Two IREC researchers, Maxim Guc and Salah Kamel, receive the prestigious Ramon y Cajal fellowships (RyC 2022) which started in February and March 2024, respectively, 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.
• Maxim Guc, from the Solar Energy Materials and Systems group, earned a RyC2022 grant with a research line entitled “Advanced characterization of semiconductor materials and quality control methodologies for monitoring of the manufacturing of high-tech photovoltaic devices”. The principal research interests of Maxim Guc are centered on two key topics. The first one is devoted to the fundamental characterization of semiconductor materials and optoelectronic devices, mainly in photovoltaics (PV). The second research topic is related to the development of new methodologies for the materials and devices quality monitoring, and is based on the strong background and knowledge of Maxim on combination of different advanced physicochemical characterization methods of semiconductor materials and devices. Dr Guc (PhD, 2014) has had a prosperous research career, occupying along the years various positions including laboratory assistant at the Moldovan State University, Leading Researcher at the Institute of Applied Physics (Moldova), and scientific expert in the “SunGa” Ltd. Company (Moldova). Currently, he is employed as a Consolidated (Senior) Postdoc Researcher at the Solar Energy Materials and Systems group in IREC (Spain) where he coordinates the Advanced Characterization of PV Materials and Devices and Development of Process Monitoring Methodologies research line. The main research interests of Maxim are centered on two topics: fundamental characterization of semiconductor materials and optoelectronic devices, and development of new methodologies for the monitoring of the production processes at laboratory and industrial levels.
• Salah Kamel from the Power Systems group, earned a RyC2022 grant with a research line entitled “Developing Software Tools for Smart Home Energy Management Systems (SHEM Software)”. The project focuses on developing sophisticated software tools tailored for smart homes. By analyzing big data from household appliances and employing optimization strategies, these tools aim to seamlessly coordinate appliance schedules, leading to reduced electricity bills, optimized networks, enhanced customer convenience, and diminished peak energy demand. Validation across different regions in Spain and benchmarking against existing systems underscore the innovative strides made in energy management. This initiative paves the way for a more sustainable and cost-effective energy future. Dr. Salah has authored over 500 articles featured in prestigious journals indexed by the Journal Citation Reports of the Science Citation Index, with nearly 17 years of rich academic and research journey. Garnering a remarkable 8,171 citations and boasting an impressive h-index of 42 according to Scopus by Elsevier, his contributions in Energy & Fuels and Electrical & Electronic Engineering stand as pillars of innovation. Recognized globally, he’s been honored as one of the ‘World Ranking of Top 2% Scientists’ consecutively from 2020 to 2022 by Stanford University, USA.
Acknowledgements (in Spanish): Las ayudas RYC2022-035588-I (Maxim Guc) y RYC2022-037153-I (Salah Kamel) están financiadas por MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por el FSE+.
