Exceptional contribution to the advancement of science and technology

Avelino Corma, researcher and co-founder of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ), a joint research centre of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), distinguished researcher at the UPV and ad honorem research professor at the CSIC, has received the Award for the Promotion and Development of Science and Technology granted by the Association of Chemical, Basic and Energy Industries (AIQBE).

The award ceremony took place on Tuesday, 22 October 2024, during the 7th Technical Conference organised by AIQBE in the city of Huelva. José Luis Menéndez, president of AIQBE, presented the Award to Avelino Corma.

This conference brought together professionals and experts from the chemical sector to discuss the latest advances and challenges in the energy and chemical industry, as well as environmental care and occupational risk prevention.

The Award recognises Avelino Corma's exceptional contribution to the advancement of science and technology and his impact on the chemical and energy industry.

His work has been instrumental in developing more efficient and sustainable processes, which have benefited both the scientific community and society as a whole.

Avelino Corma

Born in Moncofa (Castellón) in 1951, Corma has been a researcher in heterogeneous catalysis for half a century in academia and collaboration with companies. He has worked on fundamental aspects of acid-base and redox catalysis to understand the nature of active sites and reaction mechanisms, the bases on which he has developed catalysts that are now used commercially in numerous industrial processes.

A world-renowned and recognised expert in solid acid and bifunctional catalysts for energy chemicals and for making chemical processes more sustainable - especially in the synthesis and application of zeolite catalysts - Corma has published more than 1,400 research papers and invented more than 200 patents.

He has also been recognised with such distinguished awards as the European Inventor Award for Lifetime Achievement from the European Patent Office, the Blaise Pascal Medal for Chemistry from the European Academy of Sciences and the Prince of Asturias, ENI and Spiers Memorial awards.