Rosa Menéndez, president of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), visited CRAG on the 9th of March to learn about the main research lines, results and projects carried out at the Centre. The president was accompanied by Rosina López-Alonso Fandiño, Vice President of Organization and Institutional Relations (VORI-CSIC).

Upon her arrival, the president was received by the director of CRAG, L. Maria Lois, who took office on February 1st, thus being the first meeting between the two leaders. Currently, the CSIC has 121 institutes and 3 national centres, of which 37 are directed by women.

The visit began with a meeting between the President and the Director, in which L. Maria Lois reported on the operation of the Consortium and the main lines of research that are carried out in it. She also outlined CRAG’s scientific achievements in recent years, as well as the strengths, needs, challenges and future projection of the Centre.

Afterwards, the meeting continued with a tour of the most relevant facilities at CRAG. In the greenhouses, the President was interested in learning about the diverse plant species that are being studied to develop strategies aimed at achieving crops adapted to climate change.

The visit ended in the Board Room, where the President met with CSIC researchers at CRAG in a relaxed context ideal for learning first-hand about the staff and the science developed at the centre, and to comment on future visions and perspectives.