José Luis Garcïa Cuevas

José Luis García Cuevas was a Cuban scientist born in Spain. Full Member of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba. Scholar of Merit. Electrical Engineer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Full Professor. Professor Emeritus of the Central University of Las Villas Martha Abreu de Estevez. He is the father of two eminent Cuban scientists Dagmar and Daniel García Rivera, both involved in the development of vaccines against COVID.

Jose Luis is an Electrical Engineer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Full Professor. Professor of University Management of Knowledge, Science, Technology and Innovation. Member of the National Commission of the Science and Technology Forum, President of the Commission on Scientific Categories of the Ministry of Higher Education. Area of specialization: Management of University Science and Technology.

He was born in Oviedo, Spain. His family moved to Cuba and went to live in Jaguey Grande where he studied primary and secondary school (8th grade), after the literacy campaign he studied pre-university in Matanzas and there he was awarded a scholarship to study an engineering degree in the former German Democratic Republic. Upon completing his degree he returned to Cuba and was placed at the Central University Marta Abreu de Las Villas.

José Luis began his working life at UCLV in 1970. In this institution of higher learning he worked as a professor and researcher. He served as vice-dean and later dean of the Faculty of Technologies, then Faculty of Electrical Engineering. At the Central University he assumed the responsibility of vice-rector of research and postgraduate studies in the 1980s.

In 1990 he was appointed rector of UCLV until 1996, where he faced the strongest years of the Special Period with the task of steering the paths of this university community amid a very complex socioeconomic scenario. José Luis García deployed, together with the direction of the Revolution, arduous work for the strengthening and development of science and innovation activities. He was founder of the Scientific-Productive Pole of Villa Clara.

The Electronic Engineer and researcher in the field of university management of science and innovation, García Cuevas, possessed extensive work experience as vice-minister, director and advisor of the Ministry of Higher Education (MES).

Member of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba, he holds the Carlos J. Finlay Order, the distinctions For Cuban Education and Rafael María de Mendive, among other recognitions that attest to his professional and scientific activity. At the time of his death he was serving as an advisor to the MES and member of the Executive Team of the National Council of Innovation (an advisory body to contribute to the country's development).


Contributions
He has more than thirty publications and is co-author of three specialized books:

Cuba: dawn of the third millennium,
Science, society and technology (which won the Critics' Prize 2004) and
Science, technology and innovation: challenges and uncertainties for the SOUTH.

He was Professor of different subjects in advanced courses for vice-rectors, in diplomas for deans and in master's programs on Management in different universities: INSTEC, University of Havana, University of Computer Sciences (UCI).

Vice-Minister of Higher Education for Science and Technology, Computerization and International Relations. Director of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Higher Education.

Recognition and Honors
He has received various honors including:

"Carlos J. Finlay" Order.
Commemorative Medal of Literacy
Commemorative Medal of the Landing of the Granma
José Tey Medal
Juan Tomás Roig Distinction
Distinction for Cuban Education.
Rafael María de Mendive Distinction.