Jara Martínez Sánchez
Biography
Jara Martínez Sánchez holds a PhD in Science and Technologies for Coastal Management and a Master’s degree in Port and Coastal Engineering (University of Cantabria). During her studies in Civil Engineering, she received awards in several editions of the Javier Martínez Maurica Mathematical Problems Competition and was honoured with the CYTAMA Prize awarded by the Department of Water and Environmental Science and Technology.
She is currently Director of Knowledge Transfer at IHCantabria and Dean of the Cantabria Chapter of the Spanish Association of Civil Engineers. After several years of professional experience in the private sector, primarily as a project manager at KV Consultores, she joined the Coastal Engineering and Management Group at IHCantabria in 2008. Since then, she has contributed to both consulting and research projects, frequently working on the development of numerical models and methodologies for studying coastal hydrodynamics and morphology, as well as coastal zone management. She also regularly participates in scientific outreach activities.
She has been involved in 26 engineering projects—ranging from design and basic studies to tendering—focused on beach regeneration and the extension of docks, breakwaters, and protective sea walls in ports or port facilities. In addition, she has taken part in over 35 research and technology transfer projects related to coastal engineering and the management of coastal erosion and flooding risks, including the mitigation of the impacts of tropical cyclones and tsunamis. As project lead at IHCantabria, her work is centred on providing scientific evidence to governments, industries, and multilateral organisations to support coastal protection and adaptation to climate change. She has led the development of risk profiles and coastal management strategies in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and the Persian Gulf, always in close collaboration with the beneficiary entities.
In recognition of her commitment to sustainable coastal management, she was selected in 2022 as a member of the 7th cohort of Homeward Bound, a global initiative launched in 2016 to promote leadership among women with STEMM profiles in the context of the climate crisis. She is currently part of the global network “The Convergence,” alongside programme participants representing 94 nationalities. She also serves on the executive committee of the Cantabrian Maritime Cluster (MarCA) and is a senior expert within the Coastal & Marine Union – European Union for Climate Change (EUCC) network.
RESEARCH LINES
Coastal Processes and Coastal Engineering
Coastal Risk Assessment and Management
Integrated Coastal Zone Management
PUBLICATIONS
