More chemists! This part of the team focuses on applying ultrasound and microwaves to synthesize nano-particles, either for catalytic purposes or for health applications. Some of these nano-particles will be used by our organic chemists, who were introduced in our first blog, in their organic synthesis reactions.
Alessio Zuliani: After getting my MSc degree in Industrial Chemistry in 2015, I’ve been looking forward to finding work adventures. Firstly, I investigate the photocatalytic activity of inorganic compounds in an academic laboratory. Then I moved to the lavatory and laundry R&D department of a great distribution company, Bolton Manitoba SpA. Until the end of 2016, I worked in the R&D department of a chemical company, Menzolit GmbH, exploring moulding compound formulations. On January 2017 I graduate in a post university master in biomass and energy efficiency. I’m now part of the great COSMIC group, as the cosmicologist ESR 5.
Roberta Manno: Challenging myself with new life experiences, learning from subject matter experts, travelling around the world, developing a global mind-set and meeting international friends. These were my aims after I graduated in Materials and Nanotechnology Engineering. I then worked at APS-Rome for 18 months and thanks to that experience I came in contact with awesome people and started to build my professional background up. However this was not enough to me. The need for change became stronger and stronger. COSMIC is like a breath of fresh air. Flow chemistry, microwaves and nanoparticles are my new obsessions. I am proud to be the Cosmicologist ESR-6.
Heidy Ramirez: I received my Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cartagena in Colombia. Afterwards, I was granted with a fellowship to Master studies by “Fundación Carolina” in the University of Zaragoza. I got a Master in Nanostructured Materials for Nanotechnology Applications. I worked at the Nanostructured Films and Particles research group developing catalytic materials for microwave-based reactions. There I acquired my strong interest in the field of zeolites and microwaves, and my wish to continue my career on this topic. As ESR 7 at the COSMIC project, I will develop my doctoral thesis in the field of ultrasound- and microwave- assisted synthesis of zeolite catalysts. The fact to work in an international team and out of my country allows me to learn about different cultures and countries, developing group skills and working for a common goal, while each researcher achieve his personal formation.
Luca Panariello: I received my BSc (2013) and MSc (2016) in Chemical Engineering at the University Federico II of Naples. During my academic career, I’ve always tried to improve and challenge myself, what I knew and what I was used to, by facing new and different realities: for this reason I took part in the International Innovation Competition in Delft (2015). In my search for new experiences I joined the Erasmus+ project (2016) and moved to London, UCL, to work on my master thesis.
I was given now the opportunity to be part of the COSMIC project, where I will be part of a multiethnic consortium, which aims at revolutionizing the world of chemical processes. I am very excited to be Cosmicologist ESR 8.
Mohammed Hussain: Coming from the royal city of Hyderabad, India, I was a dedicated mechanical engineer when I joined the Masdar Institute, UAE for the mechanical engineering master’s program. I realized then that life had its own plans and I was given a project to develop a sono-reactor for biodiesel and I had to ask myself – Sonochemistry…what on earth is that? 2 years on, Sonochemistry has become a part of my personality. Ultrasound is pretty much music to my ears. With COSMIC, I will step into the world of chemical engineering to develop continuous flow sonochemical reactors for production of medicines like Paracetamol. The kick-off meeting was a great experience for me that introduced me to many talented researchers of this field and am already very proud to be the Cosmicologist ESR 9.
Don’t think we’re done yet. We still have a few more cosmicologists, with equally interesting backgrounds, left to introduce. Stay connected!
