[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ieec.cat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/slider-comunicacio.jpg” max_height=”130px” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”24px||11px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Unitats de recerca” module_class=”ieec-orgs” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700||on|||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”28px” header_font_size_phone=”26px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoiY3VzdG9tX21ldGFfb3JnYW5pemFjaW9uZXMiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImVuYWJsZV9odG1sIjoib2ZmIn19@[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_title author=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”T\u00edtol i data” module_class=”ieec-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Cairo|300|||||||” title_font_size=”40px” meta_font=”||on||||||” meta_font_size=”16px” title_font_size_tablet=”35px” title_font_size_phone=”30px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text admin_label=”Subt\u00edtols” module_class=”ieec-summary” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Source Sans Pro||on||||||” text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.1em” text_font_size_tablet=”22px” text_font_size_phone=”20px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
The Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA) event will host more than 560 professionals from 13 to 17 July<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
The number of active astronomy research staff in Spain has virtually doubled over the last ten years. Even so, it has been confirmed that the percentage of women remains stalled at 30%<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
The 7th Report on Human Resources in Astronomy and Astrophysics was presented as part of this meeting<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title title=”off” meta=”off” module_class=”ieec-img-container” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” border_width_top=”10px” border_color_top=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-img-footer” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
From left to right:<\/strong> Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Martell, Vice-President of Scientific and Technical Research at the CSIC; M\u00ednia Manteiga, President of the Spanish Astronomical Society; and Aldo Serenelli, Director of the Institute of Space Sciences.\u00a0<\/span>Ricardo Hueso.<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The XVII Scientific Meeting of the <\/span>Spanish Astronomical Society<\/span><\/a> (SEA) was opened yesterday at the Tarragona Congress Centre. Running until 17 July, it will host more than 560 astronomy professionals and will provide the perfect showcase to present the scientific and technological advances made in astronomy in recent years, alongside Spanish participation in all of them.<\/span><\/p>\n This biennial event is supported by the Catalan research and university network, including the <\/span>Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia<\/span><\/a> (IEEC), the <\/span>Institute of Space Sciences<\/span><\/a> (ICE-CSIC), the <\/span>Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona<\/span><\/a> (ICCUB), the <\/span>Institute for High Energy Physics<\/span><\/a> (IFAE), the <\/span>Universitat de Barcelona<\/span><\/a> (UB), the <\/span>Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona<\/span><\/a> (UAB), the <\/span>Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya \u2013 BarcelonaTech<\/span><\/a> (UPC), and the <\/span>Universitat Rovira i Virgili<\/span><\/a> (URV).<\/span><\/p>\n The opening day was attended by, among others, M\u00ednia Manteiga, president of the SEA; Rub\u00e9n Vi\u00f1uales, mayor of Tarragona; Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Martell, vice-president of Scientific and Technical Research at the <\/span>CSIC<\/span><\/a>; and Aldo Serenelli, director of the ICE-CSIC, representing Catalan astronomy professionals in universities and research centres.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This opening took place almost in parallel with another highly significant event for Spanish astronomy: <\/span>the presentation of the project for the new 2.5-metre telescope at the Montsec Observatory<\/span><\/a> (OdM), an infrastructure managed by the IEEC and located in Sant Esteve de la Sarga (Lleida). The announcement was made by N\u00faria Montserrat, the Minister for Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia, who, after the event in Sant Esteve de la Sarga concluded, travelled to Tarragona to speak at the closing of the morning programme.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The meeting comes at a time of expansion for astronomy in Spain, where the number of professionals in this field <\/span>has increased by 80%<\/b> over the last ten years, exceeding 1,400 contracts for the first time across permanent staff, and postdoctoral and doctoral researchers.<\/span><\/p>\n This is reflected in the <\/span>7th Human Resources Report in Astronomy and Astrophysics<\/span><\/a>, presented as part of the Scientific Meeting, which features updated data from 46 Spanish universities and research centres.<\/span><\/p>\n The trend is positive and reflects the weight of astronomical research in Spain, which ranks 7th in the world for the quantity and quality of its scientific publications in astrophysics and astronomy\u2014a ranking led by the United States of America and China, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and France.