# Montse Maritxalar Anglada

> researcher

**Wikidata**: [Q20492393](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20492393)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/montse-maritxalar-anglada

## Summary
Montse Maritxalar Anglada is a Spanish computer scientist and researcher specializing in Basque language technologies. She is best known for her work on **Xuxen**, a free software spelling checker for Basque, and her contributions to digital competency in education. As a professor at the University of the Basque Country, she has mentored multiple doctoral students and advanced computational linguistics for minority languages.

## Biography
- **Born**: December 10, 1966, in San Sebastián, Spain
- **Nationality**: Spanish
- **Education**: Doctorate from the University of the Basque Country (advised by Arantza Diaz de Ilarraza Sanchez)
- **Known for**: Developing **Xuxen** (Basque spelling checker) and research in formal methods, digital competency, and Basque language technologies
- **Employer(s)**: University of the Basque Country (Faculty of Informatics of San Sebastián)
- **Field(s)**: Computer science, computational linguistics, education technology

## Contributions
Montse Maritxalar Anglada has made significant contributions to Basque language computing and education technology. Her most notable work includes:
- **Xuxen (1994)**: A free, open-source spelling checker for Basque, addressing a critical need for digital tools in minority languages. Xuxen remains widely used in Basque-speaking regions.
- **Research in formal methods**: Authored works on program specification, verification, and formal derivation, including the book *Programen espezifikazio, egiaztapen eta eratorpen formala*.
- **Digital competency in education**: Co-authored *IKTak eta konpetentzia digitalak hezkuntzan*, a framework for integrating digital skills into Basque education.
- **Academic leadership**: Supervised doctoral students (e.g., Larraitz Uria, Iñigo López-Gazpio, Itziar Aldabe) who now contribute to computer science and AI research.
- **Awards**: Received the **Abadia Award** in 2013 for her contributions to Basque language technology.

Her work bridges computer science and linguistics, ensuring Basque thrives in digital spaces.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Montse Maritxalar Anglada best known for?
A: She is best known for developing **Xuxen**, a free spelling checker for Basque, and her research in formal methods and digital education.

### Q: Where does Montse Maritxalar work?
A: She is a professor at the **University of the Basque Country**, specifically at the Faculty of Informatics in San Sebastián.

### Q: What awards has she received?
A: She won the **Abadia Award in 2013** for her contributions to Basque language technology.

### Q: Who were her notable students?
A: She advised doctoral students including **Iñigo López-Gazpio**, **Itziar Aldabe**, and **Izaskun Etxeberria Uztarroz**, who are now active researchers in computer science.

### Q: What languages does she work with?
A: She specializes in **Basque and Spanish**, focusing on computational tools for Basque language preservation.

## Why They Matter
Montse Maritxalar Anglada’s work has been pivotal in ensuring the Basque language’s survival in the digital age. Before tools like Xuxen, Basque lacked robust computational support, limiting its use in technology. Her research in formal methods and education technology has also shaped how digital competencies are taught in Basque schools. By mentoring the next generation of computer scientists (e.g., Iñigo López-Gazpio, who works in AI), she has extended her impact beyond her own publications. Without her contributions, Basque digital infrastructure would be significantly weaker, and minority language computing might lack key models for development.

## Notable For
- **Creator of Xuxen** (1994), the first widely adopted spelling checker for Basque.
- **Abadia Award winner** (2013) for advancements in Basque language technology.
- **Doctoral advisor** to influential researchers in computer science and AI.
- **Author of key texts** on formal methods and digital education in Basque.
- **Member of Udako Euskal Unibertsitatea**, promoting Basque-language higher education.

## Body
### Early Life and Education
- Born **December 10, 1966**, in **San Sebastián, Spain**.
- Earned her doctorate at the **University of the Basque Country**, advised by **Arantza Diaz de Ilarraza Sanchez**, a pioneer in Basque computer science.

### Career and Research
- **Primary affiliation**: Faculty of Informatics of San Sebastián, University of the Basque Country.
- **Research focus**:
  - Formal methods in software engineering (e.g., program specification, verification).
  - Computational linguistics for Basque (e.g., Xuxen spelling checker).
  - Digital competency frameworks for education (*IKTak eta konpetentzia digitalak hezkuntzan*).
- **Notable publications**:
  - *Programen espezifikazio, egiaztapen eta eratorpen formala* (on formal methods).
  - *IKTak eta konpetentzia digitalak hezkuntzan* (digital skills in education).

### Xuxen: A Landmark Project
- **Launched in 1994**, Xuxen was one of the first free software tools for Basque spell-checking.
- Addressed a critical gap in digital tools for minority languages.
- Remains in use today, integrated into Basque-language software and educational systems.

### Academic Leadership
- **Doctoral advisor** to:
  - **Iñigo López-Gazpio** (AI researcher, b. 1990).
  - **Itziar Aldabe** (computer scientist, b. 1979).
  - **Izaskun Etxeberria Uztarroz** (university teacher).
- **Member of Udako Euskal Unibertsitatea** (Summer Basque University), promoting Basque-medium education.

### Awards and Recognition
- **Abadia Award (2013)**: Honored for her contributions to Basque language technology.
- **Cited in academic databases**: DBLP (ID: 27/6979), Springer Nature (ID: 011154242720.49).

## Schema Markup
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## References

1. [Source](https://www.ehu.eus/es/web/idazkaritza-nagusia/vicerrectora-posgrado-y-formacion-continua/curriculum-vitae)
2. [SciGraph](https://scigraph.springernature.com/person.011154242720.49)