The event, held at the Academy’s headquarters (Calle Valverde, 22, Madrid) at 6:00 PM, will include two scientific presentations:
- “Biocatálisis. La edad de oro de las enzimas" (Biocatalysis: the golden age of enzymes) by Vicente Gotor Fernández (University of Oviedo), exploring advances in enzymatic catalysis for sustainable chemical synthesis.
- “Baterías recargables: química, aplicaciones y retos actuales” (Rechargeable batteries: chemistry, applications, and current challenges) by M. Rosa Palacín Peiró, who will present the fundamentals of battery technology, recent developments, and future challenges in electrochemical energy storage.
At the conclusion of the session, the speakers will receive their official diplomas recognizing their appointment as corresponding academicians. The session will be held in person and broadcast live (in YouTube).
You can download here the official invitation of the event with a short abstract of the two talks (in Spanish).
Conference Hall at Real Academia de Ciencias, Madrid
From Volta to lithium and beyond, an article by M. Rosa Palacín Peiró at RAC's journal
This last month's Revista de la RAC, Serie General (RACSG) features an article by M. Rosa Palacín, titled "From Volta to lithium and beyond: A personal view on battery technology development."
In the article, Palacín explores the fascinating evolution of batteries, from their early empirical discoveries to the rational design of modern energy storage technologies. She begins with the first batteries of the 19th century, explains the discovery and relevance of lithium-ion in batteries, and concludes with promising emerging technologies such as sodium-ion batteries and solid metallic electrodes.
The article is published in RACSG | Volume 113 | Issue 1 | Year 2025. The Revista de la RAC, Serie General is the outreach journal of the Royal Academy of Sciences, where articles address current research topics in an accessible language aimed at a broad audience.
It is a very interesting read, for sure. Congratulations, Rosa!
Read the article here and see the full issue here.
About M. Rosa Palacín Peiró
Born in Barcelona on 29 April 1968, M. Rosa Palacín holds a degree in chemistry (1991), a master’s in materials science (1993), and a PhD in chemistry (1995) from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. She is a research professor at ICMAB-CSIC, leading a research line on inorganic materials for rechargeable batteries.
Her work spans solid-state chemistry and electrochemistry, covering technologies including lithium-based systems and emerging batteries using abundant elements such as sodium, magnesium, and calcium. She has contributed to understanding electrode materials, reaction mechanisms, and industrial applications, collaborating with companies such as Toyota, Saft, and Duracell.
Palacín has authored over 150 publications with more than 14,000 citations, holds 11 patents (six licensed to Toyota), and has led multiple European H2020 projects on sustainable battery technologies. She is also active in scientific communication, education, and outreach.
Apart from being Académica Correspondiente at the RAC since April 2024, she is also an Academic Elect at the RACAB since December 2023 and holds the Miguel Catalán-Paul Sabatier SCF award, among othe recognitions.
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