Alba Bala

Alba Bala serves as Executive Director of the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change and Director of the Master of Science in Sustainability Management at ESCI-UPF (School of International Studies, Pompeu Fabra University). She teaches core courses in the MSc program and Postgraduate Programme in Management of Sustainable Transition and Climate Emergency.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Environmental Sciences from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Previously, she held lecturer and researcher positions at ELISAVA School of Design, School of Industrial Design (ESDI), and Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) at UAB, alongside environmental consultancy work.

Dr. Bala's research focuses on Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), EcoDesign, and sustainability assessment methodologies. As a member of the Spanish Network of Life Cycle Analysis, she develops practical tools for environmental impact evaluation and corporate sustainability strategies, integrating circular economy principles with business management frameworks.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Design for Recycling Award (Generalitat de Catalunya, 2000)
• Finalist for the European Innova Award (European Commission, 2008)

She leads the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change research team, directing projects on sustainability assessment while teaching courses covering environmental impact analysis, product lifecycle evaluation, and integrated waste management systems.