The director of the GIA, Juan Manuel Afonso López, has been recognised for his role in the organisation of the 19th National Aquaculture Congress, while Professor Marisol Izquierdo, also a member of this research group, has been recognised for her valuable contribution to the creation and growth of the institute
The researchers Juan Manuel Afonso López and Marisol Izquierdo from the Institute for Research in Sustainable Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (ECOAQUA) of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), have been recognised by the Auditorio Teatro de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Foundation, through the Canary Islands Conference Centre, ‘Un Palacio al Conocimiento’, in the event entitled ‘The Heart of your Project’, for their work and contribution to the institute and to global scientific knowledge.
At an event held last Thursday evening, 19 December, in the Jerónimo Saavedra Hall of the Canary Islands Conference Centre, which was also attended by the director of ECOAQUA, Ricardo Haroun, these awards were presented to Afonso López, for his role as organiser of the 19th National Aquaculture Congress (19th CNA), held last June, and to Izquierdo for his valuable contribution to the creation and growth of the ECOAQUA institute.
These awards recognise the excellence and commitment of the local scientific community to make Gran Canaria the epicentre of the avant-garde and innovation in the fields of science and technology.
The 19th National Aquaculture Congress, organised by the Spanish Aquaculture Society, in collaboration with the Aquaculture Research Group (GIA) of ECOAQUA, a group directed by Afonso López, brought together, between 17 and 19 June in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in the capital of Gran Canaria, more than 200 researchers and experts who took part in the working sessions, papers and posters that focused on areas such as food, nutrition, welfare, sustainability, pathology, economics, genetic improvement and engineering and technology in aquaculture.
During this scientific event, researchers publicly presented the results of their studies in relevant areas of research in the field of aquaculture through the presentation of scientific posters.
As a result of this congress, the prestigious scientific journal Aquaculture (Elsevier) awarded, for the first time in the history of Spanish aquaculture, a special volume to publish the best scientific papers presented at the event held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in recognition of the contribution to science of the national researchers who, through their work, have made it possible for aquatic foodstuffs such as sea bream, sea bass, sole, sea bass and turbot, among others, to be available today.
The 19th CNA closed with another of the researchers awarded at the event held at the Palacio de Congresos de Canarias, Professor Marisol Izquierdo, also a member of the GIA, who gave a master conference on nutrition and its relevance in aquaculture.
Izquierdo played a crucial role in the impulse and development of the ECOAQUA institute since, in 1990, she promoted the structuring of a group, under the same umbrella, of all the activity of the researchers who carried out work related to aquaculture and who were distributed in different areas of the ULPGC.
The professor has produced more than 200 scientific papers and almost 100 research projects at the highest international level. In addition, her work has been key in scientific policy, obtaining new sources of funding and increasing the level of R&D at the ULPGC.