Dr. David Serrano, Director of Institute IMDEA Energy and Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Rey Juan Carlos University, has been appointed corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Spain, and will be responsible for the ‘Energy Transition and Circular Economy’ area.

In 2007 Serrano was appointed director of Institute IMDEA Energy, a position he has held since the foundation of this research centre until the present day. Recently, with his leadership, IMDEA Energía has achieved the prestigious accreditation as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.

Its most relevant scientific contributions have focused on the development of catalysts with applications in circular economy, hydrogen production and advanced biofuels and CO2 valorisation. His achievements include the development of new strategies for the synthesis of zeolites with hierarchical porosity and high accessibility, being one of the leading international researchers in this line. He has recently won a prestigious ERC Advanced Grant in which he has proposed a disruptive concept of zeolites with a dendritic nanostructure with potential applications in a wide range of fields. His research group has also pioneered the use of zeolitic and mesostructured catalysts in chemical recycling processes of plastic waste, contributing to reduce its environmental impact and promoting its circularity.

In 2023 David Serrano was awarded the ‘Miguel Catalán’ Research Prize of the Community of Madrid in recognition of his scientific achievements, his contribution to the training of researchers and the creation of a school and the national and international repercussion of his work throughout his professional career.