In January 2023, University of Cordoba doctoral student Jesús Aguilera Huertas arrived at Mykolas Romeris University’s (MRU) Environmental Management LAB to conduct research for his doctoral dissertation.

The 25-year-old student from Spain will spend 4 months at the LAB working on his PhD dissertation: “The Effect of Crop Diversification in Traditional Olive Groves and its Influence on Ecosystem Services Linked to Climate Change.”

He is working under the supervision of MRU Prof. Paulo Pereira, who Heads the MRU Environmental Management LAB.

“I am studying the impact of Spanish olive orchards management on climate change and soil degradation,” he said.

He has been undertaking soil research for the last 4 years but says that is not a long enough period to draw any conclusions. A longer period of research, perhaps 10 years, is necessary.

“I’m studying the influence of agriculture management on climate change and degradation in Mediterranean soils,” he said. The climate is an important aspect of this type of study, he added.

The PhD student said he didn’t really know what to expect upon arrival in Lithuania except for a vastly colder climate than he is accustomed to in his native Cordoba. “I didn’t know much about Lithuania before coming here."

He said that the most difficult aspect of being in Lithuania is being away from his family for such a long period, but added that he wants to concentrate his efforts on finishing his thesis, which he will defend in July.

After his 4-months of research ended at the MRU Environmental Management LAB, Jesus said he will return to the University of Cordoba. I hope to one day have a position at the University and to be able to continue my research on soils from olive groves in Spain.