[Biography, english version]

Efrén Navarro Moratalla is a professor at the University of Valencia and group leader at the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol). His research interests lie at the converging frontiers of synthetic chemistry, materials science, and condensed matter physics, with a particular interest in low-dimensional systems, specifically two-dimensional (2D) materials. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry in 2007 and, later, in 2009, a Master's degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (extraordinary master's prize), both from the Universitat de València (UVEG). His Ph.D. postdoctoral Ramón Areces, delving into the physics of 2D superconductivity (Nature Physics 2, 112, 2016) and starting his own line of research with the discovery of magnetic 2D materials (Nature 546, 270, 2017 & Science 360, 1218, 2018).

Dr. Navarro Moratalla has been principal investigator of several research projects funded by different agencies: regional government (Generalitat Valenciana: SEJI2017, MFA/2022/063), La Caixa Foundation (Junior Leader fellowship 2017) and currently leads two research projects awarded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain AEI (PID2020, TED2021, PID2023 coordinated), the European Commission (TRILMAX) and a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (EMAGIN2D). Since its reintegration into the Spanish systemIn 2017, he has conducted his independent research on the synthesis and physical properties of crystals, with special emphasis on 2D magnetic materials. More recently, he founded his own research group (Crystalline Inorganic Solids Laboratory, Crisol lab, http://crisol-lab.com), building a laboratory of inorganic crystals for their growth and integration into devices and the study of their emerging magnetic and optoelectronic properties. Efforts in recent years have given rise to a unique infrastructure for the manipulation of air-sensitive materials and the measurement of magneto-optical properties at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, which is already producing results of great scientific impact (Advanced Materials 2020, Nature Communications 2021, PRL 2023, Nature Communications 2024, Advanced Materials 2025).

Finally, Dr. Navarro-Moratalla has also been involved in teaching as a collaborator in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Valencia for the last 6 years. During this time, he has been a professor of theory and practices of various subjects from a multidisciplinary perspective, both in undergraduate and master's courses. Throughout his career, he has also tutored numerous undergraduate and graduate students and young researchers (both at the University of Valencia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and has supervised several bachelor's theses, master's theses and is currently supervising 6 doctoral theses.

Víctor obtained his 5-year degree in Chemistry from the University of València in 2012 after a 9-month Erasmus stay at Imperial College London. Then, he completed an interuniversity Master’s Degree in Molecular Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, followed by a PhD Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the ICMol after obtaining a FPU fellowship. His thesis “Ultrathin films of layered coordination polymers: charge transport and spin crossover at the nanoscale” was defended in 2019. He obtained «Cum Laude» qualification and international mention, along with the Best Thesis in Chemistry award from the UV as well as the NanoMatMol award from the RSEQ. Later in 2019, he joined the Rob Ameloot group in the cMACS at KU Leuven, where he worked for 4 years funded by 2 consecutive FWO postdoctoral fellowships. His research focused on the preparation of vapour phase MOFs for electronic devices. In 2023, he returned to ICMol after obtaining a tenure-track CDEIGENT fellowship from the Generalitat Valenciana. His current research is focused on the processing of porous materials as robust thin coatings for application in optoelectronics and catalysis.