José Ignacio Pérez Arriaga closes the academic year of the Real Academia de Ingeniería

Pérez Arriaga, who has spent a large part of his career at the Comillas Institute for Research in Technology (IIT), is a key figure in the field of electrical engineering and the regulation of energy systems. In his speech, he stressed that engineering is not only about solving technical problems, but also about doing so with an ethical and social vision, clearly communicating the impact that these solutions have on people's lives and on major global challenges such as sustainability and the energy transition.

"Engineers need a specific ethical education to prepare for the practice of their profession, where they have to make decisions of a different nature from those of everyday life. In their training process, engineers must analyse specific cases that present ethical dilemmas in professional life, and learn what resources, both technical and legal, are available to them to adopt the appropriate measures," he pointed out.

The lecturer at Comillas ICAI also noted some of the major risks associated with technology, such as climate change or the development of AI. "I am not naïve enough to believe that engineering alone can change the world. But I do believe that we can inspire new generations with the essential role that engineers have to play in curbing climate change, controlling and wisely using artificial intelligence and building a more equitable world," he concluded.

The event, chaired by Jaime Domínguez Abascal, president of the Real Academia de Ingeniería, included the reading of the annual report and the official closing of the course.