I consider a key milestone in my career that, starting from an education in fundamental science, I added a technological component to my profile, mobilising an entire community to get involved in the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), which will be the largest generator of scientific data on Earth. As a result of these efforts, ~77 Spanish researchers have joined SKAO committees, with the participation of 19 Spanish institutions in 12 of its 14 Science Working Groups, strategically positioning Spain to maximise scientific and industrial return. As a result of this work Spain joined SKAO in April 2023. This has been achieved thanks to a continued support and interaction with the Spanish SKA community.

My research focuses on the multifrequency analysis of galaxy evolution, with emphasis on the study of atomic gas (HI) in extreme, well-defined environments. In Verdes-Montenegro+2001 I proposed an evolutionary sequence to explain the extreme gas deficiency of compact groups of galaxies (constant citations/year, total >240) still subject of study by international teams. In 2003 I identified the need to build and characterise a sample of isolated galaxies, creating the AMIGA group (Verdes- Montenegro+2005; >137 citations) initiating a new research area.

I enriched my career with applied research in e-Science and Open Science (OS) technologies. I formed a multidisciplinary team with experts in computer science, being recognized as pioneers in their application to radio astronomy and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
I led the Project of Excellence “e-CA: e-Ciencia Andaluza” (2007-2010), the first bottom-up initiative in Spain, reaching more than 140 Andalusian groups, companies and computing centres. Between 2010 and 2013 I coordinated the Astronomy Working Package of the European FP7 project “Wf4Ever” for OS developments. Between 2015 and 2019 I was a member of the Board of the SKA Science Data Processor design consortium and I was invited to be Co-chair of the SKA Science Working Group “HI & galaxy evolution” between 2017 and 2019. In 2020, established as a community leader in promoting SKA and as a reference in OS and Inclusion, I was invited to coordinate the incorporation of OS in key SKAO documents.

I have published more than 100 refereed publications (> 3400 citations), 11 books/chapters and 33 technical reports. I participated in ~275 presentations at conferences, mostly international (49 invited oral). I have organised >35 conferences/workshops. As PI I have led 20 national and regional projects and participated in 5 European projects, related to data centres, big data or green energy. Since 2019 I receive direct funds from the Ministry for coordinating the Spanish participation in the SKA. In total I have secured and managed staff funding of ~€2M and project funding of ~€6M, including ~€500k for scientific equipment.

I am also engaged in SKA precursors legacy programs, being granted PI time in the first international call for observing proposals of MeerKAT (one of the 4 SKA precursors) in 2021. My proposal, with 30 international collaborators, aimed for studying compact groups, was ranked 4th among 150, and the observations are providing an unprecedented view of these groups, key in galaxy evolution.

Since 2005 I have worked to promote the participation of Spain in instrumentation projects. Between 2005 and 2007 I accepted the position of Deputy Director of Technology Affairs at the IAA. Since 2011, I coordinate the Spanish participation in the SKA. I have been designated as Science Director on the SKA Board, member of the Spanish Delegation in the SKAO Council, and Spanish representative in the SRC Steering Committee. I am also a member since 2019 of the Advisory Committee of Singular Infrastructures (pending designation as President) and of the Executive and Scientific Committees of the Severo Ochoa project at IAA.

The experience of decades in radio astronomy, e-Science and Open Science, and the national coordination of SKA, have led my team to work on the development of a Spanish SKA Regional Centre (SRC) at the IAA, making this a hub for the exchange of knowledge according to the principles of OS. The development of a SRC Prototype, that I coordinate, has been a strategic part of the Severo Ochoa program of the IAA since 2019. My team already provides scientific and technical support for access to data, computation and analysis tools, preparing and positioning the community to maximize the scientific return of SKA.

I consider that my interest in developing research in an integral way, a passion for teamwork, and demonstrated ability to raise funds, have played a key role for the supervision of a total of 48 people since 2002, including undergraduate students, doctoral students, postdocs, engineers, communicators and managers. Since 2003 I have formed a team with diversity and equality as key values, maintaining parity at all levels and tasks and with members from several countries. A nucleus of astronomers and engineers was formed around my research and technological activities, giving rise to 9 doctoral theses (6 supervised by me and 3 by collaborators) plus three on-going. This commitment with teamwork was recognised with the CSIC’s Margarita Salas Medal 2023 for the best career in research staff supervision.

Participating in SKAO is giving me the unique opportunity to train professionals in Africa, promote STEM vocations and gender equality, and change the way we do science, encouraging collaboration versus competitiveness. I consider Open Science, in addition to being key to the Scientific Method, pivotal to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, by providing a tool for the objective evaluation of work, especially in the case of women scientists in places where their contribution tends to be ignored or anonymized, while accelerating the transfer of knowledge to society. My commitment to these principles led me to be invited to give a lecture on “Open Science for sustainability and Inclusiveness: the SKA role model” in Science Digital at 75th United Nations General Assembly and also to win in 2022 the Ada Byron Prize for women in technology, organised by the University of Deusto, for my scientific, technological and management career.