Professor Francisco Sánchez played a leading role in the introduction of astrophysics to Spain. During the sixties he carried out site testing at Izaña (Tenerife) to confirm the suitability of the site for the establishment of an astronomical observatory. Since then, his goal has always been to promote the Canarian summits as ideal locations for advanced telescopes and to promote the skies above the Canarian observatories as a natural resource to be exploited for scientific research. He founded the Instituto de Astrofìsica de Canarias (IAC), which came into existence in 1982 and is now a leading astrophysical research centre. Under Sánchez's direction, a key activity of the IAC was, and still is, technology transfer, its efforts in this direction coming to full fruition with the building of the 10.4 metre Gran Telescopio Canarias and the IAC's participation in major space astrophysical missions. Professor Sánchez retired in 2013 and holdsthe official title of Founding Director of the IAC.
