Jezabel Curbelo

Jezabel Curbelo is a Ramón y Cajal Researcher at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), affiliated with the Department of Mathematics, IMTech Institute, and Centre de Recerca Matemàtica. She holds a PhD from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and has held postdoctoral positions at institutions including UCLA and the University of Lyon. Her research focuses on applied mathematics in geophysical fluids, dynamical systems theory, and planetary mantle convection. She is an editor for Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, EMS Magazine, and Physica D, and actively contributes to academic leadership roles, including the UPC’s Department of Mathematics Chair Office.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Mathematics, University of La Laguna (2009)
• Master’s in Mathematics and Applications, UAM (2010)
• PhD in Mathematics, UAM (2014)

Research Interests: She investigates fluid dynamics in geophysical settings, including atmospheric and oceanic transport, Lagrangian coherent structures, and planetary mantle convection. Her work combines analytical and numerical methods to model complex fluid behaviors, with applications to climate science and pollution tracking. Recent projects include analyzing the 2019/2020 Australian wildfire smoke plume and stratospheric mixing patterns.

Awards & Grants:

• 2022 BBVA Foundation Leonardo Fellowship
• 2020 L'Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Award (Spain)
• 2015 Donald L. Turcotte Award (AGU)
• 2015 Vicent Caselles Award (RSME-BBVA)
• Current funding: 'Research Consolidation' grant (State Research Agency)

Teaching & Outreach: She teaches advanced mathematics courses at UPC and actively engages in science communication, including media interviews and public lectures. Notable outreach includes features in El País and La Vanguardia, and her inclusion in the Canary Islands’ 'Scientific Women' calendar.

Leadership & Conferences: Co-organizes the UB-UPC Dynamical Systems Seminar and chairs sessions at the European Geosciences Union. She co-organized the 2025 conference 4th Nonlinear Processes in Oceanic and Atmospheric Flows in Barcelona.