Anna

May Masnou

Head of Communication & Outreach

PhD in Materials Science and Technology

Contact data:

Extension: 436197

Direct phone: 932557397

Email:

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Department: Communication & Outreach Office

Biography

Anna did her Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering at Universitat de Barcelona (UB), with the final year as Erasmus at Technische Universität Berlin (Germany), and her M.Sc. in Chemical and Process Engineering at Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) in Tarragona. She did her Ph.D. on Materials Science and Technology back at UB, with three stays abroad at Yokohama National University (Japan), Université de Lorraine (France) and University of California, Santa Barbara (US).

During her Ph.D. she strarted teaching at University level (Chemical Engineering, Laboratory, Process Control...) and continued for one more year, while she also started working at Cetaqua (Water Technology Center) in the field of water and sludge treatment.

She then obtained a Juan de la Cierva-Formación fellowship and started her Postdoc at ICMAB, in the Group of Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites (http://departments.icmab.es/nn/) with Anna Roig. During that time she also did a Postgraduate Course in Science Communication.

Since April 2017 she is the Communication & Outreach Officer at ICMAB, changing her career path from research to communication, but never leaving science!

Research interest

She is interested in all fields of science, but especially on nanoscience and materials science. Anna's aim is to bring the science and research from ICMAB to the world, by organizing seminars, outreach activities, workshops, and by taking care of the website, social networks and press.

Her last field of research was on the synthesis and characterization of inorganic nanoparticles (TiO₂, Au, Ag...) and integration of these nanoparticles in bacterial cellulose. Hybrid nanocomposites, especially for energy and biomedical applications. Her last project was in collaboration with INTE-UPC about photocatalysis for water splitting and hydrogen production.

University Degrees:

Bachelor in Chemical Engineering, Universitat de Barcelona (UB) - 2003-2008

M.Sc. in Chemical and Process Engineering, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) in Tarragona - 2008-2009

Postgraduate Course in Science Communication, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVic-UCC) and Eduscopi - 2016-2017

Doctorates:

Ph.D. on Materials Science and Technology at Universitat de Barcelona (UB) - June 2014

Specialities:

Science Communication

Outreach activities

Most significative academic merits:

Grants and fellowships:

• Juan de la Cierva-Formación Postdoctoral Fellowship (99.2/100) from the Spanish Government (FJCI-2014-21407) (2015-2017).

• Researchers Formation Fellowship (FPI) to perform a Ph.D. from the Spanish Government (2009-2013).

• DAAD grant for Summer School in Advanced Separations in Chemical Engineering (Berlin, 2009).

• Grant from “la Caixa” to study a M.S. in Spain (2008).

• Erasmus fellowship, Grant from the Catalan Government (AGAUR) and International Grant from “Bancaja” to study in a European University (Berlin, 2008).

• Introduction to Research Grant (JAE-Intro) to spend two months working at the CSIC (Scientific Research Superior Council), Environmental Chemistry Department, IQAC-CSIC (2007).

Patents:

• Polyphosphate functionalized inorganic nanoparticles as hemostatic compositions and methods of use. Application no./Patent no. 14759780.1-1453 PCT/US2014022039. March 17, 2014.

Teaching experience and merits:

• Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, Universitat de Barcelona. Topics: Chemical Engineering, Waste Management, Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Information Technology, Bachelor Thesis supervision (180 h/year). November 2013 – September 2015.

• Accredited as “Professor Lector” by the AQU (Agency for the Quality of the University system in Catalonia), 2015.

• On-line course: “Scientific controversies and inquiries for science teaching”. Universitat de Barcelona – ENGAGE. October – December 2015.

• Educator, CRODA Ibèrica S.A. October 2013 – April 2014. Topics: Regulation and control of chemical processes (138 h)

• Teaching Assistant, Chemical Engineering Department, Universitat de Barcelona. October 2009 – November 2013. (60 h/year)

Science Communication experience and merits:

• Nov 2016 - July 2017: Specialization course in scientific communication (Universitat de Vic and Eduscopi)

• Sept 12-13, 2016: Gutenberg Campus on scientific communication and culture (UPF)

• 2015 onwards: Nanodivulgation – Activities of nanoscience outreach at ICMAB.

• 2015 onwards: Web manager (Group of Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites, ICMAB)

• 2013-2015: Member of the Divulgation Committee of the Universitat de Barcelona.

• 2013-2014: Science Communication in local radio programs in Barcelona: “Funció d’Ona” at BocaRàdio 90.1 FM and collaborating in “Pa ciència, la nostra” at Sants3Ràdio.

• 2009-2015: Collaboration in the edition of Scientific Dictionaries and in the organisation of cultural and scientific communication activities at the Universitat de Barcelona.

• 2005-2014: Member of the Communication Committee of the Universitat de Barcelona.

• 2005-2006: Responsible of Catalan language dynamization at the Chemistry Faculty at UB.

