Fernando Pérez-Rodríguez

My research line is situated at the intersection of forest engineering, artificial intelligence, and data science, applied to the design of decision support systems (DSS). I aim to improve the efficiency of forest management, reduce uncertainty in planning scenarios, and facilitate knowledge transfer through concrete and, above all, simple digital solutions. Throughout my career, I have registered over 20 intellectual properties related to software developments, published more than 25 scientific articles in indexed (JCR) journals, and presented over 50 contributions at national and international conferences.

From the beginning of my research career, I have demonstrated a clear focus on knowledge transfer and technological innovation. My research career has developed in a strongly international environment, which has significantly contributed to the consolidation of a scientific collaboration network and to the strengthening of my skills in multidisciplinary and multicultural contexts.

During my doctoral studies, I carried out two international research stays: one at Michelin Bahia (Brazil) for a duration of one month and fifteen days, and another at the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (Portugal) for three months. These experiences were crucial for obtaining the international distinction in my doctoral degree, as well as for establishing connections with research groups with which I have maintained subsequent collaborations.

After completing my PhD, I joined the Mountain Research Centre (CIMO) in Bragança (Portugal) as a researcher, where I worked for over three years (3 years and 6 months). During this period, I actively participated in the European FP7 SimWood project, focused on the sustainable management of forest resources in Europe. Within this project, I contributed to the development of technological tools for sustainable forest planning and co-authored several prominent scientific publications.

Subsequently, my work continued at föra forest technologies, within the framework of a postdoctoral contract funded by the Torres Quevedo program. During this stage, I played a key role in driving R&D&i applied to the agroforestry sector, leading the project ‘DECIDE: Decision Support Systems for Forestry’. In this context, I designed and developed decision support systems that integrate massive datasets from remote sensors, primarily LiDAR and satellite sources. These developments enabled the automation of complex and routine processes, facilitating more informed, faster, and efficient decision-making.

My work has been instrumental in creating a new business line within föra, focused on software development, which I currently lead as CTO (Chief Technology Officer). This line has resulted in highly technological products, many of which are in active production, whose deployment has directly impacted the operational efficiency of the company and the diversification of its service portfolio.