Lluís Torner

Founding director of the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), and professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Lluís Torner is recognised for having conceived, founded, set in operation, and directed ICFO from 2002 to 2024. Advisor to numerous institutions based in several countries of the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia, he is also a member of Optica (founded as the Optical Society of America), the European Optical Society, and the European Physical Society, as well as being an academician at the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona, the Royal Spanish Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, and the Institute of Catalan Studies. Since 2019, he has been a member of the Advisory Council for Sustainable Development of Catalonia (CADS). In the academic domain, he is one of the most cited scientists in the field of nonlinear optical phenomena. He has received numerous national and international awards, among them the Narcís Monturiol Medal, the Leadership Award of the Optical Society of America, the Catalan National Research Award, and the Creu de Sant Jordi (St George Cross) of the Generalitat (Government) of Catalonia. In 2023, the Barcelona City Council recognised his outstanding contribution in the field of photonic sciences and for situating ICFO at the forefront of scientific excellence by awarding him the Gold Medal for Scientific Merit.