CV Summary
To date, my research has focused on the study of catalytic processes for the selective transformation of biomass-derived components into chemical products and biofuels with high added value. My doctoral thesis (2012), carried out at the Bilbao School of Engineering (UPV/EHU) under the supervision of Prof. Pedro Luis Arias, addressed the study of the hydrogenolysis reaction for the selective transformation of glycerol into propanediols. The use of hydrogen donor molecules that could reduce the need for molecular hydrogen was studied. The PhD research experience was enriched by a 6-month research stay at the "Leibniz Institute of Catalysts" (Rostock, Germany) under the supervision of Dr. habil. Andreas Martin. One of the articles derived from the doctoral thesis was awarded as "Top Cited Paper" by the journal "Applied Catalysis B: Environmental" in the years 2010 and 2011.
As a postdoctoral researcher, I extended my research topics to other processes relevant to the biorefinery concept, such as the aqueous phase reforming of glycerol and the production of furfural from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. In 2013, I joined Professor Mark Mascal's group at the University of California Davis (USA). During the research period at Davis, we developed a process for the production of gasoline (biogasoline) from biomass-derived levulinic acid. In January 2014, I joined Professor Graham Hutchings' research group at the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (Cardiff, UK) for a 12-month research stay. My research focused on the study of oxidation reactions of bioalcohols using catalysts with supported Au, Pd and Pt nanoparticles. Since January 2015, I have been a lecturer at the Bilbao School of Engineering and a member of the SuPrEn research group. In 2019 I achieved a permanent position (associate Professor). My current research focuses on the valorization of platform molecules derived from biomass using active, selective and stable heterogeneous catalysts in aqueous phase. I have also conducted process intensification studies for the development of the biorefinery concept.
My extensive international experience has resulted in a large number of international collaborations with renowned scientists in the different fields of catalysis. As a result, I have acquired significant experience in the synthesis and characterisation of catalysts, in the study of reaction mechanisms and kinetics, and in process engineering.
The following figures summarise my research publications:
- Total number of JCR articles: 32 - First quartile: 24
- Total number of citations: 1983 - h-factor: 24
- Six-year research periods: 2
I have supervised three doctoral theses. Dr Sara García-Fernández defended the first one (international mention) in 2016 with the title "Development of advanced catalytic systems for the selective hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived polyols". The second thesis, entitled "Levulinic acid conversion to 2-methyltetrahydrofuran over Ni-Cu/Al2O3 catalysts" was defended in February 2017 by Dr. Iker Obregón Bengoa. The third, entitled "Development of heterogeneous catalysts for obtaining high added value compounds from the hydrogenation of furfural" was defended in 2021 by Dr. Alberto Jesús Barranca Jiménez.
Since April 2021 I am the coordinator of the Erasmus+ Master "Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion" (https://mesc-plus.eu/).
