Staff

PhD in Prehistory with European Mention in co-tutoring between the Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona, Spain) and Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN) (Paris, France) in 2009.

In 2010 I began my postdoctoral research at the UMR7194 - Department of Prehistory with a postdoctoral research contract of the MNHN in Paris (France) during 6 months. In December 2010 I was awarded with a postdoctoral fellowship from the Juan de la Cierva SubProgram (Ref. JCI-2010-07863) between IPHES and the UMR7194 – Department of Prehistory, MNHN until December 2013. In 2014 and 2015 I had an ATER (Attaché Temporaire de Recherche et Enseignement) research contract at UMR7194 – HNHP– Department of Prehistory, MNHN of Paris and from October 2015 I work as researcher and also I am in charge of the coordination of the scientific and technical services at IPHES. I am also associated researcher at the UMR7194 - HNHP Department of Prehistory, MNHN (chacon@mnhn.fr – http://hnhp.cnrs.fr/).

My particular interests are the Middle Palaeolithic stone tools productions (raw materials, knapping processes, refits and spatial pattern analysis…) through the reconstruction of the technological behaviors and the social dynamics of Neanderthals populations. My research focuses on:

• Technological behaviors during Middle Palaeolithic in southwestern Europe
• Spatial organization and social structure of Middle Paleolithic human populations 
• High-resolution research and dissection of archaeological palimpsests
• 3D morphometric analysis on stone tool technology and tool function
• Experimental archaeology

Since 2009 I also worked about the Pleistocene sites occupation in the Ain Béni Methar – Guéfait regions (Eastern Morocco), mainly focused on the reconstruction of the technological behaviors, spatial organization and territory management during the Middle Paleolithic/Middle Stone Age.

This research activity has resulted by the moment in 55 publications, including 13 in international journals with impact factor SCI, 11 in journals with peer reviewers and 31 in book chapters, congress proceedings and others. I also have been reviewer for several national and international journals (e.g. Quaternary International, Journal of Lithic Studies, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences). I have participated in national and international conferences with 47 oral communications and 15 posters. I also participated in the organizing committee of different international workshops: The Neanderthal Home: Spatial and Social Behaviors (Tarragona, 2010), XVII UISPP Congress (Burgos, 2014) and European Acheuleans Conference (Paris, 2014), and as Guest Editor of their publications in international journals with impact factor.

My teaching activities are carried out in the framework of the European Master in Quaternary and Prehistory, offered by the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle of Paris. I supervised 8 master theses and two PhD theses. The current academic year I co-supervise 2 master theses.

Current projects

- «Abric Romaní-Cingles del Capelló, Capellades (Barcelona, Spain) ». Ref. 2014/100576. Departament de Cultura. Generalitat de Catalunya (PI: Eudald Carbonell).

- Compartint l'espai: l'interacció entre hominids i carnivors al nord-est peninsular. Ref. 2014/100573. Departament de Cultura. Generalitat de Catalunya (PI: Jordi Rosell)

- Grup d'anàlisis de processos socioecològics, canvis culturals i dinàmiques de població a la Prehistòria (GAPS). Ref. 2014-SGR-900. Grup de Recerca Consolidat (GRC). AGAUR, Generalitat de Catalunya (PI: Manuel Vaquero).

- Coordinated Research Project “Face to face: Study of Neanderthal behavior in high resolution contexts", MINECO, Ref. HAR2013-48784-C3-1-P. (PI IPHES: Florent Rivals & Manuel Vaquero, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM): Javier Baena, Universitat de Girona (UdG): Julià Maroto & Narcís Soler)

- Projet Collectif de Recherches "Entre plaines et montagnes: espaces de subsistance et expressions culturelles au Paléolithique moyen dans le Massif central (Auvergne-Ardèche)" Régions Auvergne et Rhône-Alpes. (PI Marie-Hélène Moncel & Jean Paul Raynal).

- Ocupación Humana De La Zona Oriental De Marruecos Durante El Pleistoceno: Identificación, Valorización Y Catalogación De Los Yacimientos De La Cuenca De Ain Béni Methar – Guéfait. IPHES & Faculté de Sciences, Université Mohamed I d’Oujda (Co-PI with Robert Sala and Hassan Aouraghe).

- Primeras ocupaciones humanas en el Pleistoceno Inferior de la Cuenca Guadix-Baza (Granada, España). Ref.: PD. 2387/2012, Consejería de Cultura de la Junta de Andalucía. (PI Robert Sala)

- Projet Collectif de Recherches « Des Traces et des Hommes » projet interdisciplinaire sur l’identification des modalités d’acquisition et de traitement des matières végétales et animales au Paléolithique moyen en Europe occidentale. PCR (Programme 3). SRAM - Service Régional de l’Archéologie de Midi-Pyrénées (PI: Céline Thiébaut - UMR 6636) http://traces-et-hommes.revolublog.com/.