The event, held on March 7 at the ICN2, consisted of a series of presentations by female scientists awarded in previous years’ editions of the Women Talent Programme, a round table on the effectiveness of special tools for the promotions of women’s career in science and technology, and finally the ceremony of the 2021 Awards.
On 7 March 2022, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the ICN2 hosted the Women Talent Programme Final Event, organised by the ICN2 Equal Opportunities Committee. This Programme is meant to give visibility and financial support to female researchers (in particular at the early stage of their career), by awarding the best PhD theses, articles published in peer-reviewed journal, and project grants received by women from the ICN2.
The event, which was introduced and chaired by Dr Neus Bastús, Senior Researcher in the Inorganic Nanoparticle Group, Dr Sonia Raga Ruiz, Senior Researcher at the Nanostructured Materials for Photovoltaic Energy Group, and Nuria Benítez, from the Strategy Development Area, included a series of presentations by the winners of the previous editions, a panel discussion and the 2021 Awards ceremony. The first session of talks was given by the 2019-2020 awardees for the best projects:
- Dr Adriana Figueroa, THESPIN "TeraHertz Emitters with SPINtronic devices";
- Dr Maria de la Cruz Cardeñosa, ANELOSS "Alzheimer diagnosis by NEurofilament Light detection employing Optical Silicon Sensors";
- Dr Marianna Sledzinska, PENCIL "Phonon-electron coupling in twisted 2D layers under mechanical strain".
Following, the floor was given to two young scientists awarded for the best doctoral theses (in 2019-2020):
- Dr Ceren Çamur, "Advances on the synthesis of MOFs at scale";
- Dr Enelia Cristina Peláez, "Nanoplasmonic biosensors for clinical diagnosis, drug monitoring and therapeutic follow-up".
Then, it was the turn of the best paper awardees (2019-2020):
- Dr Kumara Cordero-Edwards, "Ferroelectric fracture-ratchet effect caused by flexoelectricity";
- Dr Maria Soler, “Engineering photonics solutions for COVID-19 diagnostics towards the next-generation healthcare”.
A round table on the effectiveness of these tools for the promotion of women in scientific careers, and specifically on the ICN2 Women Talent Programme, was held by a panel made of the chairwomen and the speakers. Dr Neus Domingo, formerly senior scientist at the ICN2 and currently group leader at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Tennessee, US), who was one of the main promoters of the Women Talent Programme, connected remotely to participate in the discussion.
Finally, Prof. Pablo Ordejón, group leader and director of the ICN2, awarded the winners of the 2021 edition of the programme:
- Best PhD thesis: Dr Ting Zhang, Zn-Based metal-organic frameworks derived materials for high-efficient carbon dioxide electrochemical reduction
- Best PhD thesis: Dr Marta Ruiz García, Design, characterization and optimization of a novel liposomal based food supplement against chronic fatigue syndrome
- Best publication (predoctoral): Dr Noemí Contreras Pereda, Synthesis of 2D Porous Crystalline Materials in Simulated Microgravity
- Best publication (postdoctoral): Dr Thaïs Grancha, Synthesis of polycarboxylate rhodium(II) Metal-Organic Polyhedra (MOPs) and their use as building blocks for highly connected Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
You can watch the full video of the event here: