Sonia Valdivielso is a geologist and postdoctoral researcher at the Groundwater and Hydrogeochemistry group of the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) in Barcelona, Spain. She holds a PhD in Earth Sciences (Excellent – Cum Laude) from the Universitat de Barcelona (2022) and a Master’s degree in Hydrogeology from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. She joined IDAEA-CSIC in 2025 following her Juan de la Cierva postdoctoral fellowship at the MAIMA group of the Universitat de Barcelona.
Her research focuses on hydrogeological conceptualization and the quantification of groundwater resources in complex settings, including the Andes, high-mountain zones, hyperarid basins, and some of the world’s most intensively exploited salt flats for lithium and potassium extraction. Specializing in hydrogeochemistry, isotopic hydrology, water balance modelling, and spatial analysis, she integrates these disciplines to address water management challenges in Andean environments across South America, Central America, and mountain regions of Europe. Her projects are carried out in close collaboration with Latin American companies and institutions, strengthening international networks, multidisciplinary cooperation, and knowledge transfer. These efforts contribute to defining best practices for water management in salt flats and aquifers affected by mining activities, as well as to fostering collaboration among research institutions, private companies, and regulatory bodies, promoting research mobility and scientific cooperation in extreme environments of high strategic relevance.
