The ICREAs

ICREA Research Professors form a vibrant community of scientists and researchers in all areas of knowledge that contribute to the advancement of humankind by exploring, interpreting and questioning. Have a look and learn about their amazing discoveries and findings here:

Kemper, Francisca

Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (CSIC - ICE)

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Kemper, Francisca
Research Professor at
Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (CSIC - ICE)
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Research interests

Ciska Kemper studies dust properties in order to understand the formation of dust in galaxies. In particular, she uses far-infrared and submillimeter observations of evolved stars and the interstellar medium of nearby galaxies to study the dust emissivity properties at these wavelengths, with the goal to improve on dust mass determinations at all redshifts. She also determines the mineralogical properties of silicate dust -- crystallinity, composition, nanocluster fraction -- in interstellar environments to follow dust formation and evolution.

Key words
astrophysical dust, infrared spectroscopy, submm/radio astronomy, astromineralogy, interstellar medium, silicates, nanoclusters

ORCID
: 0000-0003-2743-8240

RESEARCHER ID
: AAZ-8274-2020
Khezri, Bahareh

Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)

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Khezri, Bahareh
Research Professor at
Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Research interests

Her research focal point lies in the design and development of cutting-edge multifunctional materials, especially for vital energy-related applications such as water splitting and CO₂ reduction. Her contributions in the field involve the precise tuning of photo/electrocatalyst properties to boost their efficacy and selectivity in chemical reactions. Her work revolves around engineering active sites and crafting intelligent nanomaterials, including biomass-derived carbon materials and MXene-based hybrids, with unique attributes. Her research ambitiously extends into the realm of synthetic micro/nanorobots with diverse applications in environmental and biomedical engineering. These tiny marvels offer pioneering solutions for pollution remediation and precise drug delivery. Her research is dedicated to addressing some of the most pressing challenges in materials science, with the overarching goal of ushering in a more sustainable and technologically advanced future.

Key words
Electrocatalysis, nanomaterials, energy conversion, nano/microrobots, environmental applications, biomedical applications, nanotechnology, CO2 conversion, electrosynthesis, green energy, suistainable chemistry, renewable chemicals, surface science.

ORCID
: 0000-0001-7910-4643

RESEARCHER ID
: E-2080-2011
Kleij, Arjan W.

Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)

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Kleij, Arjan W.
Research Professor at
Institut Català d'Investigació Química (ICIQ)
Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Research interests

The research of my group focuses on the valorization of small molecules (including CO2) into value-added chemicals and materials. We design new and more sustainable catalytic methods for their conversion and use in organic synthesis. We use homogeneous catalysis approaches based on metal complexes and/or organocatalysts, and investigate important process features such as catalyst recycling, energy/material efficiencies and overall selectivity/reactivity profiles. In all these endeavors, we wish to solve challenging stereoselective and enantioselective transformations including those focusing on the preparation of compounds featuring challenging quaternary stereocenters.

Key words
Small molecule valorization chemistry, homogeneous catalysis, stereo- and enantioselective synthesis, biopolymers

ORCID
: 0000-0002-7402-4764
Knighton, Tess

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

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Knighton, Tess
Research Professor at
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Humanities
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Research interests

My research focuses on various interrelated aspects of music in the Iberian world in the long 16th century: music and ceremony; music in the urban context, including perspectives of sensory and emotional hiustory; the impact of music printing on the diffusion of musical repertory; and music historiography. Analysis of music and ceremony focuses on public display as well as private devotions; placing music in the context of court ceremonial reveals patterns of self-identity and image-making. Study of the urban musical experience of different social groups highlights the relationship between music and the institutional complex and urban societal interaction. The impact of music printing on the diffusion and accessibility of music is studied through extant inventories to reveal how European editions were transmitted to the centres of the book trade and the extent of musical literacy. Received ideas of Renaissance Iberian music are challenged and historiographical filters analyzed.

Key words
music history, musicology, cultural history

ORCID
: 0000-0002-8529-9376

RESEARCHER ID
: AAA-1117-2019
Köhler, Meike

Institut Català de Paleontologia (ICP)

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Köhler, Meike
Research Professor at
Institut Català de Paleontologia (ICP)
Life & Medical Sciences
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Research interests

- Life History Evolution and Evolution of Ageing and Longevity - Evolution of Body Size - Insularity and Evolution in Resource-limited Environments - Evolution of Brain and Nervous system

Key words
life history evolution, insularity, evolution of ageing, body size evolution, energy, bone and dental histology, mammals

ORCID
: 0000-0002-6816-6651
Konstantatos, Gerasimos

Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)

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Konstantatos, Gerasimos
Research Professor at
Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO)
Engineering Sciences
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Research interests

We employ advances in nanoscience and we transform them into nanotechnology in solving real-world problems that current technology cannot address or do so at an affordable cost for the benefit of the society. We are doing so by assembling a group of physicists, chemists and engineers to tackle complex, interdisciplinary problems. We focus on novel functional nanomaterials, nanostructures and devices for optoelectronics and renewable energy applications. Our main scope is on the development of low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells employing nanostructured materials of low toxicity and high abundance to address the TW challenge and on the development of hybrid 2-dimensional / 0-dimensional optoelectronic platforms for highly sensitive, low cost photodetectors in the visible and infrared part of spectrum covering a broad range of applications including night vision, remote sensing, environmental monitoring and biomedical and health monitoring. We also develop low cost ingrared light emitting diodes and lasers for on-chip spectrometry, structured illumination and silicon-photonics aplications.

Key words
optoelectronics, photodetectors, solar cells, quantum dots, nanophotonics

ORCID
: 0000-0001-7701-8127