Dr. Carla Casadevall, associated researcher at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), has been elected as Member of the Young Academy of Spain. This recognition comes just a few weeks after she was named a finalist for the 2026 Princess of Girona Award for Scientific Research.
Casadevall’s appointment was approved during the Academy’s Extraordinary General Assembly held on 9 June. In this call, ten new members were selected from a total of 151 candidates through an evaluation process conducted by an independent international committee of distinguished researchers. In addition to scientific excellence, the selection process considered factors such as multidisciplinarity, diversity and leadership potential.
The newly elected members represent a new generation of researchers committed not only to scientific excellence but also to knowledge transfer and the societal impact of research. With this appointment, Dr. Casadevall joins a leading institution dedicated to promoting young scientific talent and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across different fields of knowledge.
Specialised in sustainable energy conversion, Casadevall’s research, carried out between Rovira i Virgili University (URV) and ICIQ, focuses on the development of photocatalytic technologies inspired by natural photosynthesis to produce clean fuels and high-value chemicals from solar energy and carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Her work explores bio-inspired systems, including polymeric microreactors and artificial membranes, capable of mimicking natural processes to improve the efficiency and selectivity of chemical reactions. This research is embodied in the BIOPOLE project, funded through an ERC Starting Grant awarded in 2025, which aims to develop a new generation of photocatalytic systems based on artificial compartmentalisation to optimise key processes in sustainable energy and chemical synthesis.
The formal medal award ceremony for the newly elected members of the Young Academy of Spain will take place on 26 November in Zaragoza.
About the Young Academy of Spain
Founded in 2019, the Young Academy of Spain aims to promote scientific careers among young people, raise the visibility of emerging research talent, and serve as a bridge between the scientific community, public administrations and international academic institutions.
One of its distinctive features is that membership is limited to a maximum of five years, ensuring continuous renewal among its fifty members while preserving the institution’s youthful spirit. The Academy is also characterised by its strong interdisciplinary nature, bringing together experts from fields as diverse as chemistry, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, philosophy, art history and the performing arts.
La entrada Dr. Carla Casadevall, ICIQ Associated Researcher, elected Member of the Young Academy of Spain se publicó primero en ICIQ.