Advanced Training

ICIQ has a strong commitment to offer training programmes for undergraduates, graduate students and doctoral researchers. We prepare a new generation of researchers with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle the most important challenges in chemical research. We are convinced that an integral education beyond chemistry is crucial to achieve outstanding research results and fruitful life achievements.

Training Programmes

The ICIQ Graduate Student Programme ICIQ’s PhD student programme is at the core of our commitment to education. We foster graduate students in their path to think, design and execute a research project under the supervision and mentoring of an ICIQ Group Leader. The programme targets highly qualified and talented graduate students with an enthusiastic interest in chemical research and has been successful in attracting students from all over the world.

In 2018 we launched four calls of our PhD Fellowship Programme. A total of 17 graduate students joined ICIQ through ICIQ’s fellowship programme. We also incorporated PhD students through other funding calls: 2 FI (AGAUR); 1 FPU (MECD); 1 Estancias breves FPU(MECD); 5 FPI (MICIU), 2 INPhINIT (Fundació Bancària La Caixa) and 2 PREBIST (BIST).

PhD theses defended in 2018

MORE INFO
Date
Name
Thesis titleSupervisors
01.03
Eduardo C. Escudero
High resolution X-Ray Single Crystal DiffractionProf. Pau Ballester / Dr. Jordi Benet
15.03
Shoulei Wang
Approaches to Asymmetric Catalysis Mediated by Polymer-Supported and Homogeneous Organocatalysts
Prof. Miquel À. Pericàs
21.03
Rohit GaikwadCarbon Dioxide to Methanol: Stoichiometric Catalytic Hydrogenation under High Pressure Conditions
Prof. Atsushi Urakawa
22.03
Sergio Sopeña
Organocatalytic Transformations of Carbon Dioxide and Cyclic Carbonates
Prof. Arjan Kleij
22.03
Marcos Rellán
Molybdenum Oxides as Catalyst for Biomass-Derived Compounds: a Theoretical Approach
Prof. Núria López
12.04
Lidia Clot
Immobilization of Chiral Brønsted Acids and Lewis Base for Batch and Flow Enantioselective Catalysis
Prof. Miquel À. Pericàs
30.05
Eloísa Serrano
Amide Formation via Ni-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling Reactions with Isocyanates
Prof. Rubén Martín
07.09
Belén García
Novel Halogen(I) Reagents in the Csp2- and Csp3-Bond Functionalization
Prof. Kilian Muñiz
14.09
Elena de Orbe
Gold-Catalyzed Intermolecular Reactions of Alkynes with Alkenes: Novel Reactivities and Global Mechanistic Picture
Prof. Antonio M. Echavarren
09.10
Joan González Computational Design of Catalysts for Carbon Dioxide Recycling
Prof. Carles Bo
15.10
Yuanyuan Shi
Materials and Molecules for Pollution Free Clean Energy
Prof. Antoni Llobet
18.10
Sofia Ferrer Cabrera
Gold Catalysis: From Fundamentals to the Synthesis of Bullvalenes and Naturally Occurring Sesquiterpenes
Prof. A. M. Echavarren
25.10
Marta Borges Ordoño
Insights into the co-catalyst effects in light-driven reactions for water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction
Prof. Atsushi Urakawa
29.10
Luca Buzzetti
Photochemical Strategies for Carbon-Carbon Bond Forming Processes
Prof. Paolo Melchiorre
02.11
Pablo Garrido Barros
Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysts Based on Copper and Nickel Complexes
Prof. Antoni Llobet
12.11
Yangyang Shen
Visible Light Photoredox Promoted Transformations of Inert Chemical Bonds
Prof. Rubén Martín
20.11
Santiago Cañellas
Smart Catalytic Systems for Batch and Continuous Flow Enantioselective Processes
Prof. Miquel À. Pericàs
29.11
Xiang Yin
Synthesis of Indenes and Indanes by Gold(I)-Catalyzed Decarbenation
Prof. Antonio M. Echavarren

Postdoctoral researchers at ICIQ have an outstanding opportunity to develop their research career in a collaborative and international environment. We believe in empowering postdoctoral researchers and strengthening their leadership skills. In 2018 we succeeded in obtaining eight Marie Curie Sklodowska Actions – Individual Fellowships (MSCA-IF) grants. Moreover, ICIQ benefited from two Beatriu de Pinós (AGAUR); three Juan de la Cierva (MICIU) and five postdoctoral grants from the COFOUND programme PROBIST (BIST).

We participated in two Master programmes. The URV/ICIQ Master in Synthesis, Catalysis and Molecular Design provides scientific training in the design of new methods of synthesis, development of catalysts, computational design and management of environmentally friendly chemical processes. The Master also focuses on providing the skills needed to address research and development tasks and innovative activities in the industry. Four ICIQ Master students were awarded one of the institute’s master projects fellowships. We also participated in the Master of Multidisciplinary Research in Experimental Sciences (BIST-UPF), which provides in-depth hands-on research training in multiple fields. Students undertake a 6-month major project, and a 10-week minor project in two different research disciplines in different BIST centers.

ICIQ Summer Internship Programme brings together outstanding undergraduate students who make the most of their Summer holidays by working in one of ICIQ’s research groups during the months of July, August and September. In 2018, ten students from different countries were awarded one of our summer fellowships to carry out research projects in several groups at the centre. Since 2011, 24 summer fellows have joined ICIQ to carry out master or doctoral studies.
The ICIQ Summer Fellowships Programme is sponsored by Fundació Bancària La Caixa.

