The Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A) has 11 researchers from the latest calls of the Ramón y Cajal grant programme, who are developing their own line of research, drawing on their scientific and professional experience both in Spain and abroad.
This prestigious programme is aimed at promoting the incorporation of national and foreign researchers with an outstanding track record in R&D centres by granting aid for their employment contracts and for the creation of permanent jobs.
The main objective is for them to initially start their own lines of research and to acquire the competences and skills during the first years that lead them to join the staff of a research organisation of the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System, such as the University. The director of the I3A, Pablo Laguna, assures that this commitment of incorporation provides them with a certain "peace of mind to be able to plan their professional development".
This past year, the I3A has incorporated eight researchers under the umbrella of the Ramón y Cajal programme, in addition to the three who were already doing research at this Institute of the University of Zaragoza. "The fact that in these calls we have been improving the number of researchers who join the Institute makes us think that we are on the right track to be more attractive for the incorporation of talent, it is a challenge that we have been pursuing for a long time," says Pablo Laguna.
As the director of the I3A said, "we are particularly pleased that this incorporation has been so numerous, as we are sure that these researchers will be the cornerstones of the Institute's development in the coming years".
ARE PART OF THE RAMÓN Y CAJAL PROGRAMME
Eduardo Bolea
He studied Chemistry at the University of Zaragoza and did his doctoral thesis at the University of Ghent. In Belgium he spent 10 years researching the development of new methods for elemental and isotopic analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Thanks to the Ramón y Cajal grant, he has been able to "return home and continue and expand my lines of research" from the MARTE research group.
Elena Canellas
He is a member of the GUIA group. Her research focuses on food safety, on identifying contaminants that are transferred from packaging to food. This grant has given her "a stability that allows you to organise your organisation in the medium term and also to continue researching until you obtain other funding in public calls for proposals".
Marco de Corato
He is a chemical engineer and holds a PhD from the University of Naples. He is part of the TFD research group. With the Ramón y Cajal programme, he has been able to develop his own line of research that focuses on developing theoretical models and computational methods to understand the movement of very small objects in fluids. His next goal is to study the behaviour of enzymatic nanoreactors using simulations.
Isabel Fonts
She is a chemical engineer and holds a PhD from the University of Zaragoza. She is part of the GPT research group. Her lines of work revolve around the energy recovery of waste and biomass, and with the Ramón y Cajal contract she plans to synthesise ammonia in a sustainable way through the gasification of nitrogen-rich waste.
Elena García
He studied a double degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry and did his thesis in Biomedical Engineering in London. He is now part of the M2BE research group. "Finding solutions to health problems" is what she likes most about her profession. Through the programme, she investigates strategies based on tissue engineering and the development of new biomaterials to regenerate and repair tissues after traumatic injury.
Jorge Gracia
He studied Physics and did his postgraduate and PhD in Computer Science at the University of Zaragoza. He belongs to the SID group and his lines of research with the Ramón y Cajal programme are knowledge-based language technologies. "We try to improve doctor-patient interaction in cancer treatments or reduce language barriers in Europe to facilitate the exchange of information". His challenge is to bring an international master's degree in linguistic data science to Zaragoza.
Silvia Guillén Lambea
She is an industrial engineer with a PhD from the University of Zaragoza and a mechanical engineer from the Technological University of Compiègne (France). She belongs to the GITSE group. Her research focuses on improving energy efficiency in buildings. She assures that this grant is a "motivation to reduce the environmental impact of our cities and turn them into clean places".
Jaime Ibáñez
He is a telecommunications engineer and belongs to the BSICoS group. With the Ramón y Cajal grant, he studies the way in which the brain and muscles communicate and exchange information. His next challenge is to form a multidisciplinary team to consolidate a line of research in neuroscience and neuroengineering.
Ana Mincholé
He studies cardiac pathologies through the electrocardiographic signal and the use of digital twins. Her research group is BSICoS and she assures that in the I3A "there are powerful groups in biomedical research that can complete the research and achieve ambitious goals". Obtaining this grant has meant stability for her and the possibility of applying for and obtaining funding to hire research staff to work on the project.
Julia Ramírez
She is a telecommunications engineer and belongs to the BSICoS group. She also holds a master's degree and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. With the Ramón y Cajal programme, she aims to find non-invasive markers of cardiovascular risk and understand their biological mechanisms. Receiving this grant has given him "a lot of motivation to continue his research".
Javier Remón
He is part of the GPT. He says that the Ramón y Cajal grant has been "a great boost to his research activity and a huge support to develop his own ideas". He is in charge of studying the valorisation of organic waste materials and plastics, exploring possible links between them to create efficient, sustainable and versatile processes. He would like to stabilise at the University of Zaragoza and dedicate himself to research and teaching.
