Juan Ruiz Alzola is Professor of Image Technologies, area of ​​knowledge of Signal Theory and Communications, at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), where he is a member of the Department of Signals and Communications, of the School of Telecommunications and Electronics Engineering (EITE) and the University Institute of Biomedical and Health Research (IUIBS). He is also an affiliated researcher at the Instituto Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), where he directs the medical technology program. He is also Counselor and Vice President of the Grand Telescope of the Canary Islands, the largest optical and infrared telescope in the world, Director of the Advanced Technologies Service for Smart Specialization of the Canary Islands, of the Foundation of the Scientific and Technological Park (FPCT) of the ULPGC, and Director of the Group of Medical and Audiovisual Technology (GTMA) of the University Institute for Biomedical and Health Research (IUIBS) of the ULPGC. Currently he coordinates the European project MACbioIDi, of the INTERREG MAC program, with 31 partners in the Canary Islands, Madiera, Azores, peninsular Spain, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Senegal and the USA.

Professor Ruiz Alzola is a person who is passionate about science, technology and innovation, as well as its application to sustainable economic growth, to the creation of quality employment and in general terms to the improvement of the well-being of humanity. The application of such concepts in the Canary Islands is part of their vital commitment.

Juan Ruiz Alzola is a telecommunications engineer (UPM, 1992), a doctor of telecommunications engineering (UPM, 1998), and has a university degree in Law (UOC, 2017). His second language is English (level C2 – Certificate of Proficiency in English, 2014). In November 1992, he joined the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), of which he is Professor in the area of ​​knowledge of Signal Theory and Communications. He has taught within that area of ​​knowledge at the ULPGC Telecommunication Engineering Schools. It has three officially recognized six-year terms of investigation. He has directed multiple European, national and regional research projects, five doctoral theses, several end-of-degree projects and is the author of more than one hundred scientific publications. He completed a post-doc, awarded a scholarship by the then Ministry of Education and Science, in the Surgical Planning Laboratory (SPL) of the Hospital and Brigham & Women’s and Harvard University (1999-2000), to which he remained linked as Visiting Professor until his incorporation, as Director of Research and Technology, at the Canary Islands Technological Institute (2004-2007).

From July 24, 2007 to July 27, 2015, he was Director of the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society. As such, it has led the representation of the Autonomous Community in the different scientific, technical and political forums in its areas of competence. Regarding political bodies, such as the State’s Scientific, Technological and Innovation Policy Council, it has acted on behalf of the President of the Autonomous Community from 2007 to 2015. It has also been part of the different groups of I work technicians who prepare the agreements for the former. In the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands every two years, from its creation and until its cessation, the Presidency and Vice-Presidency have alternated with the ministerial representatives. He has also been a member of the Governing Council of the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics, one of the Severo Ochoa centers of excellence and one of the main astrophysical research institutions in the world. As has been said, in addition to the different Councils, he has formed part of their technical and executive committees. He has also been a member of different bodies related to science, both state and regional, including the inter-territorial Council of the CSIC, the Governing Council of the Carlos III Health Institute, the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity (CNEAI), the University Council of Canarias, in addition to having been a member or representative on different Boards of Directors of public companies related to their sphere of competence, for example, Canary Islands Development Society (SODECAN), Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC), of which he has also been CEO (2007-2011), Technological and Renewable Energy Institute (ITER), Megaturbinas Arinaga and Cartographic of the Canary Islands (GRAFCAN), as well as Trustee of the Canary Foundation Museum of Science and Technology.

He has also coordinated the preparation of the Research and Innovation Strategy for the Smart Specialization (RIS3) of the Canary Islands 2014-2020. He has participated as an expert in many regional, national and European forums, within his fields of experience. Publish the Labor Omnia Vincit blog on innovation