Marta Estrada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marta Estrada i Miyares
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1946 (age 78–79) Granollers, Catalonia, Spain
|
| Alma mater | University of Barcelona |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Institute of Fishery Research
Institute of Marine Sciences Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona Catalan Society of Biology |
| Thesis | Study on populations of aquatic organisms in a non uniform medium |
| Doctoral advisor | Ramon Margalef |
Marta Estrada Miyares, born in 1946, is a famous researcher from Catalonia, Spain. She has dedicated her life to studying the ocean, especially oceanography and marine biology. Her most important work focuses on understanding tiny ocean plants called algae and phytoplankton. She studies how they live and how they affect the ocean's environment.
Contents
Marta Estrada's Journey in Science
Marta Estrada's parents were both interested in archaeology. She was born in Granollers, where she started school. Later, she moved to Barcelona to continue her education.
Early Studies and Awards
Marta was a brilliant student. She graduated with top honors from the University of Barcelona. She earned degrees in Biological Sciences in 1968 and Medicine and Surgery in 1970. In 1969, she received several special awards for being an outstanding graduate. These included the National Graduation Award and the Llaç de l'Orde Civil d'Alfons X el Savi. This Spanish award recognizes excellence in education, science, and research.
Starting Her Research Career
In 1968, Marta received a scholarship to work on her PhD. She studied under the guidance of Ramon Margalef López at the Institute of Fishery Research (IIP). She completed her PhD in 1976, focusing on aquatic organisms. Her doctoral thesis was titled Studies of populations of aquatic organisms in a non uniform medium. She earned another special award for her excellent doctoral thesis from the University of Barcelona.
Exploring the Ocean on Research Vessels
In the late 1960s, Marta joined the scientific team on the research ship Cornide de Saavedra. This ship was very important for Spanish ocean research. Marta helped control the ship's computer and studied chlorophyll and primary production. She also recorded important data like temperature, salinity, and nutrient levels in the ocean.
In 1971, she became a Scientific Collaborator at the IIP, which is now called the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC). Before starting this role in 1972, she spent six months in the United States. She worked at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and on the Costa Rican research ship Thompson. This trip helped her expand her PhD research with a scholarship from the Institute of International Education.
Specializing in Phytoplankton and Algae
In the mid-1970s, Marta Estrada began to specialize in the study of phytoplankton and harmful algae. She researched how to control algal blooms, which are rapid increases in algae that can be harmful. She took part in major ocean programs in the US, like CUEA and OPUS. She also went on expeditions to places like Peru, Costa Rica, northeastern Africa, and California. During these trips, she studied phytoplankton's productivity, how much of it there was (its biomass), and how it used nitrate.
Leading Oceanographic Expeditions
Later, Marta continued her research on phytoplankton and its role in the global ocean. She joined many oceanographic expeditions in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic, Arctic, and Antarctic oceans. In 1984, she went on an expedition to the Antarctic Ocean with Josefina Castellví Piulachs. They were on the Argentinian ship Almirante Irizar. During this trip, Marta Estrada and Josefina Castellví became the first Spanish women to step foot on Antarctica.
In the 1980s, Marta became the head of the Marine Biology and Oceanography department at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC). She then served as the institute's director from 1995 to 1997.
Sharing Her Knowledge
Marta Estrada has written many articles for international science journals. She has also contributed to books about Oceanography. She has presented her work at many international conferences. She has guided several PhD students and supervised many postdoctoral researchers. She has also taught at the University of Barcelona and other universities.
Awards and Recognitions
Besides her academic awards, Marta Estrada has received many other honors.
Prestigious Awards
- In 1992, she received the Trégouboff Award from the Parisian Academy of Sciences.
- In 1995, the Generalitat de Catalunya gave her the Medalla Narcís Monturiol. This award recognizes scientific and technological achievements.
- In 2004, she was awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi, one of Catalonia's highest civil honors.
- In 2017, the Barcelona city council honored her with the Honours Medal.
Important Affiliations and Honors
Marta Estrada has been a member of several important scientific groups.
Key Memberships
- Since 1996, she has been a member of the Catalan Society of Biology. She even served as its vice president and was made an honorary member in 2016.
- In 2011, she became a member of the Biological Sciences Section of the Institute of Catalan Studies. She gave a speech about the "Ecology of red tides."
- In 1999, she was elected as an Academic of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences of Barcelona. Her entry speech was about "Hydrodynamics and phytoplankton of the Catalan sea."
School Named After Her
In 2016, the High School in Granollers was named IES Marta Estrada. This was done to recognize her important contributions to science and technology.
Other Groups and Committees
Marta Estrada has also been part of many other important groups, including:
- ICES Advisory Committee on Marine Pollution (1989-1992)
- AD- ENA-WWF World Wildlife Foundation (1990-1992)
- Physiological Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms (1992-1998)
- Scientific and Steering Committee (1998-2000) for the international program Global Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (GEOHAB) by UNESCO
- Working Group 97 of the Special Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) of the International Council for Science (ICSU)
- Several expert teams studying climate change in Catalonia
- Jury for the Ramon Margalef Prize in Ecology
- Centre Excursionista de Catalunya
Selected Research Publications
Here are some of Marta Estrada's important research works:
- Marta Estrada. 2011. Ecologia de les marees roges: discurs de recepció de Marta Estrada i Miyares com a membre numerària de la Secció de Ciències Biològiques.
- Clara Llebot, Yvette H. Spitz, Jordi Solé, Marta Estrada. 2010. The role of organic nutrients and dissolved organic phosphorus in the phytoplankton dynamics of a mediterranean bay. A modeling study.
- Jordi Solé, Antonio Turiel, Marta Estrada, Clara Llebot, Dolors Blasco, Jordi Camp, Maximino Delgado, Margarita Fernández-Tejedor, Jorge Diogène. 2009. Climatic forcing on hydrography of a Mediterranean bay (Alfacs Bay).
- Marta Estrada, Peter Henriksen, Josep M. Gasol, Emilio O. Casamayor, Carlos Pedrós-Alió. 2004. Diversity of planktonic photoautotrophic microorganisms along a salinity gradient as depicted by microscopy, flow cytometry, pigment analysis and DNA-based methods.
- Marta Estrada. 2004. El Dr. Ramón Margalef y la oceanografía.
- Marta Estrada, Elisa Berdalet, Magda Vila, Cèlia Marrasé. 2003. Effects of pulsed nutrient enrichment on enclosed phytoplankton: ecophysiological and successional responses.
- Marta Estrada, Ramiro A. Varela, Jordi Slat, Antoni Cruzado, Enric Arias. 1999. Spatio-temporal variability of the winter phytoplankton distribution across the Catalan and North Balearic fronts (NW Mediterranean).
- Marta Estrada, Elisa Berdalet. 1998. Effects of turbulence on phytoplankton.
- Marta Estrada. 1995. Dinoflagellate assemblages in the Iberian upwelling area.
- Marta Estrada. 1995. El fitoplancton antártico.
- Marta Estrada. 1986. Mareas rojas.
- Marta Estrada. 1978. Estudios sobre poblaciones de organismos acuáticos en medio no uniforme.
See also
In Spanish: Marta Estrada Miyares para niños