Awards:

Academic awards: • Extraordinary Ph.D. Award 2013-2014. Universitat de Barcelona. • Academic Excellent Award for M.S. in Chemical and Process Engineering, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 2009. • First Prize in the Final Year Project in Chemical Engineering contest from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC. Barcelona TECH), 2009. • Second National Award on the Excellence of the University Academic Achievement. Spanish Ministry of Education, 2009. • Academic Excellent Award for B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Universitat de Barcelona, 2008. • Fellowship from “Caixa Manresa” to start University studies, Manresa, 2003. • “Pepi Balmaña” Prize for the Research Project in high school, Institut Jaume Callís (Vic), 2003. Conference awards: • Poster Prize at the “Functional hybrid materials” workshop and training school. May 25-27, Stockholm. • Best oral presentation of Day 2. SludgeTech. University of Surrey, Guildford (UK). June 29 – July 1, 2015. • Springer Poster Prize. Second International Conference on Advanced Complex Inorganic Nanomaterials (ACIN 2013). Namur (Belgium), July 15-19, 2013.

Scientific Highlights:

1. Anna May-Masnou, Lluís Soler, Miquel Torras, Pol Salles, Jordi Llorca and Anna Roig. Fast and Simple Microwave Synthesis of TiO2/Au Nanoparticles for Gas-Phase Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation. Frontiers in Chemistry, published on 12th April 2018. DOI:10.3389/fchem.2018.00110

2. Jana S. Segmehl, Anna Laromaine, Tobias Keplinger, Anna May-Masnou, Ingo Burgertab and Anna Roig. Magnetic wood by in situ synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles via a microwave-assisted route. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, published on 9th March 2018. DOI: 10.1039/C7TC05849G

3. Kudela, D.; May-Masnou, A.; Smith, S.A.; Braun, G.B.; Pallaoro, A.; Chuong, T.T.; Hammond, S.; Cohen, M.J.; Galante, J.M.; Rashidi, H.H.; Morrissey, J.H.; Stucky, G.D. Clotting activity of polyphosphate functionalized silica nanoparticles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2015 Mar 23; 54(13): 4018–4022. Published online 2015 Feb 4. doi: 10.1002/anie.201409639

4. May-Masnou, A.; Stébé, M-J.; Blin, J-L. Hierarchical meso-mesoporous and macro-mesoporous silica templated by mixtures of polyoxyethylene-fluoroalkyl ether and triblock copolymer. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2016, 13-14, 1998-2005. DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201501168. IF(ISI): 2.942

5. Kudela, D.; Smith, S.A.; May-Masnou, A.; Braun, G.; Pallaoro, A.; Nguyen, C.K.; Chuong, T.T.; Nownes, S.; Allen, R.; Paker, N.R.; Rashidi, H.H.; Morrissey, J.H.; Stucky, G.D.; Clotting activity of polyphosphate-functionalized silica nanoparticles. Angewandte Chemie, 2015, 54 (13), 4018-22. DOI: 10.1002/ange.201409639. IF(ISI): 11.336

6. May-Masnou, A.; Ribó-Besolí, J. Porras, M.; Maestro, A.; González, C.; Gutiérrez, J.M. Scale-up model obtained from the rhological analysis of highly concentrated emulsions prepared at three scales. Chemical Engineering Science, 2014, 111, 410-420. DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2014.03.004. IF(ISI): 2.386.

7. May-Masnou, A.; Porras, M.; Maestro, A.; González, C.; Gutiérrez, J.M. Scale invariants in the preparation of reverse high internal phase ratio emulsions. Chemical Engineering Science, 2013, 101, 721-30. DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2014.03.004. IF(ISI): 2.386.

8. May-Masnou, A.; Pasc, A.; Stébé, M.J.; Gutiérrez, J.M.; Porras, M.; Blin, J.L. Solubilization of decane into Gemini surfactant with a modified Jeffamine backbone: design of hierarchical porous silica. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2013, 169, 235-41. DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2012.11.008. IF(ISI): 3.365.

9. May, A.; Pasc, A.; Stébé, M.J.; Gutiérrez, J.M.; Porras, M.; Blin, J.L. Tailored Jeffamine molecular tools for ordering mesoporous silica. Langmuir, 2012, 28 (25), 9816-24. DOI: 10.1021/la301413u. IF(ISI): 4.187.

10. May, A.; Stébé, M.J.; Gutiérrez, J.M.; Blin, J.L. Coexistence of two kinds of fluorinated hydrogenated micelles as building blocks for the design of bimodal mesoporous silica with two ordered mesopore networks. Langmuir, 2011, 27 (23), 14000-04. DOI: 10.1021/la203753q. IF(ISI): 4.187.

11. May, A.; Aramaki, K.; Gutiérrez, J.M. Phase behavior and rheological analysis of reverse liquid crystals and W/I2, W/H2 gel emulsions using an amphiphilic block copolymer. Langmuir, 2011, 27 (6), 2286-98. DOI: 10.1021/la104539q. IF(ISI): 4.187.

12. May, A.; Salvadó, J.; Torras, C.; Montané, D. Catalytic gasification of glycerol in supercritical water. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2010, 160 (2), 751-59. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2010.04.005. IF(ISI): 3.473.