Fernando Sapiña, tenured professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the Universitat de València and researcher of the Institute of Material Sciences passed away last January 16th. He was also a science communicator and recently worked on the preparation and characterization of materials for thermic barriers, multiferroic materials and nanomaterials. The Scientific Culture and innovation Unit from the Universitat de València will organize the Fernando Sapiña Awards for Scientific dissemination and Communication in his memory.

Fernando Sapiña’s research focused on designing synthesis pathways of materials with composition, microstructure and controlled properties, as well as its characterization.  He worked, among other themes, in Molecular Magnetism, critical high-temperature superconductors, magneto-resistive materials and materials for thermal barriers. In these fields, he was author or co-author of more than 90 research articles.

Fernando Sapiña was a member of the Advisory Council of the Cátedra de Divulgación de la Ciencia-UCC+ and the Universitat de València, where he managed the collections Sense Fronteres, Sin Fronteras and Ciència entre lletres (Publications from the Universitat de València). In addition, he published Un futur sostenible and El repte energètic. Both books were finalists in the Estudi General European Award for Scientific Dissemination in 2000 and 2004 respectively because of his concern for global change and sustainable growth.

As a science communicator, Fernando Sapiña taught numerous talks and workshops, and he participated in activities related to global change, nanotechnology and cuisine-science relationship. He contributed to the magazine Métode, in which he coordinated several monographs and had his own section, La ciència a taula. He also cooperated with Acció Cultural del País Valencià, in the Science Section.