Francesc Torres

Francesc Torres is a Full Professor at the Signal Theory and Communications Department of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC-BarcelonaTech). He holds a Doctor Ingeniero degree in Telecommunication Engineering from UPC (1992) and has extensive experience in microwave systems and space instrumentation. His research focuses on remote sensing, interferometric radiometry, and the European Space Agency's SMOS mission. He co-leads the Barcelona SMOS Expert Centre for radiometric calibration and ocean salinity studies. Torres has contributed to numerous ESA projects and served as a visiting scholar at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2005-2006). His work bridges engineering education, with publications on STEM pedagogy and early-career development, and advanced instrumentation for Earth observation.

Education:

• Ingeniero en Telecommunication Engineering (1988)
• Doctor Ingeniero en Telecommunication Engineering (1992)

Research Interests: His primary areas include microwave radiometry, spaceborne sensors, calibration methodologies, and the application of remote sensing to geophysical studies. He also explores educational strategies to enhance critical thinking and self-management skills in STEM students. Current projects involve improving SMOS data accuracy through novel calibration techniques and developing educational frameworks for sustainable engineering practices.

Grants & Projects: Key contributions include the SMOS mission calibration validation (CALIMAS team), GeoSTAR pilot project (JPL), and SuperMIRAS instrument development. He has led efforts to mitigate systematic errors in SMOS data and pioneered polarimetric analysis methods for rain events and ionospheric studies.

Labs/Teams: Director of the Remote Sensing Laboratory (UPC), collaborating with ESA, JPL, and international research networks. Active in the Barcelona SMOS Expert Centre and the SMOSOps-Hexagonal initiative for operational mission improvements.