bolivian lowlands.
Professional Involvement: Ruiz-Pérez serves on the executive committee of the Texas A&M Postdoctoral Association and holds leadership roles in the International Phytolith Society's Open Science and Morphometry committees.
Grants & Collaborations: His research has been funded by the National Geographic Society, and he collaborates internationally on projects exploring pre-Columbian agriculture and Holocene environmental dynamics.
