Cristina Rodríguez Seco, PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Emilio Palomares (ICIQ), has defended her PhD Thesis entitled “Low-Molecular Weight Organic Semiconductors for Organic and Perovskite Solar Cells” (assigned to the Department of Technologies for Nanosystems, Bioengineering and Energy of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili) publicly on June 21st at the ICIQ Library.
The members of the examining committee were: Jenny Nelson (Imperial College of London), Socorro Castro García (University of A Coruña) and Agustín Molina Ontoria (Autonomous University of Madrid).
Dr. Rodríguez Seco with the members of the evaluation committee and her supervisor, Prof. Emilio Palomares.
Dr. Rodríguez Seco is from Ávila and studied Chemistry at Salamanca University, although after four years, she feels at home in Tarragona. She enjoys practicing all kinds of sports, from volleyball to hockey, but enjoys swimming the most.
Why did you become a scientist? What would you want to achieve as a scientist?
I’ve always liked chemistry, from the first lesson! Even formulation, the chemical language, intrigued me a lot. I like to learn, so I thought chemistry would be a good fit for me. As a scientist, I don’t have a specific goal but I like the challenges academia can bring. I want to enjoy the ride and learn everything I can on the journey.
From the time spent at ICIQ, what do you value the most?
From a scientific point of view, I value the state-of-the-art equipment and techniques I’ve had access to here at ICIQ. Personally, I really value the internationality of the institution: you get to meet people from all over the world who are going through similar stuff to you. This really makes you open your mind!
What will you miss the most form ICIQ?
I will miss the dynamics among students. We’re a big bunch, but we all know each other and have fun together regardless of where we come from.
What do you wish you had known at the beginning of your PhD?
I wish I’d organized myself better, so I’d had more time to read the literature and plan the experiments calmly. I think it’s better to stop, read and think about your problem rather than rush into things.
If you were a piece of lab equipment, what would you be?
A rotary evaporator.
Where are you going next? What will you do there?
I’ll go on vacation for some time, but I’m not sure what I’ll do in the long-term future. For sure, I’ll enjoy some rest after defending!