María Dolores La Rubia García has been elected by the members of the Process Engineering Unit at the University Institute of Research on Olive Grove and Olive Oils (INUO) at the University of Jaén to serve as the head of this unit.
Researcher María Dolores La Rubia was selected through an election process conducted among the unit’s members, who have entrusted her with coordinating this area of scientific activity and contributing to the development of its lines of research.
The Process Engineering Unit is one of INUO’s areas of scientific specialization and has a long history of research into the physicochemical composition and sensory characterization of olive oils, both from the province of Jaén and from other producing regions in Spain and the Mediterranean Basin. Furthermore, its research focuses on the utilization and valorization of byproducts generated in olive groves, olive mills, extraction plants, and refineries, with special attention to their reuse within the sector itself and the development of models linked to the circular bioeconomy.
In this area, the unit has worked on the characterization and valorization of byproducts such as olive pits and olive grove prunings for use in biofuel production, contributing to the development of solutions aimed at more sustainable resource management and the reduction of the environmental impact associated with olive cultivation. This research is organized around three main areas: the utilization and management of byproducts from olive groves and the olive oil industry, olive oil technologies, and food safety in olive oil production processes.
In this new role, researcher María Dolores La Rubia will coordinate the unit’s activities and help advance its lines of work, in line with the Institute’s scientific and strategic objectives.
The Institute would also like to express its special gratitude to Sebastián Sánchez Villasclaras for his dedication, commitment, and hard work over the years as head of the Process Engineering Unit. His work has been fundamental to the development and consolidation of the unit, as well as to the strengthening of INUO’s research activities, contributing significantly to its trajectory and evolution.
