Brief Description

Prof. Costa got his B.Sc/M.Sc in Chemistry from the U. Valencia (Spain) in 2006. His PhD was performed at the Institute for Molecular Science at the U. 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.

Current Position

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

Previous Positions

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)

Education

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

Fellowships, Awards, and Recognitions

2024
     Top 2 % Scientists – Leading Minds in Science
2023
     Global Young Academy Member
2022
     Horizon Prize of the Dalton Division

2021

RSC Materials Chemistry Division Horizon Prize: Stephanie L Kwolek Award 2021. 

2021

Scientific Award Ateneo 2021.

2020

Numerary Member of the Academia Joven de España. 

2020

FPdGi research award by Fundación Princesa de Girona from the Spanish Royal Family

2020

Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)

2019

100 Spanish Economic Leaders for Tomorrow on the Choiseul Institute Ranking.

2019

FEMS Materials Science & Technology Prize by the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS)

2019

I3 seal of excellence of the Spanish Government

2019

Young Researcher ChemPubSoc Award

2019

ERC-Consolidator

2018

Young Scientists 2018 by the World Economic Forum (WEF)

2018

Leonardo Fellowship 2018 by the BBVA Foundation

2018

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.

2017

European Innovator (Pioneer) 2017 under 35 by the MIT Technology Review

2017

Spanish Top Talent 2017 under 35 by the MIT Technology Review

2017

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)

2016

Silver Medal European Young Chemist Award 2016 by the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuChemMS)

2016

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

2011

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

Commissions of Trust and Memberships

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

2022-

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

2020-

Member of the ECS

2020-

Editorial board of Scientific Reports, Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research

2019

Panel member of Juan de la Cierva grants

2019-2020

Member of STEM: Madrid mentoring program for schools (young and elderly)

2018-

Member of the Young Scientist Community of World Economic Forum (WEF)

2018-

Jury of the MIT Tech. Rev. Awards for European Innovators under 35

2017-

Member of the MIT Innovation community

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)

2017-

Member of the Humboldt, MRS, RSQE and EuChemMS