Alberto González Talaván joined the GBIF Secretariat as a Training Officer in March 2008. He got a degree in Biological Sciences by the University of Salamanca in Spain and he started post-graduate studies on Botany, specialized on endangered vascular plants and closely related with biodiversity informatics, database design and implementation. He joined the Spanish GBIF node in 2004 as a Projects Coordinator, facilitating the participation in GBIF of Spanish Institutions and projects through advising, training and outreach activities