Juan Manuel Trillo Santamaria

Juan Manuel Trillo Santamaria is a Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), affiliated with the Department of Geography within the Faculty of Geography and History. He holds a PhD from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (2010) focusing on European cross-border regions, with a particular emphasis on the Galicia-Northern Portugal area. His research explores territorial analysis, transfrontier cooperation, and geopolitical dynamics, often analyzing how borders affect regional development, cultural identity, and spatial policy.

Key research interests include cross-border governance, transnational protected areas (e.g., Gerês/Xurés Biosphere Reserve), and the impact of EU policies on Euroregions. He has extensively studied the Spanish-Portuguese border's socio-economic dimensions, analyzing projects like Eurocities and the POCTEP funding initiatives.

Recent work examines post-pandemic cross-border institutional trust, wildfire impacts on Iberian landscapes, and rural tourism development in marginalized regions like Trevinca-A Veiga. His studies often bridge historical geography with contemporary spatial planning challenges, particularly in peripheral or disputed territories.

Trillo Santamaria collaborates with the Institute of Studies and Development of Galicia (IDEGA) and actively publishes in academic platforms like ResearchGate. His research highlights the tension between state-controlled borders and emerging transnational spatial formations, advocating for adaptive governance models to address modern territorial challenges.