Starting in 1984, she participated in the Organization of Research in Antarctica and assisted with the installation of the Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base on Livingston Island, of which she was the lead oceanographer from 1989 to 1997, replacing Antoni Ballester [ca].

Ultimately, they completed their basic studies at the Institute Monsterrat, in the neighborhood of Sant Gervasi, where Josefina prepared to enter university.

By 1960, when she specialized and received her PhD in oceanography at the age of 25, she participated in her first oceanographic expeditions on French ships and taught at the Sorbonne.

Also starting that year, she began work at the Institute of Marine Sciences as Council Superior of Scientific Research, where she would later assume the role of director from 1994 to 1995 whilst also being a delegate to Catalonia.

First, by experimenting in the laboratory, since at that time Spain lacked oceanographic vessels and bathyscaphes with which to feasibly and directly explore the seas.

In 1995, after living a few years in Madrid, where she had commissioned the National Research Program Antarctica, Josefina Castellví returned to Barcelona to lead the Institute of Marine Sciences of the CSIC.

[13] On 5 March 2015 she received the August Pi i Sunyer Medal from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona, in commemoration of International Women's Day.

In spite of her retirement in 2000 Josefina Castellví remains active; to this day she continues to collaborate with the Advisory Council for the Sustainable Development of the Presidential Department of the Generalitat of Catalonia.

"The difficult part is to receive first prize", here she quoted the scientist Ramon Margalef, "because others come such as mimetic actions.” Of all the awards that she has, Josefina especially values two: the Gold Medal of the Generalitat of Catalonia (1994) and the Creu de Sant Jordi (2003), because they represent the homage of her city and country.

That is why, when I met Josefina Castellví - It sounds like almost everyone - I immediately recognized a familiar landscape, with strong women and great fighters, who knew how to cope with many passions against many obstacles that life mounted against them in a very difficult time and world.

"[20] Synopsis: In 1986, four Catalan scientists Agustí Julià, Joan Rovira, Josefina Castellví and Antoni Ballester managed to reach Antarctica with the project of planting their tent on Deception Island to force the Spanish state to join the Antarctic Treaty, which would eventually happen in 1988, and lay a foundation.

The leader of the expedition, Dr. Antoni Ballester, would end up suffering a stroke that led Josefina Castellví to take over and run the small facility at a time when resources were quite limited for the Antarctic program.

After retiring, she devotes her time to lace bobbin and gardening, her two passions today, but the photos hanging on the wall of her house and her collection of miniature penguins ensure the memory of her greatest adventure.

[7] The August Pi i Sunyer Medal was instituted by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona in March 1983, in memory of one of its most outstanding professors and researchers.

The first person to receive the medal was the ecologist Ramon Margalef, followed by the ophthalmologist Joaquín Barraquer, the cardiologist Valentín Fuster and the primatologist Jordi Sabater Pi among others.

Her passion for the study of bacteria in extreme environments led her to take an interest in Antarctica and, in 1984, she became the first Spanish woman to participate in an international expedition to those icy lands.

Later, she was manager of the National Antarctic Research Program (CICYT) at the state level, responsible for coordinating international scientific projects developed in that territory.