Prof. Costa got his B.Sc/M.Sc in Chemistry from the University of Valencia (Spain) in 2006. His PhD was performed at the Institute for Molecular Science at the University of Valencia where he graduated in 2010 (>30 publications and 3 awards: IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists, RSEQ Nanomatmol Prize 2010, PhD Prize 2010 by the U. Valencia). From 2011 to 2013, he was a Humboldt Postdoctoral Researcher at the U. Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) working on nanocarbon-based solar cells (15 paper and finalist of the VI SUSCHEM post-doc award).
In 2014, he got the Liebig Scholarship, heading the hybrid optoelectronics lab at FAU. Prof. Costa focused on sustainable lighting and photovoltaic. In 2017, he moved part of his group to IMDEA Materials (Spain) and he further expanded it to the U. Waseda (Japan) as Associate Professor in 2018. Since 2020, Prof. Costa is the head of the Chair of Biogenic Functional Materials at TUM. He is a well-reputed scientist in hybrid optoelectronics as highlighted by his academic achievements: >150 papers (>110 as corresponding; >7300 citations (>4500 since 2017); 5 patents since 2015; 1 edited book; 37 awards/fellowships (24 since 2016); h-index of 48 and m-index of 3.4. His research is underlined by social media (Spanish, German, English, Chinese, Japanese, Arab, etc.) and several awards.
- Since 2022
- Vice Dean of Research and Innovation: TUM Campus Straubing
- Since 2020
- Full Professor (W3): Chair of Biogenic Functional Materials at the Technical University of Munich
- 2018–2020
- Associate Professor: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, U. Waseda, Japan
- 2017–2020
- Program Leader / Senior PI: IMDEA Materials, Spain
- 2014–2017
- Liebig group leader: Department of Physical Chemistry I, U. Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
- 2011–2014
- Humboldt fellow (2011-2013) and Senior post-doc (2013-2014): Department of Physical Chemistry I, U. Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany (Prof. Guldi)
- 2007–2010
- PhD fellow (FPU): Institute of Molecular Science, U. Valencia, Spain (Prof. Ortí; Dr. Bolink)
- 2009
- Guest researcher: Siemens Erlangen, Germany (April-September, Dr. W. Sarfert)
- 2006
- Research fellow: Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain (July-October, Dr. Cano)
- 2005
- Introduction to research grant for students: Technological Institute of Chemistry, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain (July-September, Prof. Corma)
- 2022
- German Habilitation: Physical Chemistry (Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)
- 2015
- Spanish Habilitation: University Professor (Spanish Government; ANECA)
- 2010
- PhD (Summa cum Laude): Institute of Molecular Science, U. Valencia, Spain. Prof. Ortí and Dr. Bolink
- 2006
- Bachelor/Master: BSc/MSc in Chemistry, U. Valencia, Spain
- 2022
- Horizon Prize of the Dalton Division 2022
- 2021
RSC Materials Chemistry Division Horizon Prize: Stephanie L Kwolek Award 2021
Scientific Award Ateneo 2021
- 2020
Numerary Member of the Academia Joven de España
FPdGi research award by Fundación Princesa de Girona from the Spanish Royal Family
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
- 2019
100 Spanish Economic Leaders for Tomorrow on the Choiseul Institute Ranking
FEMS Materials Science & Technology Prize by the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS)
I3 seal of excellence of the Spanish Government
Young Researcher ChemPubSoc Award
ERC-Consolidator
- 2018
Young Scientists 2018 by the World Economic Forum (WEF)
Leonardo Fellowship 2018 by the BBVA Foundation
XIII Science-Technology award Ciutat d’Algemesí
- 2018–2023
Ramon y Cajal fellow by the Spanish Government
- 2017
Innovationspreis der BioRegionen 2017 by AK BioRegionen
European Innovator (Pioneer) 2017 under 35 by the MIT Technology Review
Spanish Top Talent 2017 under 35 by the MIT Technology Review
ADUC-Jahrespreis 2017 by the GDCh
- 2017–2019
Liebig Stipendium by the Fonds des Verbandes der Chemischen Industrie
- 2016
LpS Scientific Award 2016 for the emerging lighting technologies granted in the 6th annual LED professional Symposium +Expo (LpS)
Silver Medal European Young Chemist Award 2016 by the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuChemMS)
Young Chemist Award 2016 by the Real Sociedad de Química Española (RSEQ)
- 2014
Finalist of the VI SUSCHEM post-doc award
- 2014–2017
Liebig Stipendium by the Fonds des Verbandes der Chemischen Industrie
- 2013–2015
Starting Grant for Young Researchers by the Engineering Advanced Materials (EAM)
- 2011
Humboldt post-doctoral fellow by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
3 PhD awards: 1) IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for the most outstanding PhDs at worldwide level; 2) Nanomatmol Prize 2010 for outstanding national PhDs by RSEQ; 3) Doctoral Prize 2010 by the U. Valencia
- 2007–2010
FPU PhD fellow by the Spanish Government
- 2006
4 Graduated student awards: 1) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry of Spain (3rd position) by the Spanish Government; 2) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry (1st position) by the U. Valencia; 3) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry (1st position) by the Spanish College of Chemistry; 4) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry (1st position) by the Valencian Government
- 2005
2 Undergraduate student awards: 1) Grant introduction to research for highly qualified students by CSIC; 2) Research collaboration grant by Spanish Government
- 2023–2028
Member of the Global Young Academy (GYA)
- 2022–2028
Core Member of Munich Institute for Integrated Materials, Energy and Process Engineering
- 2022–
Ambassador of the European Climate Pact
Vice Dean of Research and Innovation TUM Campus Straubing
- 2020–2025
Numerary Member of the Academia Joven de España
- 2020–
Member and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Member of the ECS
Editorial board of Scientific Reports, Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research
- 2019–2020
Member of STEM: Madrid mentoring program for schools (young and elderly)
- 2019
Panel member of Juan de la Cierva grants
- 2018
Member of the Young Scientist Community of World Economic Forum (WEF)
Jury of the MIT Tech. Rev. Awards for European Innovators under 35
- 2017–
Member of the MIT Innovation community
Member of the Humboldt, MRS, RSQE and EuChemMS
- 2015
Scientific proposal evaluator: U.S. Dept. of Energy, SNSF, ANR, MINECO
- 2014
PhD examine: U. La Rioja (3), U. Alicante (1), Chalmers U. (1)