The Regional Minister of Education, Culture, and Universities welcomes Professor Wael El-Deredy, the first distinguished researcher to join the ValER Foundation as part of its program to attract scientific talent

The Valencian Community Foundation for Research Excellence (ValER), attached to the Regional Ministry of Education, Culture, and Universities, is beginning to hire distinguished researchers as a result of its talent recruitment program under its strategic plan for the period 2024-2029, whose main objective is to hire a minimum of 30 researchers of excellence by the end of the period.

The Regional Minister of Education, Culture, and Universities, Carmen Ortí, has highlighted that the incorporation of the first Distinguished Researcher in the ValER program “positions the Valencian Community as a benchmark in high-impact artificial intelligence.”

Wael El-Deredy, the first distinguished researcher to join the ValER Foundation in the field of engineering, applies engineering principles to neural systems, integrating biophysical modeling, processing, and probabilistic inference to understand brain dynamics. His work drives neuroengineering, brain-computer interfaces, and clinical applications by integrating generative models of brain function based on both biophysics and data. Professor El-Deredy will carry out his work at ValgrAI (Valencian Graduate School and Research Network of Artificial Intelligence) as a host institution.

Ortí, remark that the incorporation of Professor El-Deredy “is not just an individual addition, but a boost to the entire Valencian ecosystem, and his presence reinforces the connection between applied research and the productive fabric.”

During her speech, the regional minister emphasized that the Generalitat is making a sustained investment effort to promote ValER and place the Valencian Community on the international map of excellence. “This is a long-term, structural investment that allows us to attract profiles capable of generating competitive projects, teams, collaborations, and transfer. In short, economic and social impact.”

Professor Rosa Llusar, Scientific Director of ValER, highlighted that ValER, through its calls for proposals, offers new formulas for hiring research personnel that give us the option to compete with research systems in other countries. In the 2025 call for applications, 63 applications were validated, 44 in the area of Experimental Sciences and the rest in Engineering. The candidates came from 25 different countries with 22 different nationalities.

The key to ValER’s success is the evaluation and selection of candidates. This selection is based on peer review and has scientific excellence and leadership as its sole criteria. The evaluation panels were made up of internationally renowned Spanish and foreign scientists. The success of our first call for applications is endorsed by the brilliant scientific careers of Professor El-Deredy and the other selected candidates.