Ricard Vilalta (Girona, 1983) obtained his Telecommunications Engineering degree from Technical University of Catalonia on 2007, after completing his master thesis on Resource Management on DVB-S2/RCS Networks. He also has a master's degree on Audiovisual Communication at UOC (Open University of Catalonia) and a master degree on Technology-based business innovation and administration (MBI) at Barcelona University (UB). Since 2010, Ricard Vilalta is PhD. Candidate in Signal Theory and Communications Department at Technical University of Catalonia (UPC).

Ricard Vilalta worked as research engineer and software developer in Triagnosys GmbH (Munich, Germany) during 2006-2009, finally leading projects on satellite networks. He worked on Airbus 380 ALNA communication gateway project as a software developer. In 2008, Ricard Vilalta was the in-company project manager for FW6 E-Cab project, were a 3G picocell with satellite backhauling was developed.

During 2009, Ricard Vilalta lead a software development team in computer vision for developing a computer-based inspection system at E2M (Sabadell), holding a Torres Quevedo Grant.

In 2010, Ricard Vilalta joined CTTC as Research Engineer and is currently working at the Optical Networking Area. He is involved in EU FP7 IDEALIST, COMBO, STRONGEST and OFELIA, and Spanish MINECO FARO and DORADO. 

His research is focussed on Optical Network Virtualization and Optical Openflow.