<\/span><\/p>\n The report counts a total of <\/span>1,404 active astrophysics professionals<\/b> in Spanish universities and research centres. Specifically, 589 are permanent staff (an increase of 15% over the last two years), 421 have a postdoctoral contract (up 14% compared to the previous two-year period), and 394 are doctoral contracts for researchers undertaking their PhDs (up 8% compared to 2024).<\/span><\/p>\n Over the last two years, the community has grown by an average of 13% in both universities and public research organisations (OPIs). This development highlights, on the one hand, the growing dynamism of astrophysics as a rapidly expanding scientific discipline and, on the other, the high quality and competitiveness of Spanish research teams. This strengthening is underpinned by the excellence of teaching and research staff, as well as the consolidation of recruitment programmes driven by the autonomous communities, the Spanish Government, and the European Union.<\/span><\/p>\n As a result of this growth, Spain now has an average of three astronomy professionals for every 100,000 inhabitants\u2014the highest figure recorded to date and an indicator of the excellent health of astronomical research in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n However, this growth is not distributed evenly across the country. By autonomous community, <\/span>Madrid, Catalonia, and Andalusia stand out for recording particularly significant increases in the number of astronomy professionals.<\/b> In contrast, other regions such as the Canary Islands and the Valencian Community currently show a more stable trend, maintaining levels of activity and staff similar to those of recent years.<\/span><\/p>\n This positive trend in research staff contrasts with the lack of consolidation of other high-quality technical jobs. The report indicates that, in addition to research staff, there are 570 support staff with specialist profiles in IT, engineering, management, or science communication. Concern arises from the fact that, rather than growing at least at the same rate as astronomy professionals, statistics show that the percentage of support staff relative to researchers is falling significantly: 53% in 2022, 48% in 2024, and 41% in 2026. This trend raises worrying questions about the capacity of the R&D&I system to maintain a balanced and efficient structure. The reduction in support staff could compromise the optimisation of scientific infrastructures, reduce the productivity of research teams, and limit knowledge transfer.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Regarding the overall percentage of women in astronomy, there have been few changes over the last ten years. Their representation has stagnated at around 30\u201331%, highlighting the lack of substantial progress towards greater gender equality. It is particularly concerning that the report appears to confirm a decline in recent years in the percentage of women in postdoctoral stages, similar to what occurred in the 2014\u20132020 period. No signs of recovery are visible despite work-life balance measures approved at the national level.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite this increase in research staff, the SEA finds it worrying that 68% of researchers lack a permanent position, as well as the uncertainty surrounding professional development and career consolidation opportunities in Spain for researchers in the early stages of their careers.<\/span><\/p>\n In terms of doctoral theses, a record figure of 80 theses defended annually was reached in 2025, and it is highly positive to note that 150 doctoral theses were defended in the 2024\u20132025 period\u2014an increase of 76% compared to 2022\u20132023.<\/span><\/p>\n This also reflects the good health and excellent future of the discipline. Regarding theses defended by women, a slight decrease has been recorded over the last two years, accounting for 25% of the total.<\/span><\/p>\n The first doctoral thesis in astrophysics in Spain was presented in 1969. Since then, and up to the end of 2025, there has been a total of 1,444 across 29 different universities.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.ieec.cat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Javier-Gorgas.-Credits-Gemma-Domenech.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-img-footer” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Javier Gorgas presenting the 7th Human Resources Report in Astronomy and Astrophysics. <\/span>IEEC<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Enlla\u00e7os” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Links<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-sub-text” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contactes” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Contacts<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Castelldefels, Barcelona [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1em” link_font=”|700|||on||||” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nMore research staff but a decrease in support staff<\/h2>\n
Stagnation in the number of female astronomers and lack of permanent posts<\/h2>\n
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IEEC Communication Office<\/h4>\n
E-mail: comunicacio@ieec.cat<\/a><\/p>\nRC SEA 2026 Communication<\/h4>\n
Jorge Rivero Gonz\u00e1lez<\/h4>\n