Íñigo Losada Receives the National Civil Engineering Award

The Ministry of Transportation and Sustainable Mobility has awarded the 2026 National Civil Engineering Award to Íñigo Losada, a professor at the University of Cantabria and a key researcher in the creation and development of the Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the Universidad de Cantabria (IHCantabria), where he has worked as Director of Research, Scientific Director of the Cantabria Coastal and Ocean Basin (CCOB), and Head of the Climate, Energy, and Marine Infrastructure Division.

Íñigo Losada is a leading figure in Spain and internationally in the field of coastal engineering and sustainability. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Cantabria (UC) and the University of Delaware (United States). He is a full member of the Royal Academy of Engineering of Spain and the European Academy of Sciences, and he also collaborates with various national and international networks and organizations.

The National Civil Engineering Award is the highest institutional honor bestowed by the Ministry of Transportation and Sustainable Mobility, which has recognized Losada with this award for his outstanding career and scientific excellence. The jury highlighted his outstanding professional qualities, noting that his career has focused primarily on the fields of coastal engineering, maritime engineering, and adaptation to climate change. His work is characterized by leadership in R&D&I and the effective transfer of knowledge to the private sector and public administrations.

Íñigo Losada has been a pioneer in incorporating a climate risk approach into infrastructure planning and management, helping to position Spain as an international leader in this field. Among his key contributions is his decisive role in developing advanced methodologies, models, and tools for analyzing coastal processes and their interaction with infrastructure.

Losada’s contribution to the development of public policy is equally noteworthy; he has actively participated in defining national and international strategies for climate change adaptation, as well as in preparing key reports for organizations such as the United Nations and the European Commission. In this context, it is worth highlighting his role as coordinating author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which represents one of the most significant international contributions of his scientific career and underscores his ability to influence the global agenda.

Losada has built a strong academic and research career, combining the generation of knowledge with its practical application in strategic sectors such as port, coastal, and ocean engineering.

This well-deserved recognition not only highlights Íñigo Losada’s distinguished career, but also underscores IHCantabria’s firm commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, and contributing to the sustainable development of infrastructure in the face of the challenges posed by climate change.