Brother Josep Martí i Roca, a key figure in the development of La Salle Campus Barcelona and a Full Professor at Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), passed away at the age of 81 after a life devoted to education and academic research, becoming a benchmark of service to the Lasallian mission. His human and intellectual legacy will live on in the memory of generations of students, faculty, researchers, and colleagues who knew him and grew alongside him, sharing his strong commitment to education and to the foundational values of La Salle.
Brother Martí was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the University School of Technical Telecommunications Engineering (EUETT), the seed of today’s campus. He also served as President of the FUNITEC Board of Trustees —the foundation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools that manages La Salle Campus Barcelona— Provincial Visitor of La Salle Catalunya, Vice-Rector for Research and Technology at URL, and one of the leading voices in the field of acoustics in Catalonia, having been awarded the 3rd ACUSTICAT Prize for his professional career in the discipline. At the time of his passing, he served as Commissioner for Identity and Mission at La Salle Campus Barcelona, and was a member of its Executive Team and the FUNITEC Board of Trustees.
One of the leading figures in acoustics in Catalonia and a life dedicated to La Salle
The recognition awarded to Brother Martí at the Congress of Acoustics of Catalonia, held in April 2024, was the best summary of his life and academic career. Around fifty colleagues from the campus —many of them former students and collaborators of Brother Martí— joined him on stage as he received the award, in an image that perfectly reflected his character and the affection he inspired in all those who worked with him. The award also recognized his contribution to the discipline, as highlighted by the jury, who praised his work “in the fields of teaching, outreach, research, and his value as a professional in the field of acoustics.”
His career as an educator in acoustics began in 1977. From then on, he taught at the university level almost without interruption until the final months of his life, across several undergraduate and master’s programs at La Salle-URL. In this regard, he was the driving force behind the launch of the Image and Sound studies that same year and served as principal investigator in various research projects in the field of acoustics, while also directing numerous doctoral theses. One of his major achievements was leading the construction of the first anechoic chamber at a Catalan university, in the 1980s, after learning about its use firsthand at the University of Southampton.
Beyond his teaching and research work, Brother Martí was deeply aware of the importance of transferring knowledge from the university to industry and society. In this context, he served as the lead of the Committee for Acoustic and Electroacoustic Control of the venues for the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games, from 1988 to 1992, overseeing the acoustic studies and implementation of sound systems for all Olympic venues. He also conducted acoustic studies in emblematic spaces such as the Basilica of Montserrat. The legacy of all his work in the field of acoustics is now embodied in the IASlab, La Salle-URL’s laboratory for transdisciplinary research and artistic creation pioneering in Europe, where Brother Martí was deeply involved from the very beginning.
A successful and widely recognized career
Brother Josep Martí was born in Tarragona in 1944. He earned a diploma in Teaching and a degree in Physics from the University of Barcelona. He also obtained a diploma in Religious Studies from the Pontifical University of Salamanca and earned his doctorate from the University of Valencia. On October 14, 2003, as president of the FUNITEC Board of Trustees, he received the Creu de Sant Jordi in commemoration of the centenary of La Salle’s university studies in Catalonia. The award was presented by the President of the Generalitat, Jordi Pujol. In May 2011, Brother Martí was awarded the Gold Medal of the Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), and in November 2019, he joined its Honorary Committee.
His consecration as a Brother of the Christian Schools took place in 1963, when he was 19 years old. Since then, his vocational journey led him through various La Salle institutions in Catalonia: Cambrils, Bonanova, Gràcia, Sant Joan Despí, the Provincial House of Torre Fournier, the university campus of La Salle in Barcelona, and the house of Sant Josep in Cambrils. His connection to La Salle Campus Barcelona was especially deep, having spent nearly half of his career as a Brother at the campus.
Brother Josep Martí i Roca, who passed away on June 12, 2025, at the age of 81, leaves behind a profound legacy that transcends the academic and institutional spheres. He will be remembered for his vision of education as a true vocation of service, for his steadfast commitment to science and technology with purpose and for the common good, and for a life and career lived in service to others—fully embracing the legacy of Saint John Baptist de La Salle. Brother Martí’s life will continue to inspire the campus community as a model of wisdom, humility, and generous dedication. May he rest in peace.
