Associate professor in Ecological Modelling 

CV (Last updated on 03/07/2025)

Past and present positions

August 2020 - present: Associate Professor in Ecological Modelling, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, UK.

Jan 2016 - July 2020: Lecturer in Ecological Modelling, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, UK.

May 2015 - Oct 2015: Research Associate, Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.

March 2012-Feb 2015: Juan de la Cierva Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.

March 2010-Feb 2012: Marie Curie Intra-European Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Sevilla, Spain.

Jan 2009-Jan 2010: Postdoctoral researcher at the Ecology & Evolution Lab (Laboratoire d’Ecologie et Evolution), Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.

Aug 2003-Dec 2008: Graduate teaching assistant at Arizona State University, USA. Courses taught: Biometry, Computer applications in biology, Field ecology: behavior and conservation of sea lions, Field techniques in wildlife management, General biology I (biology for majors), and The living world (biology for non-majors).

March and Oct 2007: Paid lecturer for graduate course: ‘Principles of Sustainability’ at Arizona State University, USA.

Jan-May 2003: Data analysis and entry for The Paleobiology Database of the Smithsonian Institution at Binghamton, USA.

Aug 2001-Dec 2002: Graduate teaching assistant at Binghamton University, USA. Courses taught: Environment and man/woman: ecological perspectives, Animal behavior, and Entomology.

Education

Aug 2003-Dec 2008: Ph.D. School of Life Sciences: Biology, Arizona State University, USA. Dr. LR Gerber.

Aug 2000-Dec 2002: Master of Sciences Biology Department: Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Binghamton University, USA. Dr. RS Wilcox.

Jul 1999-Jul 2000: Estudios avanzados en el programa de doctorado de Ecología (Graduate non-degree, Ecology department) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain. Dr. JL Rubio de Luca.

Sep 1994-Jun 1999: Licenciada en Ciencias Biológicas (B.S. in Biological Sciences) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.

Publications (see publications page)

Grants, Fellowships and Awards

- 2024 BBSRC-NERC Doctoral Landscape Award Climate system and biodiversity science for Challenges, Risks, and Opportunities - Collaborating in Understanding and Solutions (CROCUS). (£8,000,000) Role: coI (PI: Thorwald Stein) 

- 2024 NERC Doctoral Focal Award AI for UnlockINg DaTasEts foR BiodiVersity AssEssmeNt and PrEdiction (AI-INTERVENE). (£1,260,000) Role: coI (PI: James Ferryman) 

- 2023 RETF Open Fund and SBS funding – University of Reading “Evolution, taxonomy, and conservation of an endemic New World sea snake” (£92,790). 

- 2023 Royal Society International Exchanges Award (IES\R3\223082) “Identifying hotspots and the ecological drivers of reported human-wildlife interactions in Uganda” (£12,000). 

- 2022 NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) Doctoral Training Programme “Developing a next-generation global biodiversity indicator to provide improved estimates of trends in wildlife abundance.” (£92,000). (PI: Robin Freeman)

- 2021 NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) Doctoral Training Programme “A global assessment of functional biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene” (£90,000). 

- 2019 NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) Centre for Doctoral Training (£82,000). (PI: Cristina Banks-Leite, co-applicant Henrik Jensen)

- 2019 Chilean CONICYT Postdoc fellowship (US$26,668, ~£20,748). (PI: Ricardo Soto Saravia)

- 2017 NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) Centre for Doctoral Training "The fate of the world’s largest carnivores: understanding declines and recoveries" (£79,000). 

