Guillem Peñuelas i Haro, PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Pau Ballester (ICIQ), has virtually defended his PhD thesis entitled “Towards Recognition of Polar Molecules in Water Using Aryl-extended Calix[4]pyrrole Receptors” (assigned to the Department of Analitical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili) publicly on July 16th.
Dr. Peñuelas-Haro with the members of the evaluation committee
The members of the examining committee were: Dr. Laura Rodriguez (Universitat de Barcelona), Dr. Javier Montenegro (Universidad de Santiago de Compostela) and Dr. Guzman Gil (University of Lincoln).
Dr. Peñuelas was born in Barcelona, Spain. He obtained his bachelor’s in Chemistry and Master’s in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at University of Barcelona. In 2016, he joined ICIQ to pursue a PhD under the supervision of Pau Ballester. He likes sports, arts, and having a Mediterranean soul.
Why did you become a scientist?
I have always been interested in the enigmas of nature. I want to understand what surrounds us and use it to benefit society.
From the lessons learnt at ICIQ, which one do you value the most?
I learnt a lot during these four years of PhD. I appreciate everything my supervisor and my colleagues taught me that led to my personal and academic evolution.
What ICIQ moment you’ll never forget?
I don’t have a special moment, because there are thousands of them! I will miss all the good people I meet at ICIQ.
What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your PhD?
The importance of time management. If you don’t organise well your time, you’ll find yourself in your final year of thesis with still everything to do. I’ve learnt it’s important to use every moment to learn.
Where are you going next?
I’m going to Bristol (UK) to work in a supramolecular chemistry company.
If you were a piece of lab equipment, what would you be?
A footstool: I’m almost two meters tall and I’m always asked to get stuff from the upper closets that my colleagues can’t reach.