The Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM-CSIC) concludes 2024 with an excellent feeling. Three new ERC projects have been secured (two Synergy grants and one Proof of Concept) and an ERC Consolidator has been initiated, among other important projects. Additionally, five papers have been published in the journal Nature throughout the year, and several awards and recognitions have been received. Here follows a summary of the most important points.

Excellent Research

Rui E. Silva y Álvaro Jiménez trabajando
Rui Silva y Álvaro Jiménez, working in their desk.

Our scientists have published around 300 papers, almost 80 of them with an impact factor higher of 10 and a relevant implication on these publications of the ICMM researchers. Noteworthy is the publication of 5 Nature. Álvaro Jiménez and Rui Silva have participated in: 

Miguel Camblor is the principal investigator in:

Mar García-Hernández, Andrés Castellanos-Gómez, Federico Monpean, Carmen Munuera y Sergio Puebla have an important role in

Projects: fund raising

Mar García-Hernández, Andrés Castellanos-Gómez y Miguel Muñoz Rojo
Mar García-Hernández, Andrés Castellanos-Gómez and Miguel Muñoz Rojo

1.    European Research Couincil (ERC): we have got two ERC-Synergy grants:
•    METRIQS: Metamaterial Interfaces for Quantum Electronics. PI: Mar García.
•    SKIN2DTRONICS: SKIN-like TWO-Dimensional materials-based elecTRONICS conformable to rough surfaces. PI: Andrés Castellanos.
-ERC-Consolidator: THERMO2DEAL. THERmal MOdulators based on novel 2D mxEne materials for nearly isothermAL battery operation. To develop a novel interfacial thermal modulator that enables dynamic heat management in batteries to achieve nearly isothermal performance. Funded with 1,9 million. PI: Miguel Muñoz.
-ERC-POC: StEnSo. StEnSo STrain ENgineered Spatial light mOdulators based on 2D semiconductors. Funded with 150.000 euros. PI: Andrés Castellanos.
2.    Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): We have got two MSCA - Doctoral Network:
•    SPARKLE. Scientific training Programme for Advanced Research and Knowledge in Light-Matter Engineering. Funded with 252.000 euros. IP: Sol Carretero
•    SPM4.0. Autonomous Scanning Probe Microscopy for Life Sciences and Medicine powered by Artificial Intelligence. Funded with 252.000 euros. IP: Ricardo García

3.    European Innovation Council (EIC): We coordinate a Pathfinder Open: 
•    ADAPTATION. Adaptable bio-inspired polariton-polariton energy management. Funded with 1.4 million. IP: Sara Núñez.

4.    Cluster 4:  We participate in a project from cluster 4, Destination 2 “Increased Autonomy in Key Strategic Value Chains for Resilient Industry”:
•    BEETHOVEN. Substitution of rare-earths for advanced novel magnets in energy and transport applications. Funded with 193.000 euros. IP: Silvia Gallego

Atracting talent

We have been successful in bringing both national and international talent thanks to different funding schemes, all of them very competitive:

1.    MSCA-Postdoctoral Fellowship:
•    Christopher Wächtler (BoFTISync. Topological synchronization of interacting bosons and Floquet engineering)
•    Borja Cirera (Plasmoss. Plasmon-mediated On-Surface Synthesis)
2.    ‘Programa Atrae’ (Agencia Estatal de Investigación): Amparo Ruiz Carretero.
3.    ‘Ramón y Cajal’ contract: Yue Ban, and Henrik Lyder.
4.    Three Tenured scientist: Sara Núñez, Unai Atxitia, and David Navas.
5.    Atracción de Talento (Comunidad de Madrid): Celia Castillo, and José Ángel Roldán.

Recognitions and awards

Gloria Platero in her desk
Gloria Platero, in her desk.

2024 also closes with one of the greatest recognitions in the field of European Physics: our researcher Gloria Platero has been awarded the Emmy Noether Distinction for her career-long trajectory. This award, which celebrates women who have excelled in the field of physics, as well as their role in motivating other women to pursue a career in the physical sciences, has only been awarded to three Spanish women in history, and two of them are from the ICMM: in addition to Gloria Platero, Pilar López Sancho received it in 2022.

Other recognitions and awards: 

  • Ramón Aguado has been elected new president of the Condensed Matter Physics Division at the Royal Spanish Physical Society
  • Conchi Serrano won the 'Redacción Médica' Award for her research alongside the Parapléjicos Hospital.
  • Puerto Morales and Álvaro Gallo have won the Circular Seas Award with their project to use magnetic nanoparticles to clean waters of microplastics
  • Andrés Castellanos-Gómez has been recognized as one of the most influential researchers in the world according to Clarivate's ‘Most Cited’ list; almost 30 ICMM researchers appear on the list of the world's most cited scientists, according to Stanford University
  • Javier Gainza, who defended his doctoral thesis last year at the ICMM, has been awarded by the CSIC for this work
  • The CSIC has awarded Sol Carretero as one of the best young thesis supervisors at the institution
  • Álvaro Gallo wins the EMA Young Scientist Award 
     

Internal Organization

Red inter

Our International Project Office, under the supervision of Belén Illana, started operations early this year. Thanks to the RED-INTER CSIC program, many ICMM researchers now have active support for their international project submissions.

Staff

2024 closes with 40 more people than in December 2023, around 400 people. We have already reached 100 predoctoral researchers. 

And we are particularly pleased to celebrate the stabilization of a number of people, both for scientific and technical staff, thanks to the ‘Plan de estabilización del CSIC’.

Monday, December 16, 2024 - 11:02