 

Transferable Skills Courses

TRAINING COURSE NAME
AUDIENCE
DATE
OBJECTIVES
PROVIDER
How to be an effective researcher
New PhD students16/01/2018
19/01/2019
Enhance the effectiveness of postgraduate researchers by providing them with an opportunity to build their understanding, skills and confidence in communication, planning and time management, problem solving, leadership and assertiveness. Help researchers to have a greater self-awareness of learning and working styles.Vitae - BIST
Volumetric Physisorption Seminar
ICIQ researchers
18/01/218
The aim of the workshop is to give support to users of the Autosorb iQ (from Quantachrome) equipment.
Internal (Georgiana Stoica)
Managing myself & working with my team
Postdoctoral researchers22/01/2018
23/01/2018
Develop a conceptual framework to understand and deal with some of the most common challenges that postdocs face. Acquire a set of practical tools and methods that are immediately applicable in the participants’ working environment.The Papermill
more info
TRAINING COURSE NAME
AUDIENCE
DATE
OBJECTIVES
PROVIDER
CG-MS Tips and TricksICIQ researchers25/01/18The workshop is devoted to practical aspects of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection.
Agilent & ICIQ
Heterogeneous Catalysis Unit Seminar
ICIQ researchers22/02/18
The aim of the workshop is to give support to the users of the EMX Micro EPR (from Bruker) equipment.Internal (Georgiana Stoica)
Effective presentationsProject researchers18/04/2018
The aim of this workshop is to improve the oral communication competence, for preparing better presentationsAdecco Formación
Leadership in Action
Postdoctoral researchers11/04/2018
13/04/2018
This workshop allows researchers to explore and develop their leadership skills. Participants have the opportunity to look at relevant theory, to practice their unique leadership styles and to receive feedback.Vitae - BIST
RSA general overviewNew researchers
05/02/18
29/10/18
Regular sessions for new researchers about ICIQ instrumentation facilities.Internal (Gisela Colet)
IP Management at ICIQ
ICIQ researchers09/05/18Introduce the existing forms of IP titles and the way IP is managed at ICIQ.Internal (Fred Ratel)
Valorization of R&D results
ICIQ researchers16/05/18Provide ICIQ researchers with knowledge about the key aspects to be taken into account when considering commercializing R&D results.Arvor Consulting
MSCA Individual Fellowship Workshop
PhD 4 year and postdocs18/05/18Help PhD students in their last year or postdoctoral researchers interested in applying for a Marie Skłodowska Curie Individual Fellowship.Internal (Projects Department – Lorena Tomás, Anna Banet, Laura López)
Introduction to Research Integrity 21/05/18Provide knowledge about key aspects for a responsible conduct of research.Maruxa Martínez (PRBB)
How to survive a PhDNew PhD students23/05/18Enhance the effectiveness of the new PhD students by providing them with an opportunity to improve the following skills: communication, teambuilding, conflict resolution, time management, project management, and creativity.Internal (HR Unit)
Python for researchers
ICIQ researchers04/06/18
08/06/18
Phyton is a must-have technique that will allow the course participants to reuse and share code easily.UB professors: Fermí Huarte & Ramon Crehuet
From science to business
BIST researchers12/06/18
14/06/18
Provide researchers with the tools to launch a new business exploiting scientific or technical knowledge.ESADE - BIST
GRADSCHOOL BIST
PhD students
04/07/18
06/07/18
GRADschools are experiential learning courses designed to develop the transferable skills of postgraduate researchers. Many researchers who attend the course have a transformational experience, empowered to take charge of their own learning and career.Vitae – ICIQ - BIST
RMN workshop
ICIQ researchers18/07/18Present of all NMR resources available in the intranet.Internal (Gabriel González)
Leadership and management skills for senior postdocs
Postdoctoral researchers03/10/18
05/10/18
Improvement of collaboration and (self) organizational skills.
Learn and practice useful tools to advance in the career in science and be encouraged to establish and maintain a peer support group.

HFP Consulting - BIST
Leadership and management skills for senior PI
Group leaders08/10/18
10/10/18
Aimint at improve the communication, collaboration and leadership skills; at provide useful tools for balancing the roles of manager, leader, scientist; conflict resolution. and negotiation; acquire skills in order to make and communicate hard decisions; and analyze how to actively shape the culture of science at their institution.



HFP Consulting - BIST
Data visualization
BIST researchers11/10/18Provide participants with an accessible and comprehensive introduction to visualize your scientific ideas and help your audience effortlessly grasp the essence of your research.
Mass Spectrometry seminar
ICIQ researchers03/05/18
25/09/18
The seminar was focused on the following topics: basic aspects of mass spectrometry and guidelines to be followed by all MS Unit usersInternal (Noemi Cabello)
Fundamentals of Fluorescence
ICIQ researchers03/10/18This talk introduces basic concepts of Uv-Vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence measurements.Internal (Fernando Bozoglian & Javier Pérez)
Introduction to Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
ICIQ researchers08/11/18This workshop is planned to give support to the users of the EMX Micro EPR (from Bruker) equipment.Internal (Georgiana Stoica)
Crystallization protocol seminarICIQ researchers28/11/18Explain different techniques you can use to obtain single crystals of your compounds. At the end of the seminar a few crystallization experiments starting from the melt will be performed.Internal (Jordi Benet)