ICFO
The Institute of Photonic Sciences
ICFO is a CERCA research center member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, founded in 2002 by the Government of Catalonia and the Polytechnical University of Catalunya · Barcelona Tech. Located in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, the institute currently hosts 500 people, organized into 25 research teams that use 80 state-of-the-art research laboratories. Research lines encompass diverse areas in which photonics plays a decisive role, with an emphasis on basic and applied themes relevant to medicine and biology, advanced imaging techniques, information technologies, a range of environmental sensors, tunable and ultra-fast lasers, quantum science and technologies, photovoltaics and the properties and applications of nano and quantum materials such as graphene, among others.
The team
Pelayo Garcia de Arquer
Professor/ICONIC CoordinatorGroup Leader at ICFO in Barcelona, Spain.
After completing his PhD in Optoelectronics, he spent several fruitful years as a postdoctoral fellow in the Sargent Group at the University of Toronto. He was then appointed Director of Research for Emerging Optoelectronic Applications, making several high-impact contributions to the field.
He is passionate about green technologies and eager to work with talented students and scientists with similar ambitions.
Viktoria Golovanova
Postdoctoral researcherShe obtained her PhD at IREC – The Catalan Institute of Energy and made a long journey from theoretical physics through gas sensors and photovoltaics to catalysis. She is currently focused on the development of novel catalytic materials for renewable energy.
Anku Guha
Postdoctoral researcher He obtained his PhD from TIFR Hyderabad (India) on electrode-electrolyte interface engineering by modulating electrolytes for mainly hydrogen evolution and nitrogen reduction reactions. He is currently focused on developing novel catalytic materials and studying the electrocatalytic pathways by Operando Raman spectroscopy.
Diksha Mittal
MSc studentShe is a Master’s student at the CO2 Mitigation Accelerated by Photons group at ICFO, currently pursuing a BS-MS dual degree from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Berhampur (India). Her research interests involve exploring functional materials for renewable energy production using approaches that are efficient and environmentally sound.
Luis Guillermo Gerling
Knowledge and Technology TransferHe is a chemical engineer specialising in renewable energies (MSc) and photovoltaics (PhD). He has worked as a process engineer for the copper refining industry and as an entrepreneurial scientist focused on transparent photovoltaic applications. In 2021 he joined ICFO’s Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT) unit, where he is the project manager of the energy and materials portfolio.
Judith Salvador
Project ManagerShe holds a degree in Economics from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and a master’s degree in project management from IL3-Universitat de Barcelona. She started at ICFO in 2018 in the Project’s unit where she works managing European Projects.
Marta Martín
Science CommunicationShe holds a BSc in Environmental Biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, an MSc in Neurosciences from the University of Barcelona and a postgraduate degree in Science Communication. She started her career as a researcher in evolutionary biology and animal behavior, and then moved to science communication and outreach, working both in research institutes and at universities. She joined ICFO in 2020 as a science communication officer for European Projects.
