Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Research areas

Our five research areas in detail are:

Basic Climate Change Science

  • Compilation and preparation of climate databases: data rescue, quality control, homogenization, management
  • Co-creation and analysis of climate indicators adapted to sectors of activity (water, energy, risk reduction, agriculture and food safety, health, sport, tourism, etc.)
  • Training and support for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
  • Verification of weather and climate information
  • Design and implementation of specific weather and climate applications
  • Analysis of climate, climate extremes (heat waves, extreme precipitation, drought, wind, urban climate, etc.) on various temporal and spatial scales, using observational data, model outputs and modelling with WRF, HYSPLIT, CALMET, CALPUFF, among others

Environmental and Climate Economics: Territorial Analysis

  • Design of sustainability indicators
  • Policy design: environmental and climate emergencies, mobility (impact on social dynamics, governance and territorial competitiveness), road traffic management and protection of the rural and coastal environment
  • Territorial planning and zoning of activities
  • Analysis of environmental and economic impact and social perception of energy infrastructures
  • Regional and urban planning (vulnerability and sustainability)
  • Evolution of tourist destinations (adaptability and resilience)
  • Transformation of urban spaces in the face of changing global dynamics
  • Territorial policies in response to global changes resulting from the climate emergency and the energy transition
  • Landscape, social and risk perception, socio-environmental justice and well-being
  • Geographic information technologies and their applications

Governance, Environmental and Energy Transition Law, Environmental and Climate Justice

  • Design and implementation of environmental policies
  • Advisory services in local ordinances relating to environmental issues (noise, light pollution, air quality, water, waste, animal welfare, environmental protection and control and energy transition)
  • Training services for environmental management professionals
  • Advisory services for NGOs in environmental matters
  • Advisory services on human rights related to the environment
  • Community services provided by the Environmental Legal Clinic

Health Risks, Analysis of Human Behaviour, Impacts of Pollution on People, and Ecosystems Solutions

  • Modelling the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of pollutants in the human body (PBPK models)
  • Assessment of pollutant toxicity mechanisms (PBPK/PD models)
  • Evaluation of the ecotoxicity of environmental pollutants
  • Identification and characterization of microplastics in environmental and biological samples and in industrial processes
  • Services for carrying out epidemiological studies
  • Services for carrying out assessments of psychological and emotional states
  • Analysis of bacterial and fungal diversity in environmental (water, air, soil), clinical or food substrates
  • Microbiological control of water quality (analysis of bacteria and fungi)
  • Analysis of the microbial communities of forest and agricultural soil in extreme situations as a result of climate change
  • Genomic analysis of bacteria and fungi that affect public health
  • In vitro / in vivo assessment of pathogenesis and immune response against bacterial and fungal species

Technological Solutions, Development of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis Systems

  • Analysis of air quality and health impacts (air pollution sensors)
  • Analysis of contaminants in food, aquifers, treatment plants and waste water
  • Analysis of radioisotopes in different environmental ambits
  • Analysis of light and acoustic pollution
  • Raindrop size and ice formation sensors
  • Miniaturized hydrogen sensors
  • Services providing light sources and photocatalyst doping
  • Wireless gas detection networks
  • Solid state gas sensors for target gases
  • Production of H2 from different procedures (photocatalysis, organic waste, biomass with dark fermentation, biomass with catalytic reformation, bioplastics and plastic waste)
  • Decarbonisation solutions for industries and cities
  • Optimized energy solutions based on renewable energies
  • Solutions regarding energy conversion techniques, refrigeration equipment and training services
  • Development of microcontroller-based electronics for driving, data logging and communications
  • Data processing in multiple sensor systems