The Director of the Spanish State Research Agency explores CiTIUS’ research, innovation and knowledge transfer model during his visit to the centre
José Manuel Fernández de Labastida, Head of the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI), gained first-hand insight into CiTIUS’ scientific strategy, its ability to attract research talent, and several initiatives that reflect the centre’s commitment to research excellence, knowledge transfer and innovation.
The Director of the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI), José Manuel Fernández de Labastida, visited CiTIUS on Wednesday accompanied by members of the Agency, together with representatives of the Regional Government of Galicia and the University of Santiago de Compostela. The institutional visit focused on the centre’s scientific activity, its strategy for attracting research talent and its participation in competitive national and international research programmes.
The delegation explored some of CiTIUS’ flagship initiatives directly from the researchers leading them and toured several areas of the centre, including its Robotics and Virtual Reality laboratories
The delegation included, among others, Gonzalo Arévalo, Adviser to the Directorate of the AEI; Irene Bonome Gradaílle, Deputy Director General for the Promotion of Scientific and Technological Research at the Regional Government of Galicia; and Almudena Hospido, Vice-Rector for Innovation at the University of Santiago de Compostela. They were welcomed by CiTIUS Scientific Director Senén Barro and Deputy Director Paula López.
Throughout the visit, the CiTIUS leadership highlighted the centre’s intensive research activity in intelligent technologies. CiTIUS, a research centre at the University of Santiago de Compostela co-funded by the European Union through the Galicia ERDF Programme 2021–2027, combines research excellence, talent attraction, knowledge transfer and innovation to address some of today's most important scientific and technological challenges.
Research excellence, talent and knowledge transfer
The first part of the visit was devoted to an overview of CiTIUS’ evolution as one of the University of Santiago de Compostela’s Singular Research Centres. Senén Barro presented the centre’s main research areas, highlighted some of the milestones that have shaped its development in recent years, and reviewed its sustained growth in both research capacity and participation in highly competitive national and international funding programmes.
During his presentation, the Scientific Director emphasised that Galicia is becoming an increasingly attractive environment for scientific research and noted that the University of Santiago de Compostela continues to strengthen its position as a major hub for attracting research talent.
“Galicia is becoming increasingly attractive for science, and the University of Santiago de Compostela is consolidating its position as an important hub for attracting research talent.”
Next, Paula López introduced energHius, the latest spin-off company created at CiTIUS following more than a decade of research in microelectronics and integrated circuit design. In addition to outlining the scientific and technological journey behind the company's creation, she presented the centre’s capabilities in this strategic field and its potential to transform research outcomes into impactful innovation.
Strategic projects
The visit continued with presentations of two of the research projects currently led by CiTIUS, delivered directly by the researchers responsible for each initiative.
Researcher Pablo Gamallo presented HYBRIDS, the European Doctoral Network devoted to developing hybrid intelligence approaches to monitor, promote and analyse transformations in democratic good practices, for which he serves as Scientific Coordinator.
Meanwhile, Antonio García Loureiro presented the objectives and latest developments of RePowerSiC, a pioneering project funded through the highly competitive EIC Pathfinder programme. Led from CiTIUS together with researcher Natalia Seoane, the project aims to develop high-efficiency, high-power silicon carbide-based laser power transmission systems for space applications.
The presentations led to an engaging exchange with the Director of the Spanish State Research Agency, who showed particular interest in both initiatives, their scientific scope and the technological challenges they address.
Following the presentations, the delegation toured CiTIUS’ facilities to gain first-hand insight into several of the spaces where the centre’s research activities are carried out.
Scientific capabilities and technological challenges
The visit concluded in the Robotics and Virtual Reality laboratories, where the guests explored some of CiTIUS’ scientific and technological infrastructures and attended several demonstrations conducted by the research staff.
