Anabel Sánchez-Plaza

Anabel Sánchez-Plaza is a biologist by training, a researcher by background, and a Research Impact Officer by conviction. After earning a BSc in Biology and a PhD in Environment and Society, she spent several years developing European projects and leading citizen science and participatory research initiatives. Today, she helps ensure that research creates benefits beyond the scientific community. At CREAF, a research centre based in Barcelona dedicated to understanding how nature functions and responds to global change, she established the impact unit, led the development of strategic approaches to impact and an institutional culture of impact, and supports research teams in building the skills, partnerships, and evidence needed to maximise the societal value of their work. One of the first Research Impact Officers in the Catalan and Spanish research landscape, Anabel has helped shape conversations around impact culture and research assessment, including through her participation in AN