This year 2020 (by 23.10) a total of 8 PhD students at IMDEA Nanociencia have defended their theses. We started the year with two, entitled "Novel functionalization methods of 1D and 2D materials and their applications" by Mariano Vera and "The applications of CVD grown graphene in surface-enhanced Raman scattering and Förster resonance energy transfer" by Yansheng Liu and directed by Prof. Emilio M. Pérez and Prof. Feng Luo, respectively.
Despite the pandemic situation, IMDEA Nanociencia researchers managed to thrive. After summer 2020, 6 PhD students defended successfully, either with masks on and social distance or either via telematic means. We assisted to the defenses of Julia Villalva, Adrián del Valle, Estefanía Fernández, Sofía Mena, Kateryna Lemishko and Ana Sánchez-Grande.
Julia Villalva's thesis, directed by Prof. Emilio M. Pérez, studied "Chemistry of nanomaterials inside out; mechanically interlocked, endohedral and covalent derivatives of SWNTs and 2D materials". Another thesis directed by Prof. Pérez, "Molecular machines and materials based on mechanically interlocked carbon nanotubes", was defended by Sofía Mena this September. The thesis of Kateryna Lemishko, directed by Prof. Borja Ibarra and in collaboration with Prof. Pérez's group, studied "Mechano-chemistry and dynamics of biological and synthetic systems". Adrián del Valle defended his multidisciplinary thesis "Simultaneous fluorescence and atomic force microscopy to study mechanically-induced bacterial death in real time", directed by Prof. Cristina Flors. "Novel switchable hybrid materials for applications as sensors at the molecular level" is the title of Estefanía Fernández's thesis, first PhD graduate from Prof. José Sánchez-Costa's group. And the last one, "Design and characterization of functional nanomaterials on surfaces" by Ana Sánchez-Grande and directed by Prof. David Écija.
From IMDEA Nanociencia, we congratulate them and wish the best for their future. We thank also the professors forming the PhD committees for their dedication and time.