Presentation

CRETUS, Cross-disciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies, was created in 2015 as a strategic partnership within the program ‘Creation, Recognition and Structuring of Strategic Groups of the University System of Galicia’, funded by the Galician Government. At that time CRETUS was formed by 8 research groups of the University of Santiago de Compostela (4 GRC and 4 GPC) coordinated by Juan M. Lema Rodicio, Professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Strategic group, consisting of 50 professors and 90 researchers from various research areas, developed their activity in the faculties of Biology, Physics, Psychology, Economics, Chemistry, and School of Engineering with a common aim: to develope and evaluate environmental and sustainable technologies, looking for solutions that allow to minimize impacts and risks, trying to recover resources through processes that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.

In 2018, the Partnership was renewed after having passed the evaluation of its Strategic Plan with 84 points out of 100. Finally, in December 2020, the University of Santiago de Compostela agreed to approve CRETUS as a Singular Centre of the University, becoming part of the existing Network of Singular Research Centres of the USC. Maite Moreira, Professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering,  was appointed as Director.

At the present time, CRETUS has 33 professors affiliated to the centre, 20 as collaborators, 15 postdoctoral researchers, around 80 predoctoral researchers and 10 technical and laboratory personnel.
The researchers still carry out their activities in their faculties although a common building has been assigned for co-working and collaborative spaces.