In 2024, Carlos Tornero was appointed as a full member of the Young Academy of Spain and promoted to professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, marking important milestones for the READ project’s Principal Investigator.
The past year has brought significant recognition to Dr. Carlos Tornero, Principal Investigator of the ERC Consolidator Grant READ (Revealing Earliest Animal Domestication in the Fertile Crescent).
In June 2024, he was elected as a full member (Académico de número) of the Academia Joven de España. Chosen from among more than 140 candidates by an independent international committee, this appointment reflects both the excellence of his academic trajectory and his commitment to advancing research across disciplinary boundaries. The Academia Joven de España brings together outstanding early- and mid-career scholars from across the country, with a mission to promote scientific dialogue and innovation.
In parallel, Dr. Tornero was formally recognized as a professor of Prehistory at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), consolidating his academic career at the institution where READ is based. This step highlights his ongoing role in teaching, mentoring, and research leadership at UAB.
These milestones come in addition to the ERC Consolidator Grant awarded to Dr. Tornero in 2023, which made possible the launch of the READ project in January 2024. Together, they underscore the international recognition of his contributions to archaeology, zooarchaeology, and biogeochemical research.
For the READ project, these honors strengthen its visibility and impact within the wider research community, ensuring that our work on the origins of animal domestication reaches not only scientific audiences but also broader academic and public spheres.
Stay tuned here on the READ website for more updates on our research, events, and outreach activities — and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and X (Twitter) for real-time news from the project.
(For more details, see the official UAB news release)

Latest news
ERC-READ Researchers Share Insights on Sheep Domestication at JIA 2024
Highlights from the team’s presentations on experimental herds, tooth enamel chemistry, and...
Shaping the Herd: Early Evidence of Caprine Management at Tell Halula
At the ASWA 2025 meeting in Munich, Roger Alcàntara Fors presented new insights into early goat...
Rethinking Animal Domestication at Abu Hureyra: 50 Years Later
On 30 April 2025, Dr. Carlos Tornero revisited the landmark excavations at Abu Hureyra, Syria, and...
Public Lecture: Exploring the Origins of Animal Domestication in the Near East
On 6 March 2024, Dr. Carlos Tornero presented the latest insights from the ERC READ project at the...
Welcome to the ERC READ Project Website
Exploring the earliest steps of animal domestication through innovative biogeochemical research in...
ERC Consolidator Grant Awarded to Launch the READ Project
The European Research Council has awarded nearly €2 million to Dr. Carlos Tornero (UAB) to lead...
