Transparency

The IGFAE is a research center created by the University of Santiago de Compostela and the Xunta de Galicia and officially originated on July 2, 1999. Since then, its mission is based on coordination and the promotion of scientific and technical research in several fields: High Energy Physics, Particle and Nuclear Physics and related segments such as Astrophysics, Medical Physics and Instrumentation.

The values ​​of the center are explained by efficient performance in terms of scientific production, talent acquisition and fundraising, the launch of a new scenario that organizes research in terms of Strategic Research Areas (SA) and, finally, a high international activity, specifically within large experimental collaborations such as the LHC, GSI / FAIR, Pierre Auger Observatory and LIGO.

Likewise, the planning and dissemination of relationships and collaboration with large experimental facilities are of great importance for the institute.

IGFAE’s objectives include increasing the efficiency of research facilities and technological capabilities, implementing a responsible research strategy and adapting management to international best practices, among others.

In order to comply with the IGFAE’s vision, mission and values, the institute has developed a Code of Conduct to address, if necessary, sensitive situations that question its scientific integrity or manage internal conflicts.

IGFAE Code of Conduct.

In this section of its website, the IGFAE offers citizens access to public information in compliance with Law 1/2016, on Transparency, Access to Public Information and Good Governance and the USC transparency.

According to the Internal Regulations of the IGFAE approved in Consello de Goberno of March 20, 2018, the governance of the Institute is based on:

– A Governing Board, composed of representatives of the Xunta de Galicia and the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) as a joint institute, chaired by Antonio López Díaz, current Rector of teh USC.

– A Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), that assumes the main task of carrying out periodic evaluations of the Institute and its members. Its current members are:

– Sergio Bertolucci (U. Bologna): CERN Director for research 2009-2016.
– Paolo GIubelino: Scientific Director of GSI, Darmstadt.
– Gabriela González (Lousiana State University): spokesperson of LIGO in 2011-2017.
– Francis Halzen (U. Wisconsin): spokesperson of IceCube Neutrino Observatory, Antarctica.
– Larry McLerran: Director of the Institute for Nuclear Theory, Seattle.
– Giula Zanderighi: CERN Theory Division and Munich Technical University.

– An Executive Directorate headed by Carlos Alberto Salgado and an Associate Directorate, headed by Abraham Antonio Gallas.

– A Scientific Commite (SC), composed of:

– Enrique Zas
– Luis Miramontes
– Juan José Saborido
– José Ángel Hernando Morata
– Diego Martínez Santos

– An Executive Board (EB), composed of:

– Jaime Álvarez
– Nestor Armesto
– Dolores Cortina
– Abraham Antonio Gallas
– Elena González
– Carlos Alberto Salgado

– A Management Unit (MU), formed by:

– Berta Mariño, Management Officer.
– Manuel Rey, Communication Officer.
– Ricardo Julio Rodríguez, Chief Operations Officer.
– Marcos Antonio Seco, Data Science Officer.
– Sonia Del Río, Economic Affairs Officer.
– Alba Martínez, Administration and Management Staff.

Three Strategic Areas (SA) and one Horizontal Line (HL) that support scientific research:

1. The Standard Model to the limits (Coordinated by Elena Ferreiro)
2. Cosmic Particles and Fundamental physics (Coordinated by Jaime Álvarez)
3. Nuclear Physics from the Laboratory to improve people’s health (Coordinated by Dolores Cortina)
4. Strategies for new facilities (Coordinated by Nestor Armesto)

Quality Assessments

The IGFAE, as a research center belonging to the University of Santiago de Compostela, is part of its Quality and Procedures Improvement Area.

The IGFAE’s staff consisted of 117 workers, organized as follows:

– By gender: 90 men and 27 women.
– By collective:

– 45 PhD students.
– 33 Scientific staff.
– 22 Postdoctoral researchers.
– 18 technical and administrative staff.
– 1 Emeritus Proffessor.
1 collaborator.

In this link you can access the organization chart of the institute.

The IGFAE develops its activity in collaboration with national and international institutions under the framework of Memorandum of Undesrstanding or Specific Agreements. In this section, you will find the list of agreements participated by the IGFAE

– Agreement with CERN: the IGFAE hosts a second level center (Tier2) of the global computing system of the LHCb experiment of the Large Hadron Collider, representing 60% of the computing resources at the state level.

– Agreement with the Pierre Auger Observatory: the center collaborates in the investigation of a giant set of air cascades in Argentina, proposed by Professor Jim Cronin, Nobel Prize and Professor Alan Watson.

– Agreement with LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory): the institute assists in research on the direct detection of gravitational waves.

– GSI

Since 2017, all IGFAE members contribute to the writing of the annual report providing a summary of the activities they developed that year. They are available in the following links:

Citizens may send requests to access public information in compliance with  Law 1/2016, on Transparency, Access to Public Information and Good Governance and the USC regulations. You can exercise this right through the email igfae@usc.es.