IHCantabria has raised more than € 2 million through calls of the ‘Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023’

The Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the Universidad de Cantabria (IHCantabria) has attracted more than 2 million euros of funding, through four calls of the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2021-2023 (in Spanish: Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023), funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the State Research Agency (AEI). This achievement consolidates the excellence of IHCantabria, as a reference in scientific research and in knowledge and technology transfer.

According to the managing director of IHCantabria, Raúl Medina Santamaría, “these results demonstrate IHCantabria’s capacity to lead high impact research projects. These projects not only address critical environmental problems, but also offer practical solutions with potential for application in key sectors of the economy, thus generating synergies between science and the productive sector, as well as contributing to the sustainability and technological competitiveness of Spain”.

Knowledge Generation Projects 2023 and actions for the training of predoctoral research personnel

In this call, corresponding to the State Subprogram for Knowledge Generation and aimed at funding projects that promote quality science and solve priority problems for society, IHCantabria has raised more than one million euros to develop six projects. These initiatives range from the study of the impact of global warming on river ecosystems to research on solutions for the adaptation of urban coasts to climate change.

Among the projects funded are BIORESP (“The effects of warming on river functioning: A biomass-mediated response”), which addresses the effects of climate change on river systems; CYCLOMAR (“Investigation of cyclone activity to improve climate services for coastal and offshore engineering and risk assessment”), which aims to improve climate services through cyclone analysis; SALIENTS (“Analysis of shoreline response with submerged free-standing structures”), which examines the effectiveness of submerged structures in protecting the shoreline from erosion, and TSUPORT (“Tsunami risk in ports: Analysis and generation of tools and methodologies to evaluate impacts and operability”), focused on the evaluation of tsunami risk in ports. In addition, the INFLUET (“Fluid-Structure-Terrain Interaction for the development of solutions for offshore wind energy at great depths by means of tensioned or semi-tensioned mooring systems”) and LIURBADAPT (“Adaptation to climate change of urban coastal fronts following a multi-scale approach”) projects have received additional funding of 125,200 euros each, for training of pre-doctoral research personnel.

Public-private partnership projects 2023

This call, corresponding to the State Subprogram for Knowledge Transfer, is aimed at facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology to the private sector, promoting the development of innovative products and services, with an interdisciplinary R&D&I approach. Within the framework of this call, IHCantabria has raised more than 550 thousand euros. These funds will allow the promotion of two innovative projects: FLUCTUAMUS (“Advanced numerical environment for structural optimization and life extension of floating docks”), dedicated to the optimization and life extension of floating docks, and WAVE RIDER (“Development of a point wave energy harvester for port applications”), focused on the development of an energy harvester.

Scientific and Technical Equipment 2024

IHCantabria has attracted additional funds, for a value of more than 500 thousand euros, within the 2024 call for the acquisition of scientific-technical equipment, corresponding to the State Subprogram for Scientific-Technical Infrastructures and Equipment, within the framework of the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2021-2023. With this aid, this institute plans to acquire a high-performance computing system for the service of the research community of the integral water cycle.

Impact: Science and innovation at the service of society

The funding obtained reflects IHCantabria’s ability to lead projects of high scientific impact and technology transfer, addressing environmental challenges and offering practical solutions that contribute to sustainability and economic competitiveness. Therefore, with the funds raised in 2024, IHCantabria reinforces its commitment to scientific excellence, the training of research talent and the development of innovative technologies to sustainably manage the ecosystems associated with the integral water cycle.