Dr. Alfredo José Pérez-González occupies a distinguished place in the history of Quaternary Geology, Geomorphology, and Geoarchaeology in Spain. His scientific career marked a turning point in the study of landscape evolution and human evolution, leaving a scientific and academic legacy that continues to serve as a benchmark for researchers worldwide.
He earned his PhD in Geological Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid, where he completed his doctoral thesis under the supervision of Professor Emiliano Aguirre. Later appointed Professor of External Geodynamics, he pursued an outstanding scientific career primarily associated with the University of Zaragoza, the Complutense University of Madrid, the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME), the Environmental Sciences Centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and the National Research Centre on Human Evolution (CENIEH).
His research was as extensive as it was influential. Among his most significant contributions were his studies on the geomorphological evolution of the Tagus and Duero basins, which remain fundamental references for understanding the Iberian Plio-Quaternary. He also directed and participated in numerous international research projects carried out in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and China. Furthermore, he played a pivotal role in establishing geoarchaeology as a key discipline for investigating some of the world's most important Palaeolithic archaeological sites.
His legacy lives on in his scientific work, the institutions he strengthened, and those who worked and learned alongside him
His name will remain especially linked to the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain), where for many years he was responsible for the geological investigations of the Trench Railway (Trinchera del Ferrocarril) sites. His work made a decisive contribution to understanding the geology, geomorphology, and chronology of one of the world's most important palaeoanthropological complexes. He also led and promoted research at other emblematic Spanish sites, including Ambrona and Torralba (Soria), Pinilla del Valle (Madrid), Cuesta de la Bajada (Teruel), and the Jarama and Manzanares valleys (Madrid), as well as internationally renowned sites such as Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), the Palaeolithic sequences of Aïn Hanech (Algeria), and several Palaeolithic sites in Morocco. Through these studies, he made major contributions to our understanding of some of the principal settings of human evolution.
He combined an intense research career with important scientific leadership roles. At the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (IGME), he promoted the development of geological and geomorphological mapping within the MAGNA programme and played a leading role in the modernization of geological research in Spain. He subsequently served as Director of the Environmental Sciences Centre of the CSIC. At CENIEH, he was Scientific Advisor, Coordinator of the Geoarchaeology Programme, and Director of the Centre from 2013 to 2017, making a decisive contribution to consolidating the institution as an internationally recognised scientific research infrastructure.
Alfredo Pérez-González was also a key figure in the development of Quaternary studies in Spain. He participated in the creation of the Spanish Quaternary Working Group (GETQ), was one of the founders of the Spanish Association for Quaternary Studies (AEQUA), which he later chaired, and promoted numerous scientific conferences and meetings that strengthened the discipline and fostered collaboration among researchers.
Throughout his academic career, he trained several generations of scientists, leaving an enduring mark on Quaternary geology, geoarchaeology, and human evolution research. Those who had the privilege of working alongside him remember not only his exceptional intellectual rigour, but also his warmth, generosity in sharing knowledge, and tireless enthusiasm for fieldwork.
His legacy lives on in a scientific body of work of outstanding significance, in the institutions he helped build and strengthen, in the research projects he inspired, and in the many people who had the privilege of learning and working alongside him. His career stands as an indispensable reference for understanding landscape evolution, the Quaternary, and human evolution, and as an enduring example of scientific excellence, commitment to knowledge, and intellectual generosity that will continue to inspire present and future generations.
Alfonso Benito Calvo
