The Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A) of the University of Zaragoza has elected Jesús Arauzo Pérez as its new director, in a vote held on 22 September, in which he obtained 90 votes in favour, 3 against and one blank.
Jesús Arauzo fwas co-founder of the I3A 21 years ago and during this time has been secretary and deputy director at different stages. He is head of the research group on Thermochemical Processes (GPT).
He combines his scientific career with teaching. He is Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Zaragoza, where he is part of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technologies at the School of Engineering and Architecture (EINA).
From the academic point of view, he has been deputy director of the CPS (1993-1996); head of the International Student Exchange Programme (Erasmus-Socrates) for Chemical Engineering (1996-2000), secretary and director of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technologies in different periods (1987-2000); director of the OTRI-Unizar (2004-08) and deputy coordinator of the Chemical Technology Area ANEP (2003-07) and manager of the Energy area of the SGPI (MINECO) (2009-13). To date, he was chairman of the Energy and Transport panel of the Scientific and Technical Coordination, Evaluation and Monitoring Division of the State Research Agency.
His research is related to the thermochemical conversion of biomass and industrial waste, where he has directed 40 research projects. He has co-authored 117 articles in international journals and approximately 270 papers at conferences and seminars. He has co-directed 12 doctoral theses.
He has developed gasification/pyrolysis plant projects for private companies. These include Cadagua, Abengoa, Taim-Weser, Urbaser and Air Products. He is co-inventor on 10 patents, 8 of them PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty), and transferred to companies.
He was an advisor to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for five years on the industrial programme for H2 production with simultaneous CO2 capture. He also held the position of director of the Chemical Processes Technology Area at Abengoa Research (2013-2015).
In 2004, he was awarded the 3M Foundation Prize for Technological Innovation and in 2005 the IDEA -CEEI Prize for the creation of Technology-Based Companies (EBT).
The proclamation of Jesús Arauzo Pérez is final after no complaints were received within the established time limit.
