Hi there,

Photography: Julia Galaktionova (@juphola).

I am Francisca Prieto Fernández (Panchita Prieto), a Chilean-Catalan environmental microbiologist, currently finishing my PhD at the University of Oulu, Finland. I love sharing knowledge with society through scientific communication.

“I believe in integrating interdisciplinarity and intersectionality into research”

In parallel with contributions on peer-reviewed scientific articles, I am the author of an illustrated book about a scientific expedition of my PhD Under Extreme Conditions (self-published in 2023 with the support of the research program Biodiverse Anthropocenes). My research work has been presented in different conferences in Finland and abroad. I have also participated in events outside of the university like the presentation of my book. I enjoy creating bridges between the scientific community and the general public and I have helped other researchers to work on their communication skills, like with the workshop From Underground Culture to Academy. I have worked as freelance illustrator and writer for different clients, such as the Oulu Student Magazine, and my visual abstracts have enhanced research plans of European grants applications like the one received by Dr. Katharina Kujala. I am a member of the Catalan Association of Scientific Communication and most of my work is shared through Instagram and Linkedin.

What do others say?

  • Dr. Katharina Kujala

    Senior Researcher, Natural Resources Institute Finland


    As her PhD supervisor, I have worked with Francisca for many years and watched her development as a professional artist with growing admiration. She has this amazing skill to take whatever complex idea I present to her and turn it into a concise and easy-to-understand conceptual drawing.

  • Carolina De la Rosa

    Coordinator of Biodiverse Anthropocenes Research Programme, University of Oulu

    I was thrilled to have Francisca lead the workshop "From Underground Culture to Academy" Her session was a true highlight of the event, inspiring researchers to embrace creativity in science communication. Her ability to blend scientific expertise with artistic storytelling makes complex topics accessible and captivating.

  • Dr. Joaquim Viñes Pujol

    Educador y post-doc por la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona

    Estoy muy orgulloso por todo el crecimiento personal y profesional que está realizando, y admiro profundamente como se propone una meta y lo consigue, alternando tanto su amor por la ciencia como por el arte y el descubrimiento y respeto de nuevas culturas.