The Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. On 15 October 1985, its main headquarters were officially inaugurated, overlooking the Sant Francesc cove in the municipality of Blanes (Girona). That day marked the beginning of four decades of scientific research. The Centre was founded with a clear transdisciplinary vocation and has since evolved into an international benchmark in marine ecology, limnology, and theoretical ecology.
Promoted by renowned figures such as Joan Oró and Ramon Margalef, the CEAB-CSIC was conceived as a meeting point for researchers from very different fields, fostering the exchange of knowledge and transdisciplinary collaboration. In its early years, it brought together teams working in marine biology and oceanography, astrophysics, and artificial intelligence. By the mid-1990s, the Centre redefined its research lines: the astrophysics and artificial intelligence groups moved to other institutions, and research began to focus on the marine sciences. Soon after, however, its scope expanded again with the arrival of the first limnologists —specialists in the study of continental waters such as rivers and lakes— and later, in the 2000s, with the incorporation of theoretical ecology, dedicated to the mathematical and computational modelling of ecological phenomena. These additions allowed aquatic ecology to be addressed at all scales and through multiple approaches.
Today, forty years after its foundation, the Centre has established itself as a benchmark in these fields, internationally recognised and with special expertise in the Mediterranean region. It has become a leading research institute in marine ecology, limnology, and ecological theory, with major contributions to understanding biodiversity and the functioning of aquatic ecosystems —from high mountain lakes to the depths of the sea. In recent years, it has placed particular emphasis on studying the effects of global change on these ecosystems, as well as on developing conservation and restoration measures. All of this has been achieved while maintaining and strengthening the collaborative and transdisciplinary spirit on which it was founded.
Beyond top-level scientific research, the CEAB-CSIC has also developed a strong commitment to knowledge transfer, turning scientific results into practical information and tools for environmental management, in collaboration with public bodies, private entities, and citizens. It has also reinforced its efforts in science communication and public engagement, through outreach activities, citizen science, and the promotion of scientific culture across all sectors, ensuring that science underpins the decisions we make.
