Pedro Vidal, researcher from the Solar Energy Materials and Systems group, and Viktoria Golovanova, researcher from the Energy Storage, Harvesting and Catalysis group, get 2 of the 6 Pioner 2022 awards, given to the best PhD thesis performed at a CERCA research institute with a clear potential for innovation.
Scientific research is carried out by researchers in a variety of areas. Those setting out to do a research project usually do so by presenting a doctoral thesis. In these early stages, it is very important that researchers realise the potential value of their results, not only in the scientific arena, but also in terms of their commercial or industrial applications. Therefore, within the framework of Research Centres of Catalonia, the CERCA Institute is introducing the Premis PIONER awards to recognise those researchers who have presented a doctoral thesis with results that are clearly aimed at commercial exploitation.
The awards aim to recognise those researchers working in one of the CERCA centres who, in the period between the publication date of the 2022 call for applications and this year’s call for applications publication date, have presented a doctoral thesis through which they propose to initiate or improve the development of a technology or product that may have an industrial or commercial application or might even make a significant specific contribution to the development of public policy.
The PhD thesis of Vidal is entitled “Quasi one-dimensional antimony slenide thin film solar cells for next generation photovoltaics” and the PhD thesis of and Golovanova is entitled “Plasmon-enhanced catalytic reactions for renewable fuels“.
The award was given today, 22nd December 2022, in a ceremony that will be given by the “Conseller de Recerca I Universitats” Joaquim Nadal of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
Find more information in the CERCA webpage. You can find the recording of the session in the following YouTube link.
