Alejandro Orfila, new director of IMEDEA

The Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB) begins a new chapter with the appointment of Dr. Alejandro Orfila Förster as its new director, who officially took office on Friday, May 16th, 2025. A CSIC research scientist at IMEDEA, Alejandro holds a PhD in Physics and is an expert in fluid dynamics, with an outstanding track record in the study of coastal processes, numerical modeling, and climate change.

With strong experience in scientific management and the leadership of national and international projects, his appointment strengthens IMEDEA’s commitment to research excellence, knowledge transfer, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of environmental sciences.

Orfila succeeds Gotzon Basterretxea Oyarzabal, who has led IMEDEA in recent years, leaving behind a valuable legacy of scientific advancement and institutional consolidation.

His appointment coincides with the celebration of IMEDEA’s 30th anniversary, an important milestone that serves both to reflect on the path taken since its founding in 1995 and to envision the scientific and social challenges that will shape the institute’s future.

IMEDEA is a joint institute of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), located in Esporles, Mallorca.

It stands as a leading center for research on natural systems, particularly in the Mediterranean region, supported by its designation as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence since 2023.

“Taking on the directorship of IMEDEA is a great responsibility and an honor; the challenge lies in maintaining the level of excellence and scientific impact the institute has achieved over the years,” stated Alejandro Orfila Förster, the new director of IMEDEA.