Dr. in Chemical Engineering and current Associate Professor at the University of Valencia (UV), I’ve developed my strong scientific career within GI2AM group become an expert on Environmental Biotechnology and Process Simulation. I’ve focused my research on the development of sustainable bioprocess to treat industrial air emissions and to valorise by fermentation these emissions and waste into bioenergy, biofuels, and bulk chemicals.

Continuously participating in R&D Projects, since 2017, I led the research tasks regarding the development of novel Clostridia fermentation configurations for biobutanol production from lignocellulosic waste. I demonstrated the feasibility to extend the SSFiR configuration from bioethanol refineries to biobutanol ones, being this outcome the first literature reference on ABE fermentation (Bioresource Technol 2021). Today, I co-lead as principal investigator the GI2AM research by winning the national call Generación Conocimiento with the BioRiceFinery project (PID2021-122454OB-I00) to develop a biorefinery platform from rice straw for sustainable decarbonisation, the regional call for competitive groups with the on-going project AICO/2021/121 to extend the ABE fermentation of lignocellulosic wastes to third generation Biorefinery and the regional call Proyectos Estratégicos en Cooperación with the RECIMAP project (INNEST/2022/205) to study the recycling of textile waste by fermentation. I would like to highlight my international collaboration with Prof. Langenhove’s Group (U. Ghent) where I stayed for 1-year postdoc position applying membrane bioreactors to control air emissions. I regularly collaborate with industry but one of the most outstanding achievements on transfer to industry is the invention together Prof. Gabaldón (UV), JM Peñarrocha (UV) and A Waalkens (Pure Infinity) of Anaerobic Bioscrubber technology. This EU & USA patented technology is a change on solvent emission control since they are converted to bioenergy. It’s the unique active USA licence of ETSE-UV and last July it has been installed the first commercial unit.

Regarding training, I’m one of the main supervisors of PhD students of the team supervising 8 PhD Thesis (2015, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 4 ongoing).

Since 2020, I’m the Secretary of the Chemical Engineering Department of UV.

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.