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The Minister for Research and Universities of the Generalitat of Catalonia and president of the Board of Trustees of the Fundació Catalana Institut de Recerca de l’Aigua (ICRA), Gemma Geis , made an institutional visit to the headquarters of the ICRA last September 16 , in Girona. During the day, he was able to learn about the research and innovation activity of the center through the management and its researchers.
As part of the visit, a meeting took place between Councilor Gemma Geis, the management and research staff of ICRA and members of the UdG. At the meeting, issues such as the global challenges of efficiency and competitiveness, related to the management of water resources in the Mediterranean area and some of the center’s most emblematic projects, aimed at achieving a sustainable use of water, were discussed water through research and innovation.
The director of ICRA, Damià Barceló , expressed his intention to consolidate the Institute as a national and international research center of reference and announced that recognition of ICRA as a Maria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence will be requested, an accreditation that is valid for four years and involves an investment of five hundred thousand euros per year. According to Barceló, this recognition would allow new policies to be applied to consolidate the Institute’s scientific excellence and increase high-impact results. At the same time, ICRA will also continue to opt for European projects. Precisely this month, the center received €1,376,650.92 from the Horizon Europe program to start four projects in the field of water. Damià Barceló also assured that one of his goals is to consolidate the research team with the addition of new researchers and permanent researchers.
Once the meeting was over, the councilor signed the ICRA Book of Honor and a visit began with the research staff to learn about projects and facilities such as the Pilot Plant Laboratory where the treatment is carried out of waste water; the UdG-LEQUIA and ICRA collaboration in membrane recovery technology; the Mass Spectrometry Unit; the Unit of Biological and Molecular Techniques, or the Mesocosmos, a cutting-edge scientific facility in Europe for experimental rivers that will help improve the management of river basins. In addition, during his visit, he had the opportunity to greet Jelena Radjenovic , recent winner of the 2022 National Young Talent Research Award.
The rector of the University of Girona (UdG) was present at the meeting with Councilor Gemma Geis, Quim Salvi ; the Director General of Research, Joan Gómez ; the vice-rector of Research and Transfer of the UdG, Maria Pla de Solà Morales ; the CACB manager and president of the Business and Social Council of ICRA, Jordi Agustí ; the director of ICRA, Damià Barceló and the deputy director, Sergi Sabater ; the researcher of the Quality Area, Maria José Farré ; the head of the Technology and Evaluation Area, Maite Pijuan ; the head of Resources and Ecosystems, Vicenç Acuña ; the ICREA researcher from the Technology and Evaluation Area of the ICRA, Jelena Radjenovic , and the manager of the ICRA, Ivan Sánchez .
