Letter from the Director

Dear friends,

Thank you for expressing your interest in the 2022 ICIQ Scientific Report. I trust that you will find the information provided to be valuable.

2022 has been my third year as the Director of the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ-CERCA). Our researchers have excelled in disseminating their publications in specialized journals, as well as in securing funding through competitive processes, making us one of the leading institutions in obtaining European and national funds. This year, our researchers have also been honored and recognized with awards for excellence; Prof. Echavarren was the recipient of the Enrique Moles National Research Award, one of the highest honors for excellence, awarded for his contributions in the field of catalysis. Together, we are creating a legacy of excellence, guided by our inclusive international programme based on four pillars: Cooperation, Education, Knowledge and Innovation.

This 2022 ICIQ continues its status as an accredited “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” by the Research State Agency/Ministry of Science and Innovation (AEI/MCIN). This represents an annual allocation of one million euros for a four-year period to implement an ambitious project on sustainability through advanced catalysis. With two more years of funding ahead, ICIQ is committed to driving innovative research in this critical area, improving day by day to optimize the collective efficiency of ICIQ.

Regarding the competitive projects awarded this year, on the European side we can highlight our first collaborative project from the Horizon Europe programme: OHPERA. The project is coordinated by Universitat Jaume I and counts with the group of Prof. N. López as one of its partners. Another important achievement is our first coordinated project: D-Carbonize. A Doctoral Network coordinated by Prof. Arjan W. Kleij. Last but not least, the Institute has also signed the agreements of two ERC Starting grants awarded to Dr. K. Villa, PhotoSwim, and Dr. J. Berrocal, Re-Huse. On the national side, we can feature the new call from the Spanish AEI (Research State Agency) and MICINN (Ministry of Sciene and Innovation): “Proyectos Estratégicos Orientados a la Transición Ecológica y a la Transición Digital”. ICIQ leads 4 projects from the call: Data4Mat, coordinated by Prof. C. Bo; Auto4Fuel coordinated by Prof. J. Lloret; NatureQuantumET, coordinated by Dr. E. Romero; and SOLARCO, a collaborative project with the ITQ, coordinated by Prof. E. Palomares.

In terms of our research achievements, the institute has demonstrated remarkable activity, producing a total of 148 high-quality scientific papers over the course of the year. Notably, 59% of these publications are available through open access, and 57% have been developed through international collaborations. The average impact factor of our publications stands at an impressive 11.7.

Another integral aspect of the center’s foundation revolves around the transer of knowledge and technology. Research serves the industry to collaborate on solutions and promote innovation and competitiveness at both the local and global levels. Our commitment lies in contributing through our research to the energy transition that our society urgently needs. Our researchers are developing innovative technologies that can efficiently convert solar energy into electricity and/or fuels, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

The General Conference of UNESCO adopted a resolution to proclaim 2022 as the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. The International Year aims to help highlight the crucial role of basic sciences in sustainable development and emphasize their contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are closely aligned with the mission of the ICIQ to increase evidence-based decision-making on urgent global challenges, and its vision of science as a global public good.

Thank you for this 2022, and let’s continue with a 2023 full of chemistry and knowledge!

Kind regards,

Emilio Palomares

ICIQ Director