Prof. Katherine Villa, ICREA researcher and group leader at the ICIQ, received the National Research Award for Young Talent this Tuesday, awarded jointly by the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI) and the Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia.
The award ceremony, which took place at the National Theatre of Catalonia (TNC) in Barcelona, was presided over by the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, and attended by the Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat. These awards are the most important recognition given in Catalonia in the field of scientific research.
The award recognises the excellence of Prof. Villa’s research in the field of light-stimulated smart nanomaterials. During her acceptance speech, Villa highlighted: ‘After more than a decade in Catalonia, it is an honour to receive this award in a place that has welcomed me and where I have been able to grow both professionally and personally. For me, it is also a demonstration of science’s ability to create opportunities beyond borders.’
Interdisciplinary research
Katherine Villa’s career is distinguished by her research into developing materials capable of harnessing light to drive sustainable chemical reactions, such as the production of green hydrogen or environmental remediation. What is special about these materials is that they can move autonomously, mimicking living systems.
‘Understanding these behaviours opens up new possibilities for designing nature-inspired technologies that can address major challenges such as water purification or energy production,’ Villa has stated.
A collective recognition
The award winner has wanted to dedicate the prize in a very special way to her team and mentors. ‘It is a privilege to work every day with people of such talent, creativity and motivation,’ she said, referring to the members of her research group. She also thanked Prof. JR Galán-Mascarós for the trust he placed in her at the start of her career, and Prof. Emilio Palomares and the ICIQ for their support, as well as her family.
In closing, the professor noted how fortunate she was to be able to experience an exceptional astronomical event live this summer: the total solar eclipse that will be visible from the Tarragona region on 12 August.
‘Events like this remind us that curiosity remains one of the most powerful forces we have as a society, and it is precisely this curiosity that drives science,’ she concluded.
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