Professor Juan Manuel García-Ruiz, is a Research Professor at the National Research Council (CSIC) at the University of Granada in Spain. Professor Garcia-Ruiz studied at the Complutense University in Madrid where he attained a Ph.D. degree in geology in 1980. Prof. Garcia-Ruiz is an internationally recognized expert in crystallography.
He is founder of the Laboratory of Crystallographic Studies (LEC). LEC is 
currently the leading group in crystallization in Spain. He is PI of the Spanish Crystallization Factory, a Governmental research project coordinating more than 100 scientists from 8 different Spanish institutions and funded with 7 Million Euros. He also got in 2014 a prestigious ERC Senior Advanced Grant. Besides many other merits, Prof. Garcia Ruiz is a prolific author of scientific articles, monographs and book chapters. He has published 265 papers in a wide range of peer-reviewed journals, 4 book chapters and 1 monograph. Alone, or with professional colleagues, he has been granted 6 patents. Of great interest to WMI is that Prof. Garcia-Ruiz is very much interested in the teaching and dissemination of science among young people. For instance, he has been organizing the crystallization contest at the school in which every year, about 15,000 school students participate throughout Spain. He has also developed introductory lectures on crystallography for children between 10 and 18 years old. In Kenya, he has delivered such lectures to schools in Nairobi, Liguru, and Magadi. We look forward to working together in areas of mutual interest for the progress of the Institute.