The tour provided the Director of the Spanish State Research Agency with first-hand insight into CiTIUS’ scientific model, built upon the combination of research excellence, talent attraction, knowledge transfer and technological innovation, and embodied in competitive research projects, technology-based entrepreneurship initiatives and state-of-the-art scientific infrastructures.
The Director of the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI), José Manuel Fernández de Labastida, visited CiTIUS on Wednesday accompanied by members of the Agency, together with representatives of the Regional Government of Galicia and the University of Santiago de Compostela. The institutional visit focused on the centre’s scientific activity, its strategy for attracting research talent and its participation in competitive national and international research programmes.
The delegation explored some of CiTIUS’ flagship initiatives directly from the researchers leading them and toured several areas of the centre, including its Robotics and Virtual Reality laboratories
The delegation included, among others, Gonzalo Arévalo, Adviser to the Directorate of the AEI; Irene Bonome Gradaílle, Deputy Director General for the Promotion of Scientific and Technological Research at the Regional Government of Galicia; and Almudena Hospido, Vice-Rector for Innovation at the University of Santiago de Compostela. They were welcomed by CiTIUS Scientific Director Senén Barro and Deputy Director Paula López.
Throughout the visit, the CiTIUS leadership highlighted the centre’s intensive research activity in intelligent technologies. CiTIUS, a research centre at the University of Santiago de Compostela co-funded by the European Union through the Galicia ERDF Programme 2021–2027, combines research excellence, talent attraction, knowledge transfer and innovation to address some of today's most important scientific and technological challenges.
Research excellence, talent and knowledge transfer
The first part of the visit was devoted to an overview of CiTIUS’ evolution as one of the University of Santiago de Compostela’s Singular Research Centres. Senén Barro presented the centre’s main research areas, highlighted some of the milestones that have shaped its development in recent years, and reviewed its sustained growth in both research capacity and participation in highly competitive national and international funding programmes.
During his presentation, the Scientific Director emphasised that Galicia is becoming an increasingly attractive environment for scientific research and noted that the University of Santiago de Compostela continues to strengthen its position as a major hub for attracting research talent.
“Galicia is becoming increasingly attractive for science, and the University of Santiago de Compostela is consolidating its position as an important hub for attracting research talent.”
Next, Paula López introduced energHius, the latest spin-off company created at CiTIUS following more than a decade of research in microelectronics and integrated circuit design. In addition to outlining the scientific and technological journey behind the company's creation, she presented the centre’s capabilities in this strategic field and its potential to transform research outcomes into impactful innovation.
Strategic projects
The visit continued with presentations of two of the research projects currently led by CiTIUS, delivered directly by the researchers responsible for each initiative.
Researcher Pablo Gamallo presented HYBRIDS, the European Doctoral Network devoted to developing hybrid intelligence approaches to monitor, promote and analyse transformations in democratic good practices, for which he serves as Scientific Coordinator.
Meanwhile, Antonio García Loureiro presented the objectives and latest developments of RePowerSiC, a pioneering project funded through the highly competitive EIC Pathfinder programme. Led from CiTIUS together with researcher Natalia Seoane, the project aims to develop high-efficiency, high-power silicon carbide-based laser power transmission systems for space applications.
The presentations led to an engaging exchange with the Director of the Spanish State Research Agency, who showed particular interest in both initiatives, their scientific scope and the technological challenges they address.
Following the presentations, the delegation toured CiTIUS’ facilities to gain first-hand insight into several of the spaces where the centre’s research activities are carried out.
Scientific capabilities and technological challenges
The visit concluded in the Robotics and Virtual Reality laboratories, where the guests explored some of CiTIUS’ scientific and technological infrastructures and attended several demonstrations conducted by the research staff.
The tour provided the Director of the Spanish State Research Agency with first-hand insight into CiTIUS’ scientific model, built upon the combination of research excellence, talent attraction, knowledge transfer and technological innovation, and embodied in competitive research projects, technology-based entrepreneurship initiatives and state-of-the-art scientific infrastructures.