The main research topics are: (a) extragalactic radio sources, (b) radio quasars, (c)
extragalactic surveys, (d) broad absorption line QSOs (BALs), and (e) astronomical
instrumentation, although I worked on dark matter in spiral galaxies during my stay at Kapteyn
Astronomical Institute (The Netherlands).
The main scientific activity has been based on extragalactic surveys, mainly on radio surveys:
(a) cosmic jets in radio galaxies from surveys like 3C, 4C, and B2. One of the main
contributions from the B2 studies is a reference paper on optical properties of elliptical galaxies
and the first measurements of the optical counterpart of the M87 jet; (b) involvement in survey
WENSS (Westerbork Northern Sky Survey, at 92 cm) where I was co-PI of the working group
Bright Galaxies; (c) involvement in survey ELAIS (European Large Area ISO Survey) which is
a reference for infrared studies of galaxies and the observed fields are classical cosmological
fields; (d) radio quasars in survey B3; (e) search for high-redshift QSOs based on FIRST (20
cm), SDSS, and UKIDSS, where we were one of the first groups using neural networks to
identify candidates. This research leaded to starting to work on broad absorption line QSOs
(BALs). I was the coordinator of an international group to search for BALs and study their
properties at radio frequencies, including VLBI, VLA observations and optical/UV (VLT, HST,
WHT) and infrared spectroscopy (WHT).
The last years I am involved (as a member of the Core Team) in surveys like OTELO
(emission-line
survey with OSIRIS using Guaranteed GTC Time) and J-PAS. This is a large-area survey in the optical using
narrow band filters that was originally designed to study the dark energy. At the very start of
the project I was the coordinator of the QSO/AGN Working Group.
In the instrumental part, I was a member of the Scientific Definition Group of OSIRIS, the First
Light Instrument of the GTC telescope. I had responsibility on definition of requirements,
feasibility studies, scientific cases but the main one was the design of the User Software. This
included the Data Reduction Pipeline, Mask Designer, and the Exposure Time Calculator. The
last one was fully developed by myself.
I have been regularly awarded with observing time at many astronomical facilities worldwide
(Roque de los Muchachos, Calar Alto, Paranal, Kitt Peak, VLA, VLBI, HST, IRAM, Effelsberg
radio telescope, ISO satellite) and I have participate in some of the Time Allocation Commitees.
All the results of my research have been disseminated and published as articles in Astronomy
and Astrophysics international journals and as contributions in workshops and conferences in
different ways (posters, oral contributions). I participated in the organization of several
nationalwide
conferences (SEA, RSEF, also as an editor). I have also organized several international
workshops to teach how to observe with OSIRIS.
I am involved also in out
