Josep Usall
Dr. Josep Usall i Rodié, has been the Director General of IRTA since July 2018.
He obtained the title of Agricultural Engineer from the UPC in 1991 and joined IRTA as a researcher in 1992. In 1995 he received his doctorate from the UdL. He has been director of the IRTA Post-Harvest Technical Service since 2002 and head of the Post-Harvest program since 2012. The main field of his research has been the development of control strategies for the main post-harvest fruit diseases and of foodborne pathogens in fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables for consumption.
He has participated in 37 research projects, of which 14 as principal investigator and 5 belonging to the European Framework Program, which have resulted in the publication of more than 160 articles in impact journals indexed in the SCI, 18 book chapters and the coll · Collaboration in the edition of 9 books. He has presented more than 150 papers at conferences, including 12 guest presentations. He has conducted research stays at various centers in the USA, Portugal and New Zealand. His interaction with the private sector has led him to participate in more than 20 major contracts with companies and he is the author of 60 articles and three patents. He has been the director of 11 doctoral theses and is a professor of master’s degrees at the UdL. He has also been a member of the editorial board of the journal Postharvest Biology and Technology.
Member of the Permanent Table and Plenary of the National Pact for the Knowledge Society (PN @ SC). Representative of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (DARP) of the Generalitat de Catalunya on the Boards of Trustees of the Institution of Research Centers of Catalonia (iCERCA) and BIOCAT. Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Private Foundation Center for Research in Agri-Food Economics and Development (CREDA), of the Board of Trustees of the UAB Research Park Foundation (PRUAB) and of the Board of Directors of the Agrigenomics Research Center (CRAG).
Albert Morera
Albert Morera has a degree in Business Administration and Management from the UB, a postgraduate degree in auditing and PADE from IESE. He began his professional career as an auditor and consultant in his early years to move to the meat sector more than 20 years ago and developing most of his career at Vall Companys, where today he is the general director of its main division, pork.
José María Bonmatí
Degree in Economics from the UB and in Business Administration and Management from IESE. Vice-president of Alimentaria, he is general director of AECOC, an association that brings together more than 33,000 production and distribution companies.
Dolors Puyol Miró
Born in Vielha in 1965, she completed her university studies at INEFC in Lleida. During this stage she met her husband Jaume Abellana, a veterinarian by profession, and together, taking advantage of the competitiveness and discipline that the sport instilled in her, they founded the company Premier Pigs.
Sara Bover
Degree in Pharmacy and PhD from the Department of Nutrition and Bromatology of the University of Barcelona (2000). Currently responsible for the IRTA Food Security Program in Monells, Girona. His research activity focuses on the study and modeling of the behavior of microorganisms in food and the assessment of microbiological risks, as well as the study of the effect of classical and emerging technologies (eg high pressures, bioconservation, active packaging) to food preservation and shelf life, through predictive microbiology and laboratory tests ("challenge test"). She is the co-author of 70 scientific publications, as well as technical articles and book chapters. He has participated in numerous conferences and competitive research projects, national and international, as well as in contractual research projects with companies in the sector. She regularly contributes as an organizer, speaker or teacher in transfer conferences, seminars, undergraduate and postgraduate university courses, as well as specialized technical training. She is a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Food Microbiology and Secretary of the Executive Board of the International Committee of Food Microbiology and Hygiene (ICFMH).
