RAQUEL
LICERAS GARRIDO

Since 2022, I have been a Lecturer in Prehistory at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), where I conduct research in the field of Protohistoric Archaeology with a focus on social theory. My work centers on the critical analysis of material culture and archaeological discourse, addressing gender and age identities in first millennium BCE communities of the Iberian Meseta. To this end, I combine direct material analysis with archaeometric techniques, digital tools, and contemporary theoretical frameworks. I hold a PhD in Prehistory from UCM with European Doctorate distinction and "cum laude" honors, following a degree in History and a master’s in Geographic Information Technologies. This academic background has enabled me to integrate spatial analysis with critical theoretical approaches in the study of past communities. Prior to my doctoral studies, I worked as a Research Assitant at the Institute of Archaeology of Mérida (IAM-CSIC), focusing on landscape archaeology. My dissertation, funded by a national FPU grant, explored power and identity construction in the Upper Duero region and was enriched by research stays at the Universities of Durham, Edinburgh, and Bradford, strengthening international collaborations. During my postdoctoral phase, I carried out research at Lancaster University (UK), where I incorporated artificial intelligence and Big Data tools into archaeological analysis. I later taught at the University of Edinburgh and rejoined the Spanish academic system with a María Zambrano fellowship at the University of Salamanca. That same year, I was awarded a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (€181,152.96) at INCIPIT-CSIC, which I declined to accept my current position at UCM. My involvement with the Numantia archaeological site spans two decades, initially working under the direction of Alfredo Jimeno. Following his retirement, I assumed scientific leadership of the project and currently coordinate the development of a new Master Plan, funded by the Soria Provincial Council. I am also engaged in collaborative research on protohistoric contexts in the Iberian Meseta, working with national and international teams. I have participated in projects funded by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Innovation, the European Commission, Lancaster University, UCM, and USAL, securing research funds totaling nearly €500,000. I have promoted innovative teaching initiatives and participatory methodologies in both Spain and the UK. My academic output includes over 40 publications, including two monographs, as well as book chapters and journal articles focused on protohistory, gender, childhood, landscape, and computational archaeology. I have presented more than 50 conference papers, organized scientific meetings, and served as a reviewer for leading journals and national research agencies. In the teaching field, I have delivered over 850 hours of instruction in undergraduate and master’s programmes in Archaeology and History at the Universities of Lancaster, Edinburgh, and Complutense. I am an active member of the research groups GIAP, InstiFEM, and LCHD (UCM), and PREHUSAL (USAL), and serve on the editorial boards of the journals Complutum (UCM) and Mytra (IAM-CSIC). My career reflects a consistent commitment to research excellence, knowledge transfer, and interdisciplinary collaboration.