Maite Irazábal Plá

Maite Irazábal Plá

EU-LAC Fundraising, Networking & Projects Manager

Holds a degree in International Affairs and a Master’s in Environment and Territorial Policies, with additional postgraduate studies in Technology Management and Public Management. She is the EU-LAC Fundraising, Networking, and Projects Manager at LifeWatch ERIC and has been a professor of Project Management at the University of the Republic of Uruguay, Faculty of Engineering, since 2022. Her professional experience includes serving as Project Officer for Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 at the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation and the Ministry of Education and Culture, as well as Operations Analyst Consultant at the Inter-American Development Bank in Santiago, Chile. She has also worked as an Operations Consultant at Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specializing in trade, investment, and international economic affairs. With many years in the private sector, she is now a consultant specializing in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), focusing on policy development, technology transfer, and supporting the public sector.

José Manuel Ávila-Castuera

Jose Manuel Avila Castuera

Senior Scientific Manager

Environmental Scientist specializing in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, he holds a PhD in Environment and Society. With over 15 years of experience in research and development across various sectors, including research centers, academia, and industry. He initially focused on studying anthropic impacts on agroforestry system. He later transitioned into European R&D project management and coordination, working on ICT applications to address social and environmental challenges in both academic and private sectors. Currently, he serves as Senior Scientific Manager and Agroecology Coordinator at LifeWatch ERIC, where he leads R&D initiatives related to agroecology, fostering collaboration with European institutions such as DG Agri, DG RTD, SCAR, and EU CAP Network, aiming to drive the transition towards sustainable agriculture across Europe.

María Pérez Fernández

María Pérez Fernández

I am a project manager and innovation professional with over 15 years of experience leading European R&D and innovation projects at the intersection of academia, industry, and research. Throughout my career, I have successfully guided multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, aligning diverse expertise toward common goals and fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. My experience spans project planning, grant management, capacity building, and technology transfer, always with a focus on delivering results and creating impact. Fluent in English and French, I thrive in international environments and enjoy creating connections that drive progress. I am motivated by curiosity, continuous improvement, and the opportunity to help teams grow and succeed.

– Co-author in patent ES2392872 (A1): “Composición para su uso en membranas permeables al oxígeno”.
– Co-author in article Functionalisation of MOF open metal sites with pendant amines for CO capture. DOI: 10.1039/C2JM16770K (Communication). Montoro et al, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 10155-10158.

Ana Bajandas

Ana Bajandas

Project Manager

Holds a degree in Biology from the University of Seville and a Master’s in Aquaculture and Fisheries: Marine Resources and Sustainability from the University of Cádiz, where she conducted her master’s thesis in collaboration with Ifapa El Toruño and the Department of Physiology at the Faculty of Marine Sciences (UCA).

She completed the Expert Course in International R&D&I Project Management, gaining 10 months of hands-on experience at the Aquaculture Technology Center of Andalusia (CTAQUA), where she was involved in all phases of the project cycle, from conception and proposal writing to funding applications and follow-up.

Since then, she has remained actively involved in international R&D&I project management, working in public sector health research organizations in Andalusia, such as the Andalusian Public Foundation for Progress and Health (FPS) and the Andalusian Beturia Foundation for Health Research (FABIS). She contributed to international project offices and research management for a total of three years.

She later worked as an R&D&I Management Consultant, focusing on the preparation and management of national and international projects across various sectors, serving both public and private clients.

With extensive experience in European project management and funding acquisition, she plays a key role in supporting LifeWatch ERIC’s international initiatives.