In collaboration with the Universitat Jaume I de Castelló (UJI), this activity is carried out on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Ibiza, February 5, 2025 – The UJI Blue Criminality Preservation Ibiza Classroom will hold its first activity in Ibiza’s educational centers on February 11 in the context of the commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science . “This activity highlights the importance of creating female role models in marine research in various areas of knowledge,” explains Esteban Morelle-Hungría, professor of the UJI’s Department of Public Law and director of the Classroom, who stresses that “it is essential to make visible that the study of underwater life covers multiple disciplines and has a notable participation of female researchers, with the aim of disseminating their work and raising awareness about the importance of research.” To this end, prestigious female researchers will share their knowledge with students, offering “a multidisciplinary vision on the protection of aquatic ecosystems”.
This project was born from the agreement recently signed between IbizaPreservation and the Universitat Jaume I de Castelló (UJI) for the creation of the IbizaPreservation Classroom of Blue Criminality, a space dedicated to the study, research and dissemination of information on ecological damage to aquatic ecosystems and the legal tools for their protection.
Four educational centres on the island are taking part in this first edition, which covers three educational stages: primary, secondary and vocational training. The IES Quartó de Portmany (Sant Antoni de Portmany), the IES Isidor Macabich (Eivissa), the IES Xarc (Santa Eulària des Riu) and the CEIP Santa Gertrudis (Santa Eulària des Riu). Five top-level researchers will be the scientific leaders in these centres from their areas of knowledge: humanities, social and legal sciences, marine biology and marine ecology. In this way, Eva Fonfría , a postdoctoral researcher at the Ramón Margalef Multidisciplinary Institute of the Environment at the University of Alicante, an expert in jellyfish, will explain to the little ones the importance of marine biodiversity with special attention to jellyfish and invasive species. Likewise, Inma Varó , a doctor in biology and a senior scientist at the CSIC at the Torre de la Sal Aquaculture Institute (IATS), will address the impact of pollutants on marine organisms , a key area within ecotoxicology .
Teresa Alcoverro , PhD in biology and senior scientist at the CSIC Centre for Advanced Studies in Blanes, will delve into the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems and their conservation. Furthermore, from a legal perspective, Susana Borràs , associate professor at the Rovira i Virgili University and representative of the World Commission on Environmental Law in the Spanish Committee of the IUCN, will explain the relevance of international and environmental law in the protection of the marine environment and how more effective regulations can be developed from the social and legal sciences.
Finally, Aina Vidal , PhD in Humanities and professor and postdoctoral researcher at the University of the Balearic Islands, will analyse how cultural, legal and scientific discourses address environmental damage in the sea, exploring its representation in literature, cinema, ecological policy, criminology and oceanography.
The participation of CEIP Santa Gertrudis reinforces the initiative’s commitment to environmental education from an early age. This centre, which last year carried out exchanges with schools in Dénia to study the marine environment, will receive a visit from Eva Fonfría, who will give a talk on the importance of conserving native marine ecosystems and the risks posed by invasive species .
The aim of this initiative, according to the director of IbizaPreservation, Inma Saranova, “is not only to strengthen the protection of marine ecosystems, but also to inspire scientific vocations among girls and young women, promoting the role of women in science and their contribution to the knowledge and conservation of the environment”.
A comprehensive approach to marine environmental protection
The UJI’s Blue Criminality Classroom IbizaPreservation seeks to establish itself as a leading academic and scientific platform for the analysis of environmental crimes affecting the marine environment. Its work covers the study of issues such as illegal fishing, trafficking of aquatic species, polluting discharges and the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems, adopting an interdisciplinary perspective aligned with Green Criminology .
In addition to research and dissemination, the Aula will promote academic training in this field by incorporating content on blue crime in the Degree in Criminology and Security at the Universitat Jaume I de Castelló . It will also encourage the development of Final Degree and Master’s Theses related to this topic, with the awarding of the IbizaPreservation Prize for the best TFG . As part of its commitment to the transfer of knowledge, seminars, conferences and meetings will be organized, as well as educational days aimed at secondary school students in Ibiza and Formentera , with the aim of raising awareness among the new generations about the importance of protecting marine ecosystems.