- 2016 Royal Society International Exchanges Award (£12,000)

- 2014 Severo Ochoa Award to Best Postdoc Publication in 2013 (2,000€)

- 2014 Severo Ochoa Award to Postdoc Woman for Exceptional International Efforts (3,000€)

- 2011 Juan de la Cierva Postdoctoral Fellowship, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (3-year position. 96,000€)

- 2010 JAE-DOC Postdoctoral Fellowship, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (3-year position. 82,620.72€). Declined after receiving the Juan de la Cierva fellowship

- 2008 Marie Curie Intra-European Postdoctoral Fellowship (2-year position. 156,002.68€)

- 2007 Lisa Dent Memorial Fellowship, Arizona State University, USA. ($5,900 on 09/04/2007)

- Summers 2007-2008 University Graduate Fellowship, Arizona State University, USA ($8,393)

- 2005 Graduate and Professional Student Association Research Grant, Arizona State University, USA. ($2,150)

- 2000 Fulbright scholarship, Master of Science, Binghamton University, USA (2.5 years funded. $35,900)

- 1999 Ayuda al Tercer Ciclo (Graduate Fellowship) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.(1 year position. 552,000 pesetas ~ 3,317.59€)

- 1997 ERASMUS European undergraduate exchange program University of Wales, Bangor, UK (1 academic year)

- Award: Outstanding Teaching Associate of the 2006-2007 year for the School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, USA

Recent Conference Presentations

González-Suárez, M (2025) Macroecological Conservation. British Ecological Society Macroecology Group Annual meeting. 10-11 July, York, UK. (Oral)

González-Suárez, M (2022) Macroecological Conservation. British Ecological Society Macroecology Group Annual meeting. 4-5 July, Sheffield, UK. (Oral online)

González-Suárez, M; Duffett, D; Mulero-Pazmany, M; D’Amico, M (2020) Using species trait data to predict wildlife behavioural responses towards roads and traffic. British Ecological Society Annual meeting. 14-18 December, Online. (Poster)

González-Suárez, M; Koroleva, E; Andrášik, R, Bil, M; Grilo, C. (2919) Mapping roadkill risks and impacts for European birds and mammals. British Ecological Society Macroecology Group Annual meeting. 4-5 July, Falmouth, UK. (Oral)

Santini, L; González-Suárez, M; Russo, D; Gonzalez-Voyer, A; von Hardenberg, A; Ancillotto, L (2018) One strategy doesn’t fit all: determinants of urban adaptation in mammals. British Ecological Society Macroecology Group Annual meeting. 10-11 July, St Andrews, UK. (Poster)

González-Suárez, M; Zanchetta Ferreira, F; Grilo, C (2018) Who and where: predicting road mortality risks using trait models. 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology. 12-15 July, Jyväskylä, Finland (Oral)

González-Suárez, M (2018) Using trait-based models in vertebrate conservation. 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology. 12-15 July, Jyväskylä, Finland (Invited workshop)

Bernardo-Madrid, R; Calatayud, J; González-Suárez, M; Rueda, M; Rosvall, M; Revilla, E (2018) The zoogeographical domains: a new conservation target at global scale. 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology. 12-15 July, Jyväskylä, Finland (Oral)

Polaina, E; González-Suárez, M; Revilla, E (2018) Trajectory analyses of past human land use as a tool to understand present terrestrial mammals' distribution. 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology. 12-15 July, Jyväskylä, Finland (Oral)

González-Suárez, M (2018) A macroecological approach to conservation: species traits and human impacts. 27th Spring Symposium. Helskinki, Finland. 5-7 March. (Invited plenary speaker)

Recent invited talks, workshops

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2024) Brin MRC Workshop - Applied Stochastic Processes for Encounter Problems. 5-9 February, Maryland, USA (Invited participant). 

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2024) Using trait data for conservation assessment and prioritization. 22 January, Ecology & Conservation section seminar, Oxford University, UK (Invited seminar). 

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2022) Aproximaciones macroecológicas para estudiar los impactos de las carreteras sobre la fauna. 20 Oct, III Congreso Nacional de Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Ecuador (Invited plenary). 

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2022) How trait-based models can help us understand and predict roads impact on wildlife. 9 March, National Center for Statistical Ecology, UK (Invited seminar). 

