Rafael Jordana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rafael Jordana
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| Born |
Rafael Jordana Butticaz
17 July 1941 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Alma mater | University of Barcelona |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Springtail |
Rafael Jordana Butticaz (born in Zaragoza, Spain, on July 17, 1941) is a Spanish scientist. He is a retired professor who specialized in studying tiny creatures called springtails. These small insects are also known as Collembola.
Contents
Rafael Jordana's Journey to Science
Rafael Jordana started his amazing journey in science by studying Natural Sciences (Biology) at the University of Barcelona. He finished his bachelor's degree with high honors in 1964.
Early Teaching and Research
After graduating, Jordana began teaching biology at Tajamar School. This was from 1963 to 1964. In 1965, he moved to Barcelona to start his advanced studies. He became an associate professor at the University of Barcelona.
Later, he moved to Pamplona to complete his PhD in Biological Sciences. This was a very important step. It was the first PhD thesis defended at the Faculty of Sciences there. At the same time, he continued teaching as an associate professor at the University of Navarra.
In 1971, when he was just 29 years old, he achieved something special. He became a full professor at the University of La Laguna in the Canary Islands. He held two important positions: "Animal Physiology" and "Applied Zoology."
Leading Departments and Museums
In 1972, Professor Jordana returned to Pamplona. He became a professor at the University of Navarra. He worked hard to build up the Department of Zoology. He also started collecting and organizing research samples of animals.
These collections later became part of the Zoology Museum of the University of Navarra. Professor Jordana was the director of this museum from when it started in 1980 until he retired in 2011. He also held many leadership roles at the University of Navarra. These included being a director and a dean.
Amazing Discoveries and Research
From 1965 to 1980, Professor Jordana focused on studying the tiny parts of cells. He researched how cells in the gut, called enterocytes, reacted to different things. He published many research papers during this time.
When he became the Zoology Department Director, he started studying animals that live in the soil. He created a research team that looked at many different soil creatures. These included worms, springtails, mites, and other insects.
Contributions to Science
Professor Jordana has written a lot! He has published 255 papers, books, and book chapters. His work has been cited by other scientists over 2,000 times. This shows how important his research is.
He also discovered and described 120 new types of animals, called taxa. A taxon is a group of living things, like a species or a family. He even received four patents for his inventions. He also got 31 research grants to fund his studies.
Professor Jordana helped train the next generation of scientists. He guided 27 students through their doctoral theses. All of them earned the highest possible grade, Summa cum laude.
Professional Connections
Professor Jordana was part of many important groups. He was a founding member of the Fundación Empresa-Universidad de Navarra. He also directed the Institute of Applied Biology for many years. He was a member of several Spanish and European scientific societies. These included the Royal Spanish Society of Natural History.
See also
In Spanish: Rafael Jordana para niños
