Coinciding with the latest session of the Ateneo de la EINA, the lecture series of the School of Engineering and Architecture (EINA) at Universidad de Zaragoza, today welcomed Asunción (Suni) Aranda, MEng in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Chemical Engineering, CEO and co-founder of SuMaTechs AS, and inventor of sustainable mineral-processing technologies. The session was introduced by Prof. Luis Miguel Romeo Giménez, Professor of Energy Systems at the Universidad de Zaragoza.
Under the title “Engineering Value in Technological Innovation: Balancing Purpose and Efficiency from Lab to Industry”, Aranda reflected on the role of engineering as a driver of value in times of energy transition, materials demand, and geopolitical challenges. She emphasized how innovation, intellectual-property management, and public-private cooperation are key to transforming scientific knowledge into real industrial impact.
Drawing on her extensive experience in industrial research, Aranda discussed case studies from aluminum industry such as the re-evaluation of traditional processes and newer, more sustainable alternatives like those developed at SuMaTechs. Her talk illustrated how engineering can foster sustainability, resource autonomy, and a more conscious design of industrial processes.
The event highlighted the importance of bridging academia and industry and showcased how the engineer can act as a creator of change, promoting environmental responsibility and innovation. It reaffirmed the commitment of the Universidad de Zaragoza to foster ideas capable of addressing the challenges of resource-intensive industries in the 21st century.
