Jordi Torra, new director of the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IECC)
Last July, Jordi Torra, professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Barcelona, was appointed director of the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), affiliated centre with the University of Barcelona. Torraʼs main objectives are to promote the capabilities of IEEC research groups and to favour synergies, as well as to give more visibility to the institute as leading research centre on astronomical and space sciences in Catalonia and abroad.
Last July, Jordi Torra, professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Barcelona, was appointed director of the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), affiliated centre with the University of Barcelona. Torraʼs main objectives are to promote the capabilities of IEEC research groups and to favour synergies, as well as to give more visibility to the institute as leading research centre on astronomical and space sciences in Catalonia and abroad.
Jordi Torra got his PhD in Physics at the University of Barcelonan in 1984. He is professor in the Department of Astronomy and Meteorology and member of the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB), one of the research centres included in IEEC. Torra has led several research projects and published more than one hundred papers. Moreover, he heads the Spanish group that participates in the Gaia mission of the European Space Agency. Jordi Torra has been manager of the Area of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National Research Plan, member of the Council of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and he takes part in the European Space Sciences Committee.
The Institute of Space Sciences of Catalonia
IEEC is a research centre founded in collaboration with the University of Barcelona, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) with the objective of creating a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional institute devoted to space research and their applications. It gathers more than two hundred researchers and engineers.
It is composed by four units: the Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB), the Centre for Space Studies and Research (CEREs-UAB), the Space Science and Technology Research Group (CTE-CRAE-UPC) and the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC). Besides, IEEC manages the Montsec Astronomical Observatory.
Jordi Torra replaces Jordi Isern, CSIC researcher and present director of ICE-CSIC, who had led IEEC since its foundation in 1996.