Manuel Poch Espallargas

Manuel Poch Espallargas is a Professor at the University of Girona within the Faculty of Sciences and Department of Chemical, Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Technology, affiliated with the Environmental Institute. He is the founder and director of the Chemical and Environmental Engineering Laboratory Research Group (LEQUIA), driving interdisciplinary work in water-focused engineering applications.

His research centers on Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering, evolving from foundational mathematical modeling of environmental processes to advanced Environmental Decision Support Systems (EDSS) for water cycle management. Specific areas include:

• Water resources modeling
• Wastewater treatment optimization
• Real-time environmental monitoring
• Sustainable water infrastructure
• Agri-food process engineering
• Industrial effluent management

Professor Poch has directed 24 doctoral theses and co-authored 118 SCI-indexed journal articles, with participation in over 50 R&D projects. His technology transfer impact includes 30+ private contracts and co-founding spin-off SISLtech for wastewater treatment monitoring systems.

Notable leadership roles held at the University of Girona:

• Vice-Rector for Innovation and Knowledge Transfer
• Department Director of Chemical and Agri-Food Engineering
• Dean of the Faculty of Sciences

External appointments:

• Head of Technologies and Evaluation Area, Catalan Institute for Water Research
• Scientific Coordinator, Euro-Mediterranean Campus of International Excellence in Water and Tourism

LEQUIA remains his core research hub, bridging chemical engineering fundamentals with environmental sustainability challenges.