Maria José Espona, Professor and Director, Catholic University of Argentina Shares Her Key Achievements and Plans for 2022

María José Espona, Professor and Director, Post-Graduate course on Strategic Intelligence at Catholic University of Argentina (Argentina)

Introducing: María José Espona, Professor and Director, Post-Graduate course on Strategic Intelligence at Catholic University of Argentina (Argentina)

1.What were your most significant achievements in 2021, or more specifically in the last two years, and why? 

In 2021, following the trend of offering courses at several academic institutions, starting an Information Quality in the Decision-Making Process course at the INAP (National Institute for Public Administration), Argentina. The possibility of educating the public administration on these topics is relevant and a significant step toward a more efficiently functioning state. 

2.What challenges are you facing in the academic data field? 

The main challenge is reaching out to the traditional audience and all the people who need to know about information quality and its role in their professional and personal lives. 

3.What traits and qualities are required to be a successful academic data leader? 

To be a successful academic data leader requires a passion for the data and its management, knowledge about the specific topic, and the ability to inspire students to study more about data and information.

4.Tell us about your priorities in 2022.What are your key targets? 

My priority is to continue presenting information quality courses at different academic institutions in Argentina and other countries (English- and Spanish-speaking ones). Also, to continue running our NGO ArgIQ and use our website to host the courses (www.argiq.com.ar), and to continue researching the impact of the quality of the information on the decision-making process in infectious diseases and chemical and biological weapons.

5.What advice would you offer aspiring academic leaders to help them prepare for the role?

Be passionate and try to learn something every day.

Mara José Espona is co-director of Information Quality in Argentina, a nonprofit organization promoting information quality methodology in Spanish-speaking countries. She teaches graduate courses in science and technology, disarmament, information quality, and digital intelligence at Argentine universities including the National Defense School and has published widely on weapons of mass destruction, especially biological weapons. She received a doctorate in criminology at the University of Granada, Spain, in 2019 a master’s degree in terrorism studies from UNIR Spain, in 2013, and also holds a degree in biology from Argentina’s University of Buenos Aires. She is working toward another doctorate in data governance from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain.

Maria José Espona is one of our Leading Academic Data Leaders in 2022. To discover the full list, click here now.