Announcements

We wish to congratulate Dr. Luis Jorda on winning the Geosciences 2025 Outstanding Reviewer Award. Dr. Luis Jorda is an Associate Professor at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. His research is focused on the stability analysis of natural caves, limestone caves and lava tunnels, and also on anthropogenic ones, including excavated caves and cellars, the so-called troglodyte world.

Dr. Luis Jorda’s biographical statement:

I am 51 years old and I hold a PhD in mining engineering. Since 2019 I have held a permanent position as a professor of tunneling and rock mechanics at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, specifically at the School of Civil Engineering.

My father was stationed in Buenos Aires, Argentina as a civil engineer, so I spent part of my childhood there.

I studied mining engineering at the School of Mines in Madrid between 1992 and 1998, finishing my final year with an Erasmus scholarship at the Polytechnic University of Mons in Belgium. Afterwards, I completed a master’s degree in geophysical exploration at the French Petroleum Institute in Paris. I speak fluent French and English.

I have worked for 25 years in geotechnical engineering, drilling, tunneling, mining, and rock mechanics in private companies, and I have also had my own company. Between 2012 and 2016, I lived permanently in South America, in Peru and Ecuador. Since 2016, I have resided in Spain. During my career, I have worked in Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Malta, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Egypt, Jordan, Portugal, France, Austria, Belgium, Slovenia, and Norway.

In addition, since 1992, I have been an expert caver and speleologist, which is one of my main hobbies, along with scuba diving and freediving. I also love travelling by motorbike.

My main line of research, cave stability, combines my profession as a mining engineer with my passion for speleology. I am currently collaborating on several projects related to the stability of volcanic caves in the Galapagos Islands, Jordan, and the Canary Islands; rock shelters in Portugal and Galicia (Spain); and the exploration of Roman emerald mines in Egypt.

The following is an interview with Dr. Luis Jorda:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

I am passionate about sports and adventure, a passion I inherited from my mother, Mercedes, a great semi-professional tennis player and judoka. As a young man, I practiced karate, climbing, mountaineering, skiing, diving, mountain biking, and motocross. I have competed in mountain races and raids. In 1998, I was selected for the Camel Trophy Raid trials. As I've gotten older, I've had to choose sports; time is limited! So, I've focused mainly on caving, which I've practiced since 1992. I've participated in several international expeditions and collaborated on research projects in the Galapagos Islands, Brazil, Jordan, and of course, Spain.

I forgot to mention that I was born in Mallorca, a Mediterranean island, and that my grandfather, a great open-water swimmer, taught me to dive when I was eight years old. So, the sea has always been a part of my life. In fact, I have a house in Alicante from where I often work remotely and take advantage of the time to go scuba diving and freediving. Lately, I've become interested in archaeology. This year, 2026, is my third year on the Sikait Expedition, which investigates the ancient emerald mines of the Egyptian desert. I've been with my wife for 22 years, and we're a wonderful couple. She accompanies me on many of my trips. In my few free moments, I travel by motorcycle. Since university, I've worked on several cooperation projects, setting up laboratories and training professors and doctoral students in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I love my profession. I've been teaching tunnelling and rock mechanics for seven years and co-directing the geotechnical laboratory at my faculty. I travel extensively throughout Europe thanks to the European Union's Erasmus+ grants, which allow me to share experiences with my colleagues. I supervise five doctoral theses and numerous undergraduate theses.

2. When reviewing manuscripts, what aspects do you typically focus on? (e.g., originality, methodological rigor, logical structure, ethical compliance, etc.)

Let me define myself as a positive person, who always sees the glass half full and finds the good in everything... up to a point, of course. In general, I believe that almost all articles have something to contribute and that it's better to publish them than to leave them unpublished. That's why I place so much emphasis on “helping” to improve the work. I'm more in favor of a thorough revision than a rejection. I focus a lot on the originality of the text and what it has to contribute to the scientific community in general. I look for a coherent thread in the work and for it to come full circle, posing a question and answering it with a conclusion. I like it when future lines of research are indicated.

We live in the age of AI, which, when properly understood, benefits us all. That's why in my reviews I focus more on methodological aspects, tables, and results than on the writing style. The latter is becoming increasingly easier to improve.

3. For young scholars who are just beginning to participate in peer review, what specific advice would you offer?

Let them take their first steps in subjects they are familiar with. Later on, they can contribute their writing experience to topics that aren't necessarily their main area of ​​expertise. Over the years we learn to write and give advice on how to approach research in other fields, but this comes with experience. At the beginning, be very structured with the journal's guidelines and stick to our main topics. Then, with time, we can be somewhat more “philosophical”.

4. Could you please share with us your experience as a reviewer for Geosciences?

Before becoming a reviewer, I was an author for the journal Geosciences. In 2022, I published a research paper with my collaborators on the volcanic caves of the Galapagos Islands. I considered, and still consider, that the journal Geosciences had a beautiful and professional format and was widely disseminated within the scientific community. Afterward, I actively collaborated with the MDPI publishing house, primarily publishing in the journals Applied Sciences and Remote Sensing. Meanwhile, I continued reviewing numerous articles for Geosciences.

Being a reviewer for Geosciences is a very rewarding task. The online portal is extremely user-friendly. Naturally, I don't accept all assignments; I consider my time availability, and it's true that during periods of heavier academic workload, I don't usually get involved. When I do review, I try to do so diligently, without unnecessary delays—quickly but rigorously.

5. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express, or someone to thank most?

I would like to thank the journal Geosciences for awarding me this distinction. I encourage the journal to continue along this fruitful path and to “popularize” access to scientific information through this open online format.