PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Karina Gibert

Also known as Karina Gibert i Oliveras, Karina Gibert Oliveras

Karina Gibert is a computer scientist and full professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) who builds data science and decision support tools and works on the ethical use of AI. Born in Figueres in 1967, she began leading work on KLASS, a data science and AI tool, in 1989 and completed a UPC doctorate in computational statistics and artificial intelligence in 1995. She helped create UPC's IDEAI research center in 2017, directed it from 2021 to 2025, and co-wrote the Catalan government's strategy for AI. In 2025, the Parliament of Catalonia awarded her its gold Medal of Honour for her contribution to the governance of artificial intelligence. Today she is dean of the Official College of Computer Engineering of Catalonia and directs i3WaterS, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral network on AI for water systems.

Now at
Polytechnic University of Catalonia and Official College of Computer Engineering of Catalonia
Born
1967
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. 1986–1995

    Degrees and a UPC doctorate

    Born in Figueres in 1967, she joins the Knowledge Engineering and Machine Learning group (KEMLg) in 1986. She earns a computer science degree from the Barcelona School of Informatics in 1990 and a master's in 1991. In 1995, she completes a PhD at UPC in computational statistics and artificial intelligence, supervised by Ulises Cortés.

  2. 1989–2010

    KLASS and applied data mining

    She leads the software development of KLASS, a data science and AI tool, from 1989 and holds a permanent teaching position at UPC from 1990. The International Environmental Modelling and Software Society (iEMSs) elects her a fellow in July 2007. From 2008 to 2010, she advises the World Health Organization on characterizing mental health systems.

  3. 2013–2016

    Winning HackingBullipedia

    In November 2013, a KEMLg team she leads wins the HackingBullipedia Global Challenge, organized by the El Bulli Foundation and Telefonica, with GENESIS, an intelligent decision support system for creativity. She heads KEMLg from 2013 to 2016.

  4. 2017–2018

    IDEAI and the Catalonia.AI strategy

    She plays an active role in creating IDEAI, UPC's Intelligent Data Science and Artificial Intelligence research center, founded in October 2017, and joins its management team for KEMLg. In 2018, she becomes a full professor at UPC. In October 2018, she joins the Catalonia.AI working group and co-writes the Catalan government's strategy for AI.

  5. 2017–2023

    Dean of COEINF

    At the Official College of Computer Engineering of Catalonia (COEINF), she is vice-dean for big data, data science and AI from 2017 to 2020 and vice-dean for ethics and equity from 2020 to 2023. She founds donesCOEINF, the college's gender commission, in 2018. In April 2023, she becomes dean of COEINF.

  6. February 2021–2025

    Director of IDEAI

    In February 2021, she succeeds Cecilio Angulo as director of IDEAI, which has 65 permanent researchers across seven UPC research groups. She plays a key role in creating UPC's degree in artificial intelligence and leads IDEAI until 2025.

  7. 2021–2025

    Ada Byron Award and Parliament medal

    In 2021, the Institut d'Estudis Catalans gives her an honorary mention of its Creu Casas award, and in 2022 she and Núria Castell receive the Ada Byron Award from the Professional College of Computer Engineering of Galicia. She wins the WomenTech Award and the National Computer Engineering Award in 2023. In 2025, Forbes lists her among the 100 most influential women in Catalonia, and the Parliament of Catalonia awards her its gold Medal of Honour for her contribution to the governance of artificial intelligence.

  8. Since 2025

    The i3WaterS doctoral network

    Since 2025, she directs i3WaterS, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral network coordinated by UPC that develops AI-driven solutions for water systems. She remains a full professor at UPC, and in 2026 she represents COEINF as its dean at the Diada de Catalunya events.

Career

  1. Since 2017Official College of Computer Engineering of CataloniaVice-dean for big data, data science and AI, Vice-dean for ethics and equity
  2. Since 1990Polytechnic University of CataloniaPermanent teaching position, Full professor

Education

  1. 1995Polytechnic University of CataloniaPhD
  2. 1991Barcelona School of InformaticsMaster's
  3. 1990Barcelona School of InformaticsComputer science degree

From the biography.

  1. Of 216 AI researchers who entered public life, 83 held advisory seats and 58 took public rolesIncludes Karina Gibert. Of 216 AI researchers who entered public life, 83 held advisory seats and 58 took public roles. Another 97 people moved from public careers into AI organizations or research, with 62% of dated records starting from 2020 on.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Polytechnic University of Catalonia. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Polytechnic University of Catalonia. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Polytechnic University of Catalonia. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Karina Gibert yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Karina Gibert - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Karina Gibert - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre es.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Karina Gibert — Department of Statistics and Operations Research — UPC eio.upc.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Karina Gibert, new head of IDEAI — IDEAI-UPC ideai.upc.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Karina Gibert and Núria Castell, Doctors in computer science from the UPC, awarded the Ada Byron prize | FIB - Barcelona School of Informatics fib.upc.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Interview with Karina Gibert, AI and data science specialist | Barcelona Digital City ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. i3WaterS Who we are websk.upc.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. La FIB homenatja Karina Gibert per la Medalla d’Honor del Parlament de Catalunya | COEINF enginyeriainformatica.cat. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Karina Gibert, honorary mention of the IEC Creu Casas Award | FIB - Barcelona School of Informatics fib.upc.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. The Parliament will award the Chamber's gold medal to the Federation of Athenaeums of Catalonia and to Karina Gibert en.ara.cat. Checked 20 October 2026.
  11. Karina Gibert, professor at the FIB, will receive the Parliament’s Gold Medal of Honor | FIB - Barcelona School of Informatics fib.upc.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  12. La Diada Nacional de Catalunya al COEINF | Col·legi Oficial d'Enginyeria Informàtica de Catalunya COEINF enginyeriainformatica.cat. Checked 20 October 2026.