Retirement of Professor Manuel Hervás
As many of you know, our colleague Professor Manuel Hervás Morón, ‘our’ Manolo, is retiring after 45 years of a working life dedicated to research and university teaching. Although born in Huelva, Manolo studied Biological Sciences at the University of Seville. He then completed his doctoral thesis (1980-1984) in the Department of Biochemistry and CSIC of the Faculty of Biology, the seed of the current IBVF. In 1989, he obtained the position of Associate Professor and, in 2010, that of Full Professor, a position he has held until his retirement.
In the scientific field, Manolo has built up a more than solid curriculum, focusing on the study of the chemistry, structure and function of proteins. His research has been particularly relevant in the field of electron transfer in oxygenic photosynthesis and bioenergetics. Manolo has made essential contributions to clarifying the mechanisms of electron transfer from soluble donors to photosystem I and its evolution. In particular, he introduced laser excitation spectrophotometry to Spain to measure biological electron transfer processes in vivo and in real time. Manolo is co-author of 108 articles in ISI journals (with an h-index of 36), in addition to other publications, book chapters and numerous contributions to national and international conferences. It is significant that the articles to which Manolo has not contributed experimental work can be counted with the fingers of one hand. After all, science ‘has to be done’.
Manolo has taken teaching very seriously. He has prepared his classes rigorously, taught them clearly, and has always been available to his students. In short, he enjoys teaching… and his students know it and appreciate it.
On a personal level, few can say that they asked Manolo for help—whether to learn how to use a piece of equipment, fix a problem, or simply clarify a question—and did not receive it. This generosity has made him a highly esteemed figure within the IBVF, especially among the pre-doctoral researchers he has supervised. In addition, he has been deputy director of the Institute in two different stages and with different directors, totaling 12 years in the position. This constant willingness to lend a hand when necessary – and without asking for anything in return – speaks about his exceptional human qualities.
We can only wish him the best in this new stage of his life as a retiree, surely dedicated to dismantling and reassembling old cars and motorcycles, or enjoying the mountains of El Bierzo. Of course, many of us here at the IBVF already miss him.