José Manuel Torralba appointed full member of Spanish Royal Academy of Engineering
February 4, 2025
Professor José Manuel Torralba, Director of the IMDEA Materials Institute, professor at the Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M), has been elected as a new full member of the Royal Academy of Engineering of Spain (RAI). This appointment recognises Torralba’s career and contributions to the field of Powder Metallurgy.
A key area of Prof Torralba’s research has focused on developing and characterising metal powders and advanced consolidation methods such as Metal Injection Molding, Additive Manufacturing and electric-field-assisted sintering. His research has covered a range of materials, including low-alloy and stainless steels; super-, light and high-entropy alloys; and metal matrix composites. He has over 500 scientific publications and has supervised thirty doctoral theses.
“Powder Metallurgy is a key discipline for the development of more sustainable and efficient technologies,” Torralba stated. “I hope that this recognition will help to further highlight its importance in the development of new materials and in the technological challenges of the future.”
“Being elected a full member of the Royal Academy of Engineering is a personal and professional honour. It is always gratifying to know that the work of a lifetime is recognised by such a prestigious institution,” Torralba added. “It is also a recognition of the effort and dedication of all my colleagues at IMDEA Materials, UC3M and all the institutions with which I have had the opportunity to collaborate. Without them, many of the advances we have achieved would not have been possible.”
Throughout his career, Prof Torralba has held various important positions in both the academic and administrative fields, including Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at UC3M and Director General of Universities and Research of the Community of Madrid; he currently leads the IMDEA Materials’ Sustainable Powder Technology research group. He has a doctorate in Metallurgy from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and one in Armament from the Higher Polytechnic School of the Army.
“I hope to be able to represent at the Academy the sensibilities linked to my two profiles as an engineer (Mining-Metallurgical and Armament) as well as my professional profile linked to Materials Science and Engineering,” he added.
Prof Torralba has also received numerous awards, including the FEMS Gold Metal (2021) and fellowships from both the European Metallurgy Association (EPMA) in 2018 and the American Powder Metallurgy Institute in 2015. In 2007, he received Honourary Doctorates from Romanian institutions the University of Craiova and, in 2001, from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca.
