PhD in Thermodynamics of Fluids
Last position: Permanent Researcher at Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Research focus: new sustainable working fluids for small-scale thermal power generation
In Maria’s PhD project, she focused on the thermophysical characterisation of gaseous fuel mixtures with the aim of extending the knowledge on behaviours of biogas and other non-conventional gases. Maria conducted research on innovative fluids for new technologies for power generation from industrial waste, heat, and renewable energy. After her participation in the Green Talents programme, she was granted European funding to pursue her research project.
2015 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship
2013 Research Opportunities Week Award, Technical University, Germany
2012 Best PhD of the academic year, University of Valladolid, Spain
CV as submitted for the Green Talents award (2015):
Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Research focus: advanced technologies for power generation from renewable energy and non-conventional resources
Maria sees the urgent need to search for alternative and environmentally-friendly working fluids for their use in thermal power cycles. She aims to pursue her research in the study of the thermophysical behaviour of innovative working fluids.
Maria started her academic career in 2009, after completing her studies in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Valladolid in her native country, Spain. She obtained prestigious fellowships, including a National Fellowship for Young Scientists Training from the Spanish Ministry of Science & Innovation and a research fellowship from the Chair of Renewable Energy at her University. During her Master's studies, Maria specialised in Fluids Thermodynamics and renewable energy, which guided her towards her PhD project: she focussed her research on the thermophysical characterization of gaseous fuel mixtures with the aim of extending the knowledge on the behaviour of biogas and other non-conventional gases. The results were outstanding, as she received an award from her University in Valladolid to recognise hers as one of the best PhD of the 2012 academic year.
With the intention of broadening her research field and gaining insight into advanced technologies for power generation from renewable energy and non-conventional resources, Maria worked for two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Energy Sciences at Lund University in Sweden. Now, at the Technical University of Denmark, she is doing research on new technologies for power generation from industrial waste heat, and aims at studying innovative fluids for power generation. Her ultimate goal is to create a collaboration group that includes researchers from the fields of Material Science, Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, as well as industrial partners. In 2013, Maria went to Germany to assist at the University of Munich’s Research Opportunity Week. Being awarded as a Green Talent 2015 will give her the chance now to return to Germany in order to meet other researchers and important industry partners for future collaborations.
The jury was impressed by Maria’s academic record and her impressive achievements through a creative interdisciplinary approach in the field of renewable energy.
