The management of the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Seville, its faculty, students and administrative and service staff, deeply regret the passing of Professor and colleague Miguel Ángel Aguirre Echánove. 

Professor Aguirre Echánove held a doctorate in Industrial Engineering and was a professor in the area of ​​Electronic Technology in the Department of Electronic Engineering at the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Seville.

In his academic career, he was known for his dedication to improving the subjects he taught, creating engaging content, and developing activities that motivated students in their approach to electronics. He maintained constant contact with students, offering training grants and mentoring numerous final degree projects, always with maximum availability.  

Since presenting his doctoral thesis in 1994, Professor Aguirre Echánove has conducted his research and technology transfer in the field of programmable logic devices. Of particular note is his involvement in major European projects such as FIPSOC (Field Programmable System On Chip) , a 1996 project where a reconfigurable chip for industrial use was designed for the first time worldwide. 

Miguel Ángel always dreamed big, achieving international recognition for his research. A testament to this is that, thanks to his exceptional vision and optimism, he was the driving force and leader of the European Space Agency's (ESA) for nearly two decades, transforming it into a benchmark tool for evaluating the radiation resistance of electronic systems. As a pioneer in research on the effects of radiation on electronics, Miguel Ángel passionately and generously formed and led a team whose legacy will endure in the fields of education, research, and the space electronics industry. His positive attitude was always a source of inspiration for his team and for all of us who had the honor of working alongside him.

The impact of his work transcends borders, having collaborated with national and international institutions such as the National Accelerator Centre (Seville), the Centre for Ultrashort Pulsed Lasers (Salamanca), the University of Alicante, the Carlos III University of Madrid, the TIMA laboratory (Grenoble, France), the Polytechnic University of Turin (Italy), the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the European Space Agency.

On a personal level, Miguel Ángel always stood out for his cheerful character and easy laughter, his overflowing passion for his work and for Betis, his generous heart and, as he demonstrated in his later years, his amazing fighting spirit.

Finally, we wish to highlight the affection and esteem that the entire academic community of the ETSi held for Miguel Ángel Aguirre Echánove, which is why this sad news has plunged us all into deep sorrow. May he rest in peace.