Iñaki Gandarias Goikoetxea
To date, my research has focused on the study of catalytic processes for the selective transformation of biomass-derived components into chemical products and biofuels with high added value. My doctoral thesis (2012), carried out at the Bilbao School of Engineering (UPV/EHU) under the supervision of Prof. Pedro Luis Arias, addressed the study of the hydrogenolysis reaction for the selective transformation of glycerol into propanediols. The use of hydrogen donor molecules that could reduce the need for molecular hydrogen was studied. The PhD research experience was enriched by a 6-month research stay at the "Leibniz Institute of Catalysts" (Rostock, Germany) under the supervision of Dr. habil. Andreas Martin.
As a postdoctoral researcher, I extended my research topics to other processes relevant to the biorefinery concept, such as the aqueous phase reforming of glycerol and the production of furfural from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. In 2013, I joined Professor Mark Mascal's group at the University of California Davis (USA). During the research period at Davis, we developed a process for the production of gasoline (biogasoline) from biomass-derived levulinic acid. In January 2014, I joined Professor Graham Hutchings' research group at the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (Cardiff, UK) for a 12-month research stay. My research focused on the study of oxidation reactions of bioalcohols using catalysts with supported Au, Pd and Pt nanoparticles. Since January 2015, I have been a lecturer at the Bilbao School of Engineering and a member of the SuPrEn research group. In 2019 I achieved a permanent position (associate Professor). My current research focuses on the valorization of platform molecules derived from biomass using active, selective and stable heterogeneous catalysts in aqueous phase. I have also conducted process intensification studies for the development of the biorefinery concept.
The following figures summaries my research publications:
- Total number of JCR articles: 32 - First quartile: 24
- Total number of citations: 1983 - h-factor: 24
- Six-year research periods: 2
