Domènec Espriu, new director of the ICCUB

The Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) is pleased to announce that Domènec Espriu has been appointed as its new director. He will be joined on the executive board by Bruno Juliá as deputy director and Nadejda Blagorodnova as secretary, reinforcing the institute’s leadership team.

Espriu succeeds Xavier Luri Carrascoso, who directed ICCUB from 2018 to 2025 and recently assumed the directorship of the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC). During the transition period, Atilà Herms served as interim director.
 

About the new director

Domènec Espriu is a full professor of theoretical physics at the University of Barcelona. He earned his PhD in Physics at UB and has developed a distinguished career in theoretical particle physics. His work has contributed to the understanding of chiral Lagrangians, low-energy QCD, and collider physics at LEP and LHC, among other topics. Beyond academia, Espriu served as Director of Spain’s State Research Agency (Agencia Estatal de Investigación) from 2022 to 2024, overseeing national R&D funding and policy.

Espriu’s extensive academic and leadership experience will strengthen ICCUB’s international collaborations, foster interdisciplinary research, and guide the institute in addressing the scientific challenges of the coming years.

Our thanks to Xavier Luri

Xavier Luri directed ICCUB from 2018 to 2025. A specialist in space missions and data analysis, Luri is a key contributor to the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission, which is mapping over a billion stars in our galaxy.

Under his leadership, ICCUB expanded its international partnerships, strengthened its visibility in European research networks, and fostered a new generation of scientists. His tenure was marked by a commitment to excellence and innovation, with the institute winning two consecutive Maria de Maeztu excellence awards that have positioned ICCUB as a reference center in particle physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics.

“Directing ICCUB has been a privilege”, says Xavier Luri. “I am proud of the progress we achieved together, and I am particularly happy of the many synergies that have aroused during my mandate between the different research areas of the institute. I am confident that under Domènec’s leadership, ICCUB will continue to thrive and meet the challenges ahead.”

Now, as he takes on the directorship of the IEEC, Luri passes the baton to Domènec Espriu, entrusting him with the responsibility of guiding ICCUB through new scientific challenges.

Supporting Espriu in his new role is Professor Bruno Juliá, deputy director of ICCUB. Bruno is a full professor in the Department of Quantum Physics and Astrophysics at UB, with a PhD from the University of Salamanca (2003). His research focuses on quantum simulators, ultracold atomic gases, and many-body quantum physics, with applications in quantum technologies and communications.

Nadejda Blagorodnova joins the ICCUB executive team as Scientific Secretary, bringing extensive academic expertise and leadership experience in international collaborations. She earned her PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Cambridge and has held research positions at Caltech and the University of Liverpool before joining ICCUB. Currently a researcher at ICCUB-IEEC, she leads studies on stellar mergers and transient phenomena, contributing to major projects such as BlackGEM and Gaia. In her new role, she will play a key part in strengthening the institute’s governance and fostering collaboration across research teams.

“It is an honor to lead ICCUB at such a pivotal time”, says Domènec Espriu. “Our mission is to deepen our understanding of the physical world fostering innovation in astrophysics, particle physics and cosmology. I look forward to working with our outstanding researchers to strengthen ICCUB’s role on the global stage.”