On the 27th of April, after an international open selection process was concluded, Prof. Jose Manuel Torralba was appointed Director of IMDEA Materials Institute by the Board of Trustees. Prof. Torralba takes over from Prof. Ignacio Romero, who has been leading the Institute during the last four years.

Prof. José M. Torralba is Metallurgical Engineer (1982, Technical University of Madrid –UPM-) and Armament and Materials Engineer (1986, Escuela Politécnica Superior del Ejército, EPSE). He has also two PhD degrees: Dr. Eng. Metallurgy (1985, UPM) and Dr. Eng. Armament (1994, EPSE). He has been Head of the Materials Science and Engineering Department (UC3M), Vice-rector for Academics Infrastructures (UC3M), Vice-rector for Research and Innovation (UC3M), Deputy Director of Institute IMDEA Materials, Director-General for Universities and Research of Madrid Regional Government and Higher Artistic Arts Studies. He is Professor of MSE at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

His main scientific-technical field of interest is Powder Metallurgy (PM), specially powder development and characterization and advanced consolidation methods (field assisted sintering, metal injection moulding, additive manufacturing…). He focuses his research activity in the physical metallurgy of the materials and the microstructural development. He has published more than 500 scientific papers (200 peer reviewed) and supervised 28 PhD thesis. He is editor in Chief (co-editor) of Powder Metallurgy journal.