TRIBUTE TO NIEVES LÓPEZ MARTÍNEZ

Abstract

Nieves was born in Burgos on February 5th, 1949 and passed away, much too soon, on December 15th, 2010. She studied at Madrid’s Complutense University (UCM) from which she graduated with a degree in Biological Science in 1970 and there she met Professor Emiliano Aguirre. When he suggested starting a research project on lagomorphs (pikas, rabbits and hares) from the Spanish fossil record, Nieves threw herself into the job with her characteristic energy and enthusiasm. At a time (1971-1973) when very few scientists travelled abroad, Nieves obtained a Cooperation Grant from the French Government to do her PhD Thesis under the supervision of Dr. Thaler at Montpellier University. Her university teaching career began in 1978 as an Interim Associate Teacher at Madrid’s Autónoma University (UAM). She was an excellent teacher, and the driving force of her professional life was to a great degree her relationship with her students. She was innovative in her teaching, making use of the new technologies (virtual campus, web pages, blogs, etc.) to gain students’ attention and interest. She excelled in her research and was one of the pioneers in directing research projects of the National Plan; she directed numerous field campaigns and excavations in the continental basins of the Iberian Peninsula and participated in the stimulating and arduous campaigns in the Republic of Chad together with her French colleagues under the direction of Dr. Brunet (Poitiers University).