José Ramón García Gandía (Aspe, 1963) holds a PhD in Contemporary History (Cum Laude and Special Award) from the University of Alicante (UA, 2016). He is an Expert in Heritage Management (UA, 2005) and head of the Culture Department at Finestrat Town Council. He has directed more than 60 research projects on cultural heritage.

He has collaborated on several academic research projects funded by the Spanish Government. He has taught courses related to innovation and teaching quality at CEFIRE in Alicante, Elda, Elche and Orihuela.

He has been awarded two Manuel Cremades research prizes (Aspe, 2005 and 2010). He has published several books, book chapters and research articles in specialist publishers and journals, and has made several contributions to scientific conferences and congresses.

He has collaborated on the projects La Memoria Recuperada. Víctimas de la Guerra Civil y la Dictadura Franquista en la provincia de Alicante (Recovered Memory: Victims of the Civil War and the Franco Dictatorship in the Province of Alicante) and the Database of Victims of Reprisals by Francoism in the Democracy Archive of the University of Alicante. Organiser and coordinator of the 1st Congress on History and Memory, The National Mint in Aspe, 1938-1939.

His research focuses on the study of contemporary conflicts, international relations and social history between 1900 and the present day.

He has taught and given seminars at the universities of Belgrade (Serbia), Tashkent and Samarkand (Uzbekistan) and Jagielloian in Krakow (Poland).

He is currently a researcher at the Complutense University of Madrid (GIGEFRA) and a lecturer in the Department of Contemporary Humanities at the University of Alicante.