Clara López is defending her thesis: "My grandmother and my mother teach me their ability to not give up easily"

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Clara López is a PhD researcher who will be defending the work she carried out during last years next Friday, May, 30. The title of her thesis is "Controlled incorporation of diverse metal elements into reticular materials: From multimetal MOF synthesis to derived ensembles", and she has been working alongside with Felipe Gándara Barragán and Enrique Gutiérrez Puebla at the group of Supramolecular, Polymeric and Reticular Materials.

Why did you choose ICMM for your PhD?

The main reason I chose ICMM was to work in the group where I had done my thesis. I knew I wanted my PhD to include crystallography, MOFs and X-ray diffraction, and thanks to some people's helpful advice, I found the Supramolecular, Polymeric and Reticular Materials group, which was exactly what I was looking for.

How would you explain your research to a non-scientific audience?

My research is focused on the development and design of porous materials, including new methodologies to produce them and their potential applications in catalysis.

What are the main applications of your research? Could you give us an example?

This research facilitates the obtention of new MOFs à la carte by designing materials with new topologies and specific metal combinations, which is very useful for catalytic applications. Additionally, new MOF-derived composites have been used as photocatalysts for the degradation of different pollutants (dyes and paracetamol) in aqueous media.

What are the lessons you had learn here? which one do you value the most?

One of the most important things I've learned is that good science is all about working together. I've been really lucky to work on my thesis with people from different disciplines, which has allowed me to learn all kinds of characterisation techniques, as well as share different approaches and ideas, which has been very enriching.

How do you think this experience will contribute to your training and to your future?

During this time I've learnt to handle a lab, do research in a more autonomous way and deal with any unexpected events that come up and solve them. I've definitely become a better professional, and I'm sure all these skills I've picked up will be really useful for future projects.

What are your plans once you finish your PhD?

I really enjoy working in the lab so I am planning to continue my career in science. I would love to keep working with MOFs, focusing on their applications in biomedicine and environmental remediation.

Why did you become a scientist? Who have been your role models?

The reason I decided to become a scientist is because I've always loved the challenges that science offers, and I'm also passionate about the hands-on, practical side of chemistry. My role models have little to do with science. They are present in my everyday life and are my grandmother and my mother. I have inherited their ability to not give up easily, which is so necessary in a field like science and has definitely come in handy during my PhD.