Juan José Borrás, new director of the University of Valencia Science Park

08/06/2020

Juan José Borrás, Full Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Valencia, has been appointed new Director of the Universitat de València Science Park. He replaces Juan Antonio Raga, Full Professor of Zoology, who has been at the helm of the Park since its creation in 2009. Today the Principal informed the University of Valencia Science Park Foundation's Board of Trustees of this appointment and new director joined at the meeting held.

The Board of Trustees of the Universitat de València Science Park Foundation (FPCUV) met on Monday 8 June by videoconference to discuss, among other issues, the approval of the annual accounts of this management structure of the business area of the University of Valencia Science Park (PCUV).

Created in 2009, the PCUV is an innovative ecosystem articulated into two areas: the scientific-academic area, dedicated to the generation of knowledge and made up of the Universitat's research institutes, and the business area, which, a space for the generation, development and consolidation of innovative companies with an intensive scientific and technological base in knowledge and innovation, as well as for cooperation with organisations from the productive fabric that base their activity on collaboration programmes with the Universitat.

At this ordinary meeting of the FPCUV Board of Trustees, Juan José Borrás has joined as the new director of the University of Valencia Science Park, by resolution of its principal and president of the Foundation, Mª Vicenta Mestre. Juan José replaces Juan Antonio Raga, Full Professor of Zoology and director of the Science Park since its creation in 2009.

Professor Raga had asked the rector, at the end of 2019, for his replacement as head of the PCUV in order to be able to return to his academic activity. The Principal, Mª Vicenta Mestre, thanked Juan Antonio Raga for his work since the creation of the Science Park, and described him as "a key person in the current configuration of the Park since its birth". The Principal highlighted the institutional vision of the person who has led the development of the Science Park for more than ten years, emphasising 'his management capacity and ability to attract talent in order to establish alliances between universities and companies to create new strategic sectors'.

Since the Science Park was created over ten years ago, Juan Antonio Raga has led the process of developing its functional structures, expanding them and implementing the various programmes to support nascent industry in cutting-edge, knowledge-intensive sectors, which are necessary to contribute, from the University of Valencia, to a change in the growth model of the Valencian economy, which is inclusive, sustainable and intelligent.

Today, the PCUV is a multi-disciplinary innovation ecosystem, in line with the diversity of the University's areas of knowledge. It has more than 90 installed companies that carry out their activities, mainly in the biotechnology, medicine and health sectors, as well as in Information and Communication Technologies.

In addition, Juan Antonio Raga was the driving force behind Expociencia, the University of Valencia's science and innovation dissemination fair, which makes knowledge, activities and basic principles of science available to the public, especially to children, from a recreational perspective, but with all the rigour that characterises the UV. Formulated as an open day for the family, the entire University of Valencia participates in its workshops, activities and experiments, with a wide network of collaborators.

The new director of the University of Valencia Science Park, Juan José Borrás, is Full Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, and has focused his research activity on the area of Molecular Magnetism, specifically on the modeling of low magnetic dimensional systems and mixed valence systems. As a researcher, he has participated in more than 30 projects and has been recognized for four six-year periods of research. In his teaching career, recognized with five five-year terms, he has received several prizes and awards and has been involved in emblematic programs such as La Nau Gran, Unimajors and the Chemistry Olympics, of which he is the coordinator.

Aware of the relationship between companies and the university, he has coordinated the exchange and internship programmes of the Faculty of Chemistry, of which he was vice-principal, and has been coordinator of the training area of OPAL, the predecessor structure of the UVempleo programme.

Until his appointment as director of the PCUV, Juan José Borrás was director of the Central Service for Experimental Research (SCSIE), the university service that provides centralized scientific and technical services to both the university community and society.