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).
