Scientific work:
Roberto Castro Muñoz is an enthusiastic researcher with main interests and expertise in membranes and membrane processes for environmental applications, focusing on water purification and energy-relevant gas mixtures. He currently holds the position of Associate Professor at the Gdansk University of Technology (Poland), WILis.
To date, Roberto has published over 150 articles in international scientific journals, mostly first author and corresponding author, with more than 5, 000 citations, participation in 10 conferences, 20 book chapters and I book in Springer, with an H-index of 43 (September 2023). In 2023 he was awarded Platinum IDUB from Gdansk University of Technology, Poland, 3.8 M PLN. Project: Design and characterization of hybrid membranes containing nanoporous inorganic materials for selective molecular separations
Academic positions and projects:
Principal investigator (2023-) “Self-assembling of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and graphene-based materials into composite polymer membranes” Nobelium grant (DEC 33/2022/IDUB/l.1; NOBELIUM nr 036236), financed by the Gdansk University of Technology (300 000 PLN).
Principal investigator (2021-2022): Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) under Ulam Programme (Agreement No. PPN/ULM/2020/1/00005/U/00001, "Studies on application of deep eutectic solvents for synthesis of novel types of composite membranes", Edition II, https://nawa.gov.pl/en/scientists/the-ulam-programme), 240, 000 PLN.
2 months (June-July 2019): Research fellow at the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czechia
Research fellow, European Commission (2015-2019)– Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Erasmus Mundus Doctorate in Membrane Engineering–EUDIME (FPA No 2011- 0014, Edition V, http://eudime.unical.it), #3 out of 180 from different nationalities.
Principal investigator (2019): Czech Grant Agency– Project (IGA 2019, MSMT No 21-SVV/2019): Improving the performance of cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol) dense membranes through the embedding of graphene oxide for applications in pervaporation. Czechia
Principal investigator (2018): Czech Grant Agency– Project (IGA 2018, MSMT No 21-SVV/2018): Enhancing the performance of Matrimid® 5218 dense membranes through incorporation of Metal-organic frameworks for applications in gