Dr. Villa was selected together with other four distinguished researchers among the 80 applications submitted.

The winner, Dr. Moisés Expósito Alonso was announced during the Talent Tour event in Santander, presided over by His Royal Majesty the King of Spain.

Dr. Katherine Villa, Group Leader at ICIQ, has been selected for the prestigious 2024 Princesa de Girona Award for Scientific Research, among other four researchers. The award was given today to Dr. Moisés Expósito Alonso (University of California Berkeley) at Santander Exhibition and Conference Centre during the Talent Tour presided over by his Royal Majesty the King of Spain.

Throughout her career, Dr. Katherine Villa has focused her research to address global challenges sustainably. Her pioneering work focuses on developing advanced nanostructures capable of harnessing solar energy to convert pollutants into clean and renewable sources, offering solutions for water purification, among other critical environmental issues.

Expressing her gratitude for the nomination, Dr. Katherine Villa stated, “I am deeply honoured to be one of the five nominees for the Princesa de Girona Award for Scientific Research. This recognition underscores the dedication and collaboration of my group at ICIQ. I am profoundly grateful for their unwavering support and to the Princesa de Girona Foundation for their commitment to nurturing scientific innovation”.

The Princess of Girona Award for Scientific Research is an annual recognition of exceptional young researchers for their contributions across various scientific disciplines, with outstanding research experiences or projects and possessing an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit with high potential for future development. This award is endowed with €20,000 and the presentation of a reproduction of a work by contemporary artist Juan Zamora (Princess of Girona Award for Art 2017).

The jury has been composed of experts such as: Quique Bassat, director of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health; Pilar Goya Laza, research professor at CSIC and former president of EuCheMS (European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences); Laura Sánchez Piñón, professor of Genetics at the University of Santiago de Compostela and former counselor of the Xunta de Galicia; Rosa Menéndez López, chemist and researcher at CSIC; Daniel Ramón Vidal, biologist and Vice President of R&D in Nutrition and Health at ADM Biopolis; Salvador Borrós Gómez, general director of IQS; Borja Ibáñez Cabeza, cardiologist and scientist at CNIC and Princess of Girona Award for Scientific Research 2010; and Sílvia Osuna Oliveras, ICREA research professor at the Institute of Computational Chemistry and Catalysis of the University of Girona (UdG) and Princess of Girona Award for Scientific Research 2016. The experts have meticulously evaluated the 80 applications submitted this year, ultimately recognizing the innovative work of Dr. Katherine Villa and its potential impact in the field of energy science.