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2021) Using trait-based models to evaluate and predict roads impact on wildlife. 2 November, Workshops in Ecology and Behaviour, University of Bristol (Invited seminar). 

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2018) Trait-based models to predict extinction risk and impacts. 9 November, Séminaires d'Écologie et d'Évolution de Montpellier, France  (Invited seminar).

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2018) Using trait-based models to understand vulnerability to extinction and to threats. 10 May, Swansea University, UK (Invited seminar). 

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2017) Trait-based models in conservation. 28 September, CIBIO/CEABN/InBIO, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal (Invited seminar).

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2017) Conservation in the Anthropocene. 24 May, Instituto de Biologia Subtropical, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina (Invited seminar).

Gonzalez-Suarez, M (2017) Conservation in the Anthropocene: species traits, human impacts, and uncertain futures. 1 March. University of Chester, Chester, UK (Invited seminar).

Outreach Activities

        Soapbox Science event co-organizer, Reading UK, 8th June 2019.

        Pint of Science host, Reading, UK, 22nd May 2019. 

        Pint of Science speaker, Reading, UK, 14th May 2018. 

        Soapbox Science speaker, Reading UK, 9th July 2016. 

Student mentoring (see people page)

Teaching

At University of Reading, UK:

Summer 2023 – present: Module convener for ‘Ecology and Conservation Field Course’ (BSc). 

Summer 2022 – present: Module co-convener for ‘Marine Biology Field Course’ (BSc). 

Spring 2022 – present: Module convener/co-convener for “Animal Survey and Assessment” (MSc).

Spring 2020 – present: Module convener for "Ecology" (BSc). 

Summer 2019 – 2023: Module convener for "Tropical Biology Field Course" (BSc). 

Spring 2018, 2019: Module convener for "Vertebrate Conservation" (MSc).

Other institutions

Spring 2015, 2016: Instructor for “Etología aplicada a la conservación” (Behavioral ecology applied to conservation) course within the Máster Universitario en Etología Aplicada y Comportamiento Animal, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain.

November 2014: Instructor for an intensive one-day course on ‘Generalized Linear Models’ offered at Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, Spain. Videos of the class, in Spanish, available here.

Spring 2013, 2014: Co-instructor of Biología de la conservación: poblaciones course within the Máster Universitario en Biodiversidad y Biología de la Conservación, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain (taught twice).

Aug 2003-Dec 2008: Graduate teaching assistant at Arizona State University, USA. Courses taught: Biometry, Computer applications in biology, Field ecology: behavior and conservation of sea lions, Field techniques in wildlife management, General biology I (biology for majors), and The living world (biology for non-majors).

March and Oct 2007: Paid lecturer for graduate course: ‘Principles of Sustainability’ at Arizona State University, USA.

Aug 2001-Dec 2002: Graduate teaching assistant at Binghamton University, USA. Courses taught: Environment and man/woman: ecological perspectives, Animal behavior, and Entomology.

Professional affiliations and Services

Associate Editor for Journal of Applied Ecology and Bioscience

Manuscript reviewer for over 36 journals. Check my Publons profile. 

Grant reviewer for: the National Geographic Society Research and Exploration program (2013), British Ecological Society (BES Review College 2016 - present), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG (German Research Foundation 2021), Natural Environment Research Council NERC (UK Research and Innovation, 2021 - 2023), Graduate and Professional Student Association ASU (USA, 2006-2007). 

Services: Chapters Advisory Committee of the Society for Conservation Biology (2006-2008); President (2006-2007) and Earth day chair (2004-2006) of the Central Arizona Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology; President (2007-2008), Vice-President (2006-2007), and Treasurer (2004-2005) of the Graduate Scholars of the School of Life Sciences; member of the Thesis and Seminars committee in Estacion Biologica de Doñana, EBD-CSIC (2011-2012).

Member of: Society for Conservation Biology (2003-), British Ecological Society (2016-).