Professor and researcher Rafael Javier Martínez Durá was elected director of the Institute on Robotics and Information and Communication Technologies (IRTIC) at the Institute's Board meeting on 4 March. Among the challenges for the next three years are "to promote collaboration between the centre's research groups, as well as the academic recognition of the technology transfer with private companies that we carry out," he pointed out.

Martínez Durá holds a degree in Physical Systems Computing from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (1991) and a PhD in Computer Engineering from the University of Valencia (1997). He is currently a lecturer in the Area of Knowledge of Computer Architecture and Technology and teaches subjects related to Operating Systems in degrees and master's degrees at the School of Engineering (ETSE). His research work focuses on computer graphics and real-time simulation.

Rafael Martínez currently directs the Laboratory of Simulation and Modelling (LSyM), a research group at the University of Valencia whose main activity is the development of instructional systems for simulation-based operator training. The simulators are used by many training centres around the world in the areas of port and agricultural environments, construction, civil engineering and mining.