In order to show the positive impact of the ADMIRE Programme on the career development prospects of the Fellows, this series – entitled Where Are They Now? – looks at what the Fellows have been doing since the end of their Fellowship. In this edition Dr Andrés Quitero describes his path towards research indpendence, and the skills and opportunities affored to him long the way.

My name is Andrés Felipe Quintero Jaime, and I hold a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Alicante (Spain). In 2022, I was awarded the prestigious MSCA-ADMIRE Fellowship in collaboration with AMBER under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Michael D. Scanlon at the University of Limerick.

During the execution of my fellowship, I had the opportunity to engage in a new and challenging project focused on establishing a novel field within electrochemistry. The research explores the interface between two immiscible liquids as a platform to synthesize electroactive materials for energy storage devices, but also electrochemical devices such as sensors and electrocatalysts. This experience immersed me in an emerging area of scientific inquiry, allowing me to develop a disruptive technological approach and gain new expertise that has significantly enriched my professional skill set.

This period represented a truly transformative stage in my academic and personal development. It enabled me to explore innovative areas of research with strong potential for real-world application, to expand my professional network across multiple research communities, and to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge experimental and analytical techniques. These achievements have also led to my participation in several international scientific conferences, including the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), the Annual Meeting of the Electrochemical Society (ECS), and the Electrochem Meeting held in the United Kingdom. Moreover, the scientific outcomes of my fellowship are currently being prepared for publication (4 potential publications) in high-impact journals. These publications include collaborative research efforts with several leading institutions such as Dalhousie University (Canada), the University of Lorraine (France), and the University of Alicante (Spain).

The MSCA-ADMIRE Fellowship has provided me not only with the time and resources to advance my project and consolidate my professional development as a researcher, but also with an intellectually stimulating environment that has refined my scientific vision. This experience has laid a solid foundation for the next stage of my career, as I continue working towards establishing myself as an independent researcher in the field of electrochemical and material sciences. Recently, I was awarded with the prestigious Postdoctoral fellowship of the Irish Research Council (IRC) to continue my research career.