Joaquín Alegre is a Professor in the Department of Business Management at the University of Valencia. Both his teaching and research interests revolve around knowledge management, organizational learning and innovation in organisations. He has been principal investigator of four research projects of the Ministries of Economy and Competitiveness and Science and Innovation. He has published in the most prestigious journals in his area of specialty such as Research Policy, Technovation or Journal of Product Innovation Management. He has been the coordinator of the Doctorate Program in Business Management from 2014 to 2020. Currently, he is co-Editor-in Chief of International Journal of Management Reviews, a top-tier journal listed in the 1st quartile of JCR index.

Dr. JD Badia is Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering (DIQ) of the University of València (UV). He holds M.Sc. degrees in Chemical Engineering (Extraord. Award), Mechanical Engineering and Materials, and Erasmus Mundus Materials and Sensor Systems for Environmental Technologies, as well as a PhD in Engineering and Industrial Production (Extraord. Award).
 
PROFILES / ORCID: 0000-0001-8477-1459 | SCOPUS: 25640849700 | Author ID: I-3552-2018 | Google Scholar: JD Badia

RESEARCH/ His work has been devoted towards (i) the Design and Functionalisation of polymer-based dispositives for application sectors such as energy, biomedicine, packaging and environmental technologies, and (ii) Valorisation of polymer-based materials, through mechanical, chemical, thermal and biological means. His work has been placed at the RDT groups of Functionalisation, Recycling and Degradation of Polymer Materials (UPV, Spain, 2007-2017) and at the Materials Technology and Sustainability (UV, Spain, 2018-act). He has perfomed 5 research stays (33,5 months) in Dept of Fibre and Polymer Technology (KTH, Sweden) and Dept of Analytical and Organic Chemistry (URV, Spain). He shows recognition of 2 research periods (2007-2018). He shows 63 publications in JCR (85% Q1), >1900 citations and h-index of 27 (4 papers>100 cit), 3 research chapters, > 100 communications in conferences (>60% international, >10 oral), and 5 divulgative papers focusing on companies. He has participated in 32 research projects (including 8 National and 2 International, funded by LIFE and Chilean Government). He has led 2 regional projects and is currently co-leading 2 research projects from the Spanish Ministry. Collaborations with other research groups is shown in 32 co-authored papers (20 at int. level, with researchers of Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan -Sweden-, Università degli Studi di Genova - Italy-, or University of Aberdeen - UK-.). Since late 2019, he is leader of the RDT Group of Materials Technology and Sustainability (MATS) of the DIQ-UV.

TRANSFER / Concerning work with industry, he has participated in 26 contracts / technical assistances for companies, technological centers and/or administrations, leading 12 of them. Co-author of 1 patent. Concerning work with society, 10 projects (3 international, Interreg, Erasmus+), on public procurement of innovation for municipalities, and involvement of women in the STEM careers. He has organised 7 transfer workshops and offered 10 speeches in seminars and summer schools. Since 2024, director of the University Chair AIMPLAS-UV, in liason with AIMPLAS, the Institute of Technology of Plastics, a worldly known institution. 

TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT/ He shows recognition of 2 teaching periods (2007-2021). His teaching expertise is focused on the bases of chemical engineering, technology of materials, statistical process control and innovation procedures of the chemical industry. He has co-directed 1 PhD Thesis, with international mention, 10 (7 Q1) JCR-indexed papers and 1 research award. He's currently (co)directing 4 doctoral theses, 2 of them with industrial mention. He has also directed >65 B.Sc/M.Sc final degree theses. Trainer at the Teaching Service for Lecturers of the Universitat de València in teaching aspects (active methodologies, flipped teaching and ICT tools) and research issues (impact-driven design of projects or academic visibility). Teaching staff of the School of Doctorate (UV) for transversal courses. Coordinator of entrepreneurship-driven groups of students at the MOTIVEM initiative of the UV and contact point in chemical engineering at ETSE of the university incubators. Concerning assessment, he is international expert for the evaluation of European Projects of Erasmus+ call [Spanish Service of Internationalisation of Education-SEPIE], Research and Innovation Actions of H2020 [for BBI-JU/consortium and EASME] and recently for Horizon Europe, CBE consortium, M-Eranet, Spanish Agency of Research, Andalusian and Aragonese Spanish RDT Regional Agencies, and the Chilean Government.

