The University of A Coruña (UDC) announced yesterday the election of Ricardo Cao, researcher at the Centre for Information and Communications Technology Research (CITIC), as its new rector for the next six years.

Ricardo Cao has extensive experience in the fields of statistics and mathematics, including more than 200 research papers and collaborations with scientists from around the world. His work has been particularly highlighted in the COVIDBENS project, where he combined public service at a critical social moment with the scientific challenge of developing an efficient statistical model, applicable not only to COVID-19 but also to other health problems such as influenza.

Since 2008, the CITIC has been an important platform for Ricardo Cao, allowing him to develop unique projects focused on statistical functionality. Recently, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) recognized the versatility of his career by awarding him the National Statistics Award, a collective distinction that highlights the importance of teamwork in research.

The new rector highlights the human factor as the main value that defines his work; also to address current issues such as Artificial Intelligence, “a tool with enormous possibilities”.  He believes that one of the university’s priorities should be to strengthen its collaboration with companies and administrations, as well as to encourage participation at all levels, which is essential in a globalised world and to open the UDC’s horizon to internationalisation. The idea is to generate joint research lines to compete on the global stage. In this sense, the strategic commitment to outstanding centres such as CITIC, with ICT professionals that are in high demand today, is an excellent lever for boosting.