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Team

Dr. Néstor Guijarro Carratalá

Head of the ASSET labs
Institute of Electrochemistry
University of Alicante (Spain)

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Prof. Guijarro is a Ramon y Cajal Research Professor at the University of Alicante (Spain), within the Institute of Electrochemistry. He completed his PhD (2013) in Material Science at the University of Alicante under the supervision of Prof. R. Gomez and T. Lana-Villarreal (GFES lab). Dr. Guijarro’s PhD explored the emerging field of quantum-dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs), with a special focus on the synthesis and engineering of novel light harvesting nanocrystals and the characterization of devices using photoelectrochemical and ultrafast spectroscopy techniques.

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Dr. Guijarro completed his postdoctoral studies at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Laussanne (EPFL, Switzerland) supported with a Marie Curie fellowship (2012) and an Ambizione Energy grant (2016), with Prof. Kevin Sivula (LIMNO Lab). Here, focused on the production of green Hydrogen using photoelectrochemical devices and on the design of novel low-cost photovoltaics.

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Currently, as a head of the ASSET labs. he is pursuing to develop novel technologies for lignin valorization that could afford a rapid integration and more pervasive application of biorefineries in the value chain.

Salvador Montilla Verdú

PhD candidate
ASSET labs
Institute of Electrochemistry
University of Alicante (Spain)

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Salvador (“Salva”) earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Alicante (2019), and he further complemented it with two Master’s degrees in “Environmental Chemistry and Sustainability” and in “Electrochemistry”. During his previous research he explored thermocatalytic routes for environmental depollution, specializing on the design of perovskites for biogas revaluation (via dry reforming of methane) and diesel soot removal. Currently, he is a PhD candidate within the RELICS project focusing on the discovery of new routes to trigger lignin valorization using sunlight as well as on deciphering the catalytic mechanism involved in the process.   
Salva is also a fooball player! Playing for Peña Madridista de Ibi.

 

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Elio Rico

THE AUTONO CAR

PhD candidate
ASSET labs
Institute of Electrochemistry
University of Alicante (Spain)

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Elio obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry followed by a Master’s degree in Science-Chemistry at the National University of Colombia. During his Master's thesis he got hands-on expertise on the synthesis as well as on the characterization of the electrical and optoelectronic properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), focusing on their application as sensors for the detection of ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO)-type explosives. Currently, he has joined the ASSET lab to work on the RELICS project and pursue a PhD. Elio’s work targets not only the discovery of new photoactive systems for lignin valorization, but specially, decoding the kinetics of the processes and the catalytic principles that govern the transformation of lignin.  
Elio is passionate about cycling and outdoor sports!
 

Xavier Marset

Postdoctoral Researcher
ASSET labs
Institute of Electrochemistry
University of Alicante (Spain)

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Xavier (“Xavi”) is postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in organic chemistry. Xavi earned a BSc and MSc in Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry, respectively, at the University of Alicante (2014,2015). Xavi obtained his PhD in 2019 (University of Alicante), specializing in the field of Deep Eutectic Solvents. During this period, he worked at Imperial College London (2017) as a research visitor. Xavi has received several awards, such as the Extraordinary PhD Award (University of Alicante) and the best thesis in Chemistry award (RSEQ-Alicante). Prior to joining the ASSET Lab, Xavi worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Georg-August Universität Göttingen, and the University of Alicante (Institute of Organic Chemistry). So far, he has co-authors > 18 publications garnering ca. 400 citations (03/2023). With the incorporation of Xavi to the ASSET labs, the group has strengthened its expertise in the processing and characterization of organic substrates, while expanding its line of action into the photoredox systems. Xavi works in the ERC StG RELICS project exploring new strategies to harvest sunlight, funneling it to perform solar driven chemistry.

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This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 948829).

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