At the end of 2019 the European Research Council awarded a Consolidator Grant to Albert Rimola. Finally, the team that will work on this project is already complete.
Albert Rimola is the Principal Investigator of QUANTUMGRAIN.
He received his Ph.D. in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry in 2007 from Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). He continued his studies as postdoctoral researcher at the University of Torino focusing his research on the simulation of the interactions and reactivity of biomolecules with inorganic biomaterials. In 2010 he returned to UAB where he is now a senior researcher. Albert’s current research line focuses on the computational simulation of the primordial chemical evolution, covering processes of Astrochemistry and prebiotic chemistry, in which solid surfaces play an essential role. He is co-author of about 95 papers in peer-reviewed international journals.
Joan Enrique-Romero is on his last year of thesis. He studyied a double bachelor on Physics and Chemistry at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and did my undergraduate project on radioastronomy and computational chemistry, then he studied a master in Astrophysics and defended a thesis on Astrochemistry using computational chemistry methods.
Also, Berta Martínez-Bachs did the UAB double bachelor on Physics and Chemistry, Then, she mastered in Chemistry at the same university and the aim of my thesis was the calculation of binding energies of nitrogen containing species on interstellar ice models.
From Italy we have Jessica Perrero and Stefano Ferrero, both studied Chemistry at University of Torino their bachelor and master degrees. Jessica is passionate about astrochemistry and in particular sulphur chemistry since day one of master’s degree. Stefano has always been very interested in physical chemistry with a particular penchant for computational chemistry, modeling and theoretical aspects.
Eloy Peña-Asensio studied Aerospace Engineering at UPM, master in Space Sciences at UPC and master in Astrophysics at UAB. He has been working analyzing meteors at Institute of Space Science (IEEC-CSIC) since 2 years ago.
And finally Mónica Cervero-Hurtado, she received her degree in Economics and Business Administration from Pompeu Fabra University and he mastered in International Trade at ESCI Chambery. He is the project manager of QUANTUMGRAIN.
We are ready to shed new light on dust grain chemistry overcoming the limitations of current methodologies.
Here we go!