About Me

I am a plant collections specialist with a deep commitment to conserving plant diversity through the thoughtful curation and strategic development of living collections. My approach combines scientific rigour with practical horticultural knowledge, underpinned by a strong focus on data-led, evidence-based decision-making.

At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, I currently support both the strategic and operational management of the Living Collection. I work closely with horticultural teams to optimise collection workflows, contribute to institutional planning, and ensure that plant material is accessible and relevant for scientific research. I also participate in the development of tools and metrics using R and GIS to visualise, analyse, and assess collection holdings.

A key part of my role involves cross-departmental collaboration and volunteer management. I coordinate a team of volunteers engaged in tree labelling, measurement, and phenology monitoring, and support capacity-building through training and mentoring of both staff and students.

With close to four years of hands-on experience managing Kew’s Living Orchid Collection, I bring a unique combination of horticultural and curatorial expertise, grounded in a strong scientific background. My specialist focus is orchids, with particular experience in orchid cultivation, propagation techniques, and orchid–mycorrhizal interactions.

Beyond my technical skill set, I’m passionate about communicating the value of plant collections to diverse audiences - from researchers and students to the general public. I see living collections as dynamic resources with enormous potential to advance plant science, conservation, and education, and I enjoy developing strategies that maximise their impact.

Curriculum Vitae

Experience

2024.02 – Present
Living Collection Support Officer
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · London, UK (Hybrid)

  • Support strategic and operational development of the Living Collection.
  • Collaborate across horticulture and science to implement data-led approaches.
  • Develop tools and pipelines for data curation, collection analysis, and GIS integration.
  • Facilitate access to plant material and data for scientific research.

2020.09 – 2024.02
Botanical Horticulturist and Curator – Living Orchid Collection
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · London, UK

  • Curated, developed and maintained Kew’s Living Orchid Collection.
  • Applied in vitro propagation techniques, including orchid seed germination and mycorrhizal isolation.
  • Designed R-based workflows for collection metrics, spatial analysis, and gap assessment.
  • Trained and mentored Kew Diploma students and apprentices.
  • Participated in international fieldwork in Cambodia (2023).

2019.09 – 2020.08
Kew Specialist Certificate – Orchid Cultivation
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · London, UK

  • Completed horticultural course focused on orchid biology, propagation, and conservation.

2018.09 – 2019.05
Master Thesis Student – Spinach Germplasm
Wageningen Plant Research · The Netherlands

  • Conducted research on spinach domestication and breeding (2 peer-reviewed publications).
  • Collaboration between the Plant Breeding Lab and the Center for Genetic Resources (CGN).

2018.09 – 2018.10
Graduate Teaching Assistant – Advanced Statistics
Wageningen University & Research · The Netherlands

  • Supported BSc/MSc students in statistical analysis (60 contact hours).

Education

MSc Plant Biotechnology (Cum Laude)
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) · Netherlands
2017.09 – 2019.06 and 2022.08 – 2023.06

  • Thesis 1: Spinach domestication and breeding (CGN)
  • Thesis 2: Orchid mycorrhizas and fungal metabarcoding (Kew)
  • Consultancy project on plant-based explosive detection (Dutch Ministry of Defence)

BSc Biotechnology (Cum Laude)
Rovira i Virgili University (URV) · Spain
2013.09 – 2017.06

Publications

  • Ribera, A. et al. (2020). A review on the genetic resources, domestication and breeding history of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Euphytica. DOI: 10.1007/s10681-020-02585-y
  • Ribera, A. et al. (2020). On the origin and dispersal of cultivated spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. DOI: 10.1007/s10722-020-01042-y
  • Aktas, G.B., Ribera, A., et al. (2021). DNA immobilization and detection using DNA binding proteins. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03162-5

Skills & Tools

  • Living Collections · Collection management and curation · Data management · Institutional strategy
  • Education & Training · Scientific writing · Teaching and training · Public engagement
  • R programming · Data visualisation · Collection analysis and metrics
  • GIS & Mapping tools · ArcGIS · Field Maps · Survey123
  • Photography software · Photoshop · Lightroom
  • In vitro propagation · Orchid propagation · Mycorrhizal culture techniques

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Catalan