OTHER RELEVANT ACTIONS /  Co-leader the Innovation Teaching Group in Chemical Engineering and Environment of the DIQ-UV (2018-2024). 24 innovation teaching projects (3 coordinated), being 5 of them Erasmus+ (2 as PI) focusing on primary/adult learners. 4 JCR-indexed papers and more than 40 communications. Co-director of 2 former University Expert Degrees related to (bio)circular economy: Bioplastics and Biocomposites, and Recycling of Plastics, in liason with the Institute of Plastics AIMPLAS. He was RTD manager of the Institute of Technology of Materials of the UPV for 2,5 years. Since 2022, Chief of Initiatives in Sustainable Waste Management at the Vicerrectorate of Sustainability of the University of Valencia. Since 2024, component of the Open Science Commission of the UV.

Updated: 24/01/2025

My training as a pre-doctoral researcher, my experience as a post-doctoral researcher and my participation in several research projects have consolidated my professional expertise in green electrochemical engineering, focused in the fields of metals resource recovery and wastewater treatment. I received my bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering in 2009, and my master's degree in Hydraulic Engineering and Environment (2011) from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). I was awarded for the best academic track record in Chemical Engineering among all graduates in the academic year 2008/2009. From 2007 to 2010 I enjoyed several collaboration scholarships funded by the UPV, one of which was obtained thanks to my degree's award. From 2010 to 2014, I obtained a predoctoral grant (VALI+D program) funded by the Generalitat Valenciana (GV). During my PhD I had the opportunity to perform several international collaborations with the Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) in the inter-university Spanish-Brasilian collaboration program, and national level with the Universidad de Cantabria (UC), which served to acquire the scientific skills necessary for my thesis project and to build links with other laboratories for future collaborations. On July 2014, I defended my PhD entitled "Study of the zinc recovery from spent pickling baths (SPBs) coming from the hot dip galvanizing industries using electrochemical technologies", at the UPV, obtaining my doctorate with the CUM LAUDE distinction.

Afterwards, I was hired as a post-doctoral researcher (PDR) in the Jaume I University (2015), where I worked together with a researcher from the Sharif U. of Tech. in the electrochemical characterization of Perovskites solar cells. From 2015 to 2017, I was a PDR at the UPV of the VALI+D program, a competitive call funded by the GV. During the first year of this PD grant I worked on chlorine reduction during zinc electrodeposition at the UPV and, in the second year, I did a one-year stay at the UC, where I acquired new scientific skills on the electro-oxidation of per-fluorinated compounds. After, I was hired by the UC thanks to the GRADISAL project, where I carried out the set-up of the reverse electrodialysis stack and I learnt about the blue energy technology. Then, I was hired by the UPV in the LIFE-2-ACID project whose main aim is the technology transference by the construction of a reactor that combines the membrane technology with an electrochemical reactor. In 2021 I got an associate lecturer position in the chemical engineering department of the U. de València (UV), where I expect to improve my teaching experience and to consolidate my research activity. My research lines at the UV are related to nutrient concentration by electro-dialysis and electrochemical oxidation of refractory compounds (emergent pollutants).

I have actively participated in 9 regional, national and EU R&D projects obtained in competitive calls and two contracts with private entities. During my career, I have published 20 documents in peer-reviewed journals, 16 of them located in the 1st Q of JCR, 2 educational research works and 5 conference papers. Amongst them, there are 2 documents in collaboration with international researchers, Angela Kasper and Sara Rahimnejad. Besides. On the other hand, I have participated in 24 international and national congresses and I have, recently, published a book chapter with the Excellence Researcher net E3TECH. Regarding higher education academic activity, I have taught at undergraduate and master levels, with 4 final year projects and 7 master thesis co-directed, one of them with an international Student from the University of Strathclyde (Jennifer Bain). In the UV I participated as co-director in the doctoral thesis of Patricia Ruiz Barriga, entitled "Estudio de la Recuperación de Nutrientes de las Aguas Residuales". Finally, I have taken part in 4 science dissemination events prepared for all ages.

[Biography, english version]

Chemical Engineer (2008) by the Universitat de València, and Master in Environmental Engineering (2010) and PhD in Water and Environmental Engineering (2013) by the Universitat Politècnica de València, specialized in anaerobic processes for the valorization of wastewater and other organic wastes. Recipient in 2014 of a postdoctoral contract of the VALi+d program, funded by the Generalitat Valenciana, and of a Juan de la Cierva contract in 2016, funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO). Associate Professor of the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the UV since 2017. Researcher for more than two years at the Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement (LBE) of INRAE, in Narbonne, France. Member of the steering committee of the Specialist Group on Anaerobic Digestion and Specialist Group on Instrumentation, Control and Automation of the International Water Association (IWA). Member of 3 IWA working groups (TG on Meta-Data Collection and Organization - MetaCO, TG on Membrane Bioreactor Modelling and Control - MBR_MC, WG on algae and phototrophic microbes modeling), being co-chair of the MBR_MC group. Member of the Management Committee of the WATER4REUSE COST ACTION, which aims to promote the recycling and reuse of reclaimed water and its by-products. First vice-president of the IWA Young Water Professionals in Spain, during its creation and consolidation. Currently Deputy Director of Institutional Relations, Equality and Culture.

Doctor of Chemical Engineering and Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering in University of Valencia. Since 2004, he has taught in the degrees of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Master in Environmental Engineering and Master in Chemical Engineering.

He belongs to the CalAgua research group since 1999, where he has been dedicated to the study of wastewater treatments and the development of new technologies for more efficient water treatment. His research has focused on the experimental study of new processes in laboratory and pilot plants; the development of mathematical models for WWTP simulation and optimization; the development of parameter calibration methodologies; and the development of process control algorithms, based on the use of artificial intelligence and knowledge based systems. He has developed several computer programs for control of laboratory and pilot plant experiments, and collaborated in the development of DESASS (a WWTP simulation software) and LoDif-BioControl (a universal control platform that includes a wide variety of algorithms for process control, which can be applied to any WWTP).

He has supervised 3 PhD theses and has published more than 35 papers in international journals, a dozen papers in national journals and more than 70 contributions to conferences, most of them international. He is co-author of 3 commercial computer programs registered at the University of Valencia and also of 5 invention patents.

Research studies have focused on urban wastewater treatment processes through conventional activated sludge systems and membrane bioreactors, both aerobic and anaerobic. He has participated in a large number of applied research and transfer projects with different companies and public entities. And he is currently the principal researcher at the University of Valencia of the LIFE MEMORY project, which intends to turn the current WWTP into a true Industry for obtaining resources and energy for the benefit of the Society and the Environment.

Pau San Valero Tornero graduated in Chemical Engineering at the University of Valencia in 2009 (Best Final Project Award 2009-2010). In 2011 she obtained a Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of Valencia and the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

RESEARCH CAREER: Her research activity began in 2010 with the incorporation of the Research Group in Environmental Engineering of the University of Valencia (GI²AM), where she currently develops her research activity. From the beginning of her scientific career her work was mainly focused on the research on biotreatment of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere, which was funded through regional, state, and European projects. In 2011 she began her doctoral thesis funded with competitive Vali+d (ACIF/2011/067) and FPU (AP2010-2191) grants. During her doctoral thesis she developed a mathematical tool to simulate and predict the transient response of trickling biofilters that treat air contaminated with VOCs. In 2016 she defended the PhD thesis obtaining the maximum qualification "Cum Laude" and the "International Mention" in the doctoral program "Chemical, Environmental and Process Engineering" of the UVEG, which has "Mention of Excellence". In addition, she obtained the "Extraordinary Doctorate Award" in the 2016/2017 academic year. Within the framework of the Marie Curie project "NextAirBiotreat" (GA No. 284949) for the transfer of knowledge between academia and industry, Marie Curie carried out a 3-month research stay in the R+D department of one of the industrial partners, PAS Solutions BV (Netherlands).

In October 2017 she obtained a postdoctoral contract in competitive competition from the Generalitat Valenciana (APOSTD/2017/121). Within the framework of the grant, she carried out a 10-month research stay in Dr. Kennes' research group (BioEngin Group, University of A Coruña).

Since November 2018 she is a professor and researcher attached to the Department of Chemical Engineering of the UVEG, where she actively carries out research and teaching tasks. Since then, her research career has focused on the production of biofuels and other value-added products from lignocellulosic and other wastes.