AGUILERA RUIZ, Ángel

Breve CV

He graduated with a University Degree in Environmental Sciences from Pablo de Olavide University (Seville, Spain) in 2020, where he served as an undergraduate research assistant in the Ecology and Marine Zoology departments. During his studies, he completed advanced scuba diving training and actively participated in several volunteer initiatives focused on the conservation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Following his undergraduate degree, he moved to Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands) to pursue an M.Sc. in Marine Ecology at the University of the Balearic Islands. As part of his master's training, he completed a research internship at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO). During this period, he participated as a scientific observer aboard the R/V Miguel Oliver during the MEDITS 2021 survey, conducted throughout the Balearic Archipelago.

He completed his master's degree in 2021 with a thesis focused on the ecological connectivity of the cuckoo ray (Leucoraja naevus). His research revealed evidence of reproductively isolated populations, highlighting their potential vulnerability to overexploitation and providing valuable insights for the conservation and management of the species.

Afterwards, in 2021, he joined a European research project at Pablo de Olavide University, where he worked for two years in the field of freshwater and river ecology. As a Senior Research Technician, he was responsible for designing and conducting field surveys, performing physicochemical and biological analyses of freshwater systems, and studying the flora and fauna associated with rivers and wetlands. His role also included data analysis, scientific reporting, and the dissemination of research findings.

In 2024, he successfully qualified for the Andalusian Environmental Guards recruitment pool through a competitive public examination process.

Since late 2025, he has been working as a Senior Research Technician at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) in the Balearic Islands, as part of the IMPACT@SEA research group. The group's work focuses on assessing environmental pressures and monitoring marine biodiversity.

He is currently involved in the European MIRAMAR project, an international initiative aimed at developing and validating harmonized methodologies for monitoring cumulative environmental impacts across Mediterranean coastal ecosystems. The project encompasses seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera spp.), habitats of threatened species as Tursiops truncatus, Callonectris diomedea, or Mobula mobular, but also wetland ecosystems, across six Mediterranean countries, with the ultimate goal of establishing standardized and comparable protocols for coastal ecosystem assessment throughout the region.



Throughout his professional career, he has continued to expand his technical and operational expertise in the marine environment, obtaining qualifications as a recreational vessel skipper, PADI Rescue Diver and Divemaster, with additional certifications in deep diving and Enriched Air Nitrox. His professional interests include the ecology, conservation and field observation of elasmobranch species, particularly rays and sharks, which remain a central focus of his scientific vocation.

Update in September 2025