Maria Batuecas

Maria received her degree in Chemistry in her city of birth, Madrid, studying at the University Complutense of Madrid. In 2008 she moved a few hours north to Zaragoza to study for her Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Miguel Angel Esteruelas and Dr. Cristina Gacia-Yebra. Upon graduating, she joined Prof. Igor Larrosa group at the University of Manchester where she was awarded with a Marie Skłodowska Curie fellowship. The slight change in weather from Spain to Manchester proved perfect for studying C-H activation of light sensitive arene-Cr complexes. Following a brief industrial postdoc with Prof. Ignacio Fernandez in Almeria she returned to the UK as an EPSRC postdoc here in the Crimmin group. Her work focuses on the fundamental reactivity of aluminium compounds, with a specific target on the development of new approaches toward carbon chain growth from CO and CO2. Outside of the lab, Maria enjoys travelling, hiking, reading, and of course, enjoying a pint in the sun from time to time.