Roberto Bustillo holds a PhD in Law from the University of Cantabria and has held teaching and research positions at the Universities of Cantabria (1992-2003), La Rioja (2003-2004) and at the Ourense campus of the University of Vigo (since 2004), where he is currently Uniuversity Professor of Administrative Law. He has carried out postdoctoral research stays at the Sorbonne in Paris, at the University of Florence and at the Free University of Berlin.

His main lines of legal research are the extrajudicial resolution of conflicts, administrative organization and the environment and, within the latter, the jurisprudential concept of sustainability, water resources and landscape.

His academic work applied to the dissemination of legal knowledge was recognized when he received, as Director of the academic journal Revista de Derecho, Agua y Sostenibilidad (REDAS), in 2017, the second prize in the "Scientific Dissemination" category in the Research, Transfer, Educational Innovation and Scientific Dissemination Awards of the Campus da Agua (University of Vigo).

Among his outstanding bibliographic contributions include:

• BUSTILLO BOLADO, R. (2021): Régimen jurídico del paisaje: concepto, marco normativo, intervención administrativa y función social, Aranzadi, Cizur Menor (Navarra)
• BUSTILLO BOLADO, R./GÓMEZ MANRESA, Mª F. (coords) (2014), Desarrollo sostenible: análisis de jurisprudencia y políticas públicas, Ed. Aranzadi, Cizur Menor (Navarra), ISBN: 978-84-9059-720-0.
• BUSTILLO BOLADO, R./MENÉNDEZ SEBASTIÁN, E. (2005): Desarrollo rural y gestión sostenible del monte, Ed. Iustel, Madrid. ISBN 84-96440-30-3
• BUSTILLO BOLADO, R. (2001-2010): Convenios y contratos administrativos: transacción, arbitraje y terminación convencional del procedimiento administrativo, Ed. Aranzadi, Cizur Menor (Navarra): 1ª ed. 2001 (ISBN: 84-8410-676-4); 2ª ed. 2004 (revisada y actualizada - ISBN: 84-9767-787-0); 3ª ed. 2010 (revisada y actualizada - ISBN: 978-84-9903-719-6).
• BUSTILLO BOLADO R./CUERNO LLATA, J.R. (1996-2001): Los convenios urbanísticos entre las Administraciones Locales y los particulares, Ed. Aranzadi, Cizur Menor (Navarra): 1ª ed. 1996 (ISBN: 84-8193-316-3); 2ª ed. 1997 (revisada y actualizada - ISBN: 84-8193-479-8); 3ª ed. 2001 (revisada y actualizada- ISBN: 84-8410-711-6)
• BUSTILLO BOLADO, Roberto O./MOVILLA PATEIRO, Laura (2019): “Proof of sufficient water resources as a prerequisite for the authorization of new urban developments: the Spanish model”, Water International VOL 44, NO 3, pp. 292-301. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2018.1542261
• BUSTILLO BOLADO, Roberto O. (2024), “Política de aguas y planeamiento urbanístico”, Revista Catalana de Dret Public núm. 68, pp. 41-58, https://doi.org/10.58992/rcdp.i68.2024.4239