This symposium will focus on recent advancements in photo-assisted chemical reactions, emphasizing novel catalytic materials and their applications in photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, and photothermal catalysis. Discussions will cover the design and development of cutting-edge catalysts tailored for light-driven processes, particularly those used in water splitting, CO2 reduction, ammonia synthesis, biomass conversion and organic transformation. Special attention will be given to catalytic strategies for environmental remediation, highlighting the role of these materials in breaking down pollutants and addressing pressing environmental challenges.
Additionally, the symposium will explore advanced characterization techniques, such as in situ and in operando methods, which provide real-time insights into catalytic behavior and reaction mechanisms. These studies are crucial for understanding the complex interactions within catalytic systems and for improving the efficiency and selectivity of photo-assisted transformations. Mechanistic studies of catalytic processes will further shed light on the underlying principles guiding the reactions, paving the way for future innovations in sustainable energy and chemical production.
- Catalytic materials in photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, and photothermal catalysis.
- Advanced (in situ/in operando) characterization
- Advancements in water splitting, CO2 reduction, ammonia synthesis, biomass conversion, and organic transformation reactions
- Catalysis-based strategies for environmental remediation
- Study of catalytic mechanisms.
Dr. Carla Casadevall obtained her PhD degree in chemistry in 2019 at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) under the guidance of Prof. Julio Lloret-Fillol. Her PhD sought a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms involved in artificial photosynthesis, as well as the development of new sustainable methodologies to produce solar fuels and fine chemicals. Then, she joined the group of Erwin Reisner as a BBSRC postdoctoral researcher and later as a Marie Curie Individual Fellow, working on the development of hybrid-materials for the production of solar fuels and chemicals. In October 2022 she will start her independent career as Junior Group Leader at ICIQ and the University Rovira i Virgili thanks to a La Caixa Junior Fellowship. She will work on the development of microphotoreactors for the production of fuels and chemicals.
Dr Eslava leads a cutting-edge research group focused on the development of novel synthesis approaches for (photo)electrochemical and (photo)catalytic materials. His team's work involves exploring a wide range of materials, including transition metal oxides, halide perovskites, organic bulk heterojunctions, oxide perovskites, and graphene derivatives. By conducting comprehensive physicochemical and electrochemical characterizations, they aim to link material properties to practical applications, particularly in the field of energy conversion. Their research has significant interdisciplinary reach, spanning chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, and materials science. Dr Eslava's research contributions have been widely recognized, with over 85 publications in leading journals like Nature Energy, Advanced Materials, Energy & Environmental Science, and Nature Communications. He has been awarded prestigious funding from organizations such as The Royal Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, EPSRC, and Innovate UK. His innovative contributions to the field earned him the Warner Medal from the Institution of Chemical Engineers for his impactful research and dissemination efforts.
Hermenegildo García Gómez is a full Professor of the Instituto de Tecnología Química at the Univeristat Politècnica de Valencia. His group has expertise in CO2 utilization developing catalysts for CO2 conversion to methanol and C2+ products. He has published over 800 papers, has received more than 75.000 citations, has an H index of 133 and his name is included continuously since 2015 in the annual list of the most cited Scientists published by the Shanghai-Tomson Reuters. He is the recipient of the Janssen-Cilag award of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (2011) and the Rey D. Jaime I award in New technologies (2016). He is doctor honoris causa by the University of Bucharest and Honorary Professor at the King Abdulaziz University since 2015. He was awarded by the Lee Hsun lecturership of the Chinese Academy of Science at Shenyang. He has participated in over 20 EU funded projects and is member of the panel of ERC Consolidator Grant as well as other Comissions and panels. He is President of the international advisory editorial board of ChemCatChem. Several of his publications have constituted research fronts in Chemistry (as defined by Essential Science Indicators) Database, such as Photocatalytic CO2 reduction by non TiO2 photocatalysis, catalysis by MOFs, etc.
Sixto Giménez (M. Sc. Physics 1996, Ph. D. Physics 2002) is Associate Professor at Universitat Jaume I de Castelló (Spain). His professional career has been focused on the study of micro and nanostructured materials for different applications spanning from structural components to optoelectronic devices. During his PhD thesis at the University of Navarra, he studied the relationship between processing of metallic and ceramic powders, their sintering behavior and mechanical properties. He took a Post-Doc position at the Katholiek Universiteit Leuven where he focused on the development of non-destructive and in-situ characterization techniques of the sintering behavior of metallic porous materials. In January 2008, he joined the Group of Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices of University Jaume I where he is involved in the development of new concepts for photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical devices based on nanoscaled materials, particularly studying the optoelectronic and electrochemical responses of the devices by electrical impedance spectroscopy. He has co-authored more than 80 scientific papers in international journals and has received more than 5000 citations. His current h-index is 31.
Roberto Gonzalez-GomezOleksandr Savateev was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. He received his BSc and MSc degrees in chemistry from the National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” and the PhD degree in organic chemistry from the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine. In 2015, he joined the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany, where he worked as a postdoctoral researcher. In 2017, at the same institute, he started his group “Innovative Heterogeneous Photocatalysis”. During this period of his carrier, he received several national German and European grants. In 2023, he took the position of the Vice-Chancellor Associate Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is a member of consortia of researchers that work on solving applied and fundamental problems by means of solar light and photocatalysis. His current research interests include organic synthesis mediated by heterogeneous photocatalysts, application of photocharged semiconductors in organic synthesis and data-driven research. He is an editor and author of several books, including “Carbon nitrides. Structure, properties and applications in science and technology”, and author of more than 100 research articles. In 2024, he completed his Habilitation in Organic Chemistry at the University of Potsdam, Germany. As an educator, he is interested in gamification of teaching and studying. He is a creator of ChemChallenge – the first video game for teaching and studying physical chemistry.