Dr. Falcón-Barroso is an internationally recognized senior astrophysicist specializing in extragalactic astronomy, galaxy evolution, and stellar populations. His research focuses on the physical processes governing the formation and evolution of galaxies, using integral-field spectroscopy as a primary tool. Through detailed analyses of stellar kinematics and populations, his work has established fundamental links between the dynamical properties of galaxies at different spatial scales, variations in stellar age and metallicity, and the chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium. These results have been instrumental in quantifying the role of secular evolution in nearby galaxies.

He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of La Laguna and his PhD from the University of Nottingham. Following postdoctoral appointments at Nottingham, Leiden Observatory (within the EURO3D network and NOVA), and the European Space Agency, he joined the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) as a Ramón y Cajal researcher. He is currently Investigador Científico (Associate Professor) at IAC and served as Head of Research between January 2021 and March 2025, coordinating and managing the scientific activity of more than 230 researchers.

Dr. Falcón-Barroso has played a leading scientific role in major international spectroscopic surveys, including SAURON, CALIFA, MaNGA, and WEAVE, frequently leading or co-leading flagship analyses that have shaped current understanding of galaxy evolution. He is the Principal Investigator of the international WEAVE-Apertif project, involving more than 80 researchers, and has previously led large coordinated national and international projects and research groups. Among his most influential contributions is the development and long-term maintenance of the MILES stellar library, a cornerstone resource for stellar population studies used worldwide.

His scientific output includes more than 260 refereed publications in top-quartile journals, with an h-index of 72 and over 25,000 citations. Several of his papers rank among the top 1% most cited works in galaxy formation since 1970. He has been invited to author a comprehensive review for the Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics (2025), reflecting his recognized authority in the field of galaxy assembly through combined dynamical and stellar population modeling.

Committed to research excellence and scientific integrity, Dr. Falcón-Barroso has served in numerous evaluation and advisory roles, including chairing the B2 panel of the ESO Observing Programmes Committee and acting as referee and reviewer for leading journals, funding agencies, and international institutions. He has also contributed to governance and oversight committees of major observatories and has chaired a large number of academic selection processes at IAC.

His academic leadership is complemented by a strong record in mentoring and teaching, having supervised postdoctoral researchers, PhD theses, and numerous undergraduate and master’s projects, as well as teaching at the University of La Laguna and the University of Nottingham. His contributions to collaborative research were recognized with the Royal Astronomical Society Group Achievement Award for the SAURON project, among other distinctions.