On 2 December, the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) held a tribute day in honour of the eminent ecologist Enric “Kike” Ballesteros, who developed his career as a scientist at the Centre and passed away a year ago. The event included the inauguration of the refurbished auditorium of the Centre, which will bear his name.
Dr Enric “Kike” Ballesteros (1958–2024) was a distinguished biologist and ecologist, internationally recognised for his contributions to science — particularly with regard to the understanding of marine ecosystems — as well as for his extensive outreach work and his staunch defence of nature conservation.
He developed his professional career at CEAB-CSIC, where from 1986 until his final day he led projects dedicated to the knowledge and conservation of aquatic ecosystems, both marine and continental. He was director of the Centre between 1998 and 2002 and later head of the Benthic Ecosystem Functioning research group. A pioneer in the study of Mediterranean benthic communities, he also gained significant international projection as a member of the scientific team of Pristine Seas, a National Geographic Society project dedicated to protecting the most pristine marine areas on the planet.
His scientific work, together with his intense outreach activity and his perspective as an underwater photographer, earned him numerous awards, such as the Environmental Prize of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (2016), the Tridenti d’Oro of the Accademia Internazionale di Scienze e Tecniche Subacquee (2021), the Bluewave Prize (2023), and recognition as an honorary member of the Institució Catalana d’Història Natural (2024).
A Major Tribute Event
The commemorative day brought together more than two hundred people from around the world at the CEAB-CSIC headquarters in Blanes, and was followed online by other colleagues of the researcher who were unable to attend in person due to capacity limitations.
The session began at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome and introduction to the event by the current director of the Centre, Marc Rius, and the head of the Department of Marine Ecology and close collaborator of Kike Ballesteros, Emma Cebrian.
Subsequently, speeches and round-table discussions provided a comprehensive portrait of Ballesteros, both in his role as a scientific researcher and as a science communicator, nature photographer, mentor and team-mate.
Participants included: Quim Garrabou (ICM-CSIC), Cristina Linares (UB), Diego Kersting (IATS-CSIC), Jordi Camp (ICM-CSIC), Jana Verdura (UdG), Jordi Catalan (CREAF), Xavier Font (University of Barcelona), Aniol Esteban (Marilles Foundation), Fiona Tomas (IMEDEA-CSIC), Toni Llobet (illustrator and naturalist), Catalina Massutí (Government of the Balearic Islands), Mikel Zabala (UB), David Díaz (IEO-CSIC), Joan Canals (Ciutadella, Menorca), Eva Marsinyac (OBSAM-IME), Enric Sala, Manu San Félix, Juan Mayorga, Molly Timmers, Chris Thompson and Whitney Goodell (all from the Pristine Seas team, National Geographic). And from CEAB-CSIC: Iosune Uriz, Maria Garcia, Marc Ventura, Lluís Camarero, Esperança Gacia, Teresa Alcoverro, Marta Alamán and Emma Cebrian.
The speeches and round-table discussions highlighted the exceptional career of Enric “Kike” Ballesteros, capable of exploring and studying with equal passion high-mountain lakes and the marine benthos. Several speakers also emphasised his way of understanding science and nature: the conviction that only what is known can be loved, and only what is loved can be protected. A philosophy that shaped both his research and his outreach work, and which continues to inspire the scientific community.
Inauguration of the Enric “Kike” Ballesteros Auditorium
The tribute day concluded with the inauguration of the refurbished auditorium of CEAB-CSIC, which from today bears the name of Enric “Kike” Ballesteros in recognition of his outstanding career and the profound legacy he leaves within the scientific community and among all those who worked alongside him.
