The appointment has been directly made by the Under Secretariat of the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture. The criteria for the appointment of José Ignacio Valenzuela have been scientific quality and the degree of international and multidisciplinary cooperation.

The main objectives of the IGCP are to increase the knowledge about the geological processes that affect the global environment; to develop more effective methods to find and exploit in a sustainable way natural resources, energy and groundwater; as well as increase the understanding of geological processes. Also, improve standards, methods and techniques to carry out research in Earth Sciences, including the transfer of basic and applied knowledge between developed and emerging countries.

José Ignacio Valenzuela Ríos is a titular member (with voice and vote) of the International Subcommission on Devonian Stratigraphy (since 2004) and president of the Spanish National Committee of IGCP Projects (since 2014). He has been visiting professor and researcher at American and European research centres and has obtained several prestigious scholarships, such as the Humboldt, the Fulbright and the Salvador de Madariaga.

In addition, the Faculty of Biological Sciences professor directs the Paleontology and Paleogeography Research Group of Paleozoic invertebrates, vertebrates and plants. His scientific interest covers the history and life of Earth in the Devonian, and pays special attention to the understanding of the ultimate causes and relationships between the evolutionary patterns of biota, physical and chemical changes in the Earth’s surface and the influence of disturbances caused by the terrestrial dynamics.

Scientific merit

The IGCP is a joint initiative of UNESCO and the IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences), which promotes international and interdisciplinary research on Earth Sciences at the service of society. The Scientific Council is formed by between eight and ten international experts and assists the International Council in the scientific tasks of development of the objectives, with special emphasis on scientific merit and socio-economic interest. Since its creation in 1972, the IGCP has supported almost 400 projects and 150 countries.