Two IREC researchers, Paulina Martínez and Juan Carlos González Rosillo, receive the prestigious Ramon y Cajal fellowships (RyC 2023) which started in 2025, in the thematic area of energy and transport. The duration of the fellowship is 5 years.

The purpose of the Ramon y Cajal fellowships is to promote the incorporation of research personnel, from Spain or abroad, with an outstanding track record, in Spanish R&D centers, to acquire the skills and abilities to obtain a stable position in a research body of the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The selection is based on a rigorous process of competitive concurrence based on their curricular merits and based on their ability to lead a line of research, on scientific and professional experience, as well as the independence of their career.

Paulina Martínez, Deputy Head of the Functional Nanomaterials department, earned a RyC2023 grant with a research line of electrocatalysis as a solution in future energy infrastructure. Paulina’s research interests center on the electrocatalytic valorization of biomass-derived compounds and the development of bio-based nanomaterials. She focuses on designing and applying nanostructured electrodes for producing value-added chemicals, as well as for use in batteries and gas sensors. Electrochemistry is increasingly recognized as a promising approach for converting biomass-derived chemicals into valuable products.

Dr. Martínez is a chemist with a robust academic and professional background shaped by extensive international experience and leadership in research. She completed her PhD in Chemical Sciences with honors in 2012. Her scientific production includes 50 publications, three of which were presented in conference proceedings, with an h-index of 16, an i10-index of 28, and over 1,200 citations.

Juan Carlos González Rosillo senior researcher from the Nanoionics and Fuel Cells department, earned a RyC2023 grant with a research line entitled “Energy Storage Technologies based on Next-Generation Solid-State Batteries”. The principal research interests of Juan Carlos are centered on developing solid-state devices for energy storage, with particular emphasis on thin film integration and operando characterization. His work explores innovative processing methods for ultra-thin solid-state electrolytes and investigates nanoscale ionic transport mechanisms.

Dr Gonzalez-Rosillo received his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Nanotechnology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona/ICMAB-CSIC in 2017, followed by a 3-year postdoctoral stay at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2020, he was awarded an MSCA COFUND Tecniospring Industry fellowship, after which he continued at IREC as a senior researcher. His scientific production includes 24 publications that have been cited over 1150 times, with a h-index of 15.

Acknowledgements (in Spanish): Las ayudas RYC2023-042982-I (Paulina Martínez) y RYC2023-043274-I (Juan Carlos González Rosillo) están financiadas por MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y cofinanciadas por el European Social Fund Plus (FSE+).