Olatz Arbelaitz, the new president of the Puntueus Foundation

The board of trustees of the Puntueus Foundation has appointed Olatz Arbelaitz Gallego as the new president of the Foundation. With this appointment, Arbelaitz takes over from Iñaki Goirizelaia as the UPV/EHU representative. Goirizelaia, who announced in December that his time as president had come to an end, has led the Puntueus Foundation for the past eight years.

Arbelaitz emphasized, “I have always followed the trajectory of the PUNTUEUS project closely. From the time it was just a dream to the solid and consolidated project it is today, I have believed it to be an essential initiative for establishing a digital presence as a community.” She also highlighted that she had the opportunity to collaborate previously with the Foundation’s team and stated, “Their professionalism and positive attitude have always made working with them a pleasure, and I have full confidence in their abilities.”

Arbelaitz expressed her enthusiasm and sense of responsibility in taking on this new role, adding: “My goal is to maintain the project’s strong foundation and contribute to the development of a stronger Basque digital society.”

Olatz Arbelaitz Gallego (Errenteria, 1970) holds a degree and a doctorate in Computer Science. Since 1995, she has been a professor and researcher at the Faculty of Computer Science at the UPV/EHU, where she currently serves as a Full Professor. She is the co-director of the ALDAPA research group, working on Artificial Intelligence applied to Health and explainable and fair Machine Learning models. Throughout her career, she has been a member of the faculty’s management team and currently serves on the Equality Committee and the Research, Development, and Innovation Committee at UPV/EHU. Additionally, she actively promotes initiatives to enhance and raise the visibility of women in the tech field, such as coordinating the “Women in Science” initiative. She has also served as the head of the Computer Science Department at UEU for several years and is currently the coordinator of the Ikergazte congress.

About the Puntueus Foundation
 The PUNTUEUS Foundation is responsible for the management, oversight, and promotion of the .EUS domain. Established in 2012, it is a private, non-profit organization currently comprised of the following entities:

  • UPV/EHU (presidency)
  • Puntueus Association (secretariat)
  • Euskaltzaindia (treasury)
  • Association of Free Software Companies of Euskadi
  • Euskal Irrati Telebista (EITB)
  • Basque Cultural Institute (EKE)
  • Euskaltel Foundation
  • Kontseilua

Historical presidencies:

  • Joan Mari Torrealdai Nabea – Euskaltzaindia (2012 – 2016)
  • Iñaki Goirizelaia Ordorika – UPV/EHU (2016 – 2024)
  • Olatz Arbelaitz Gallego – UPV/EHU (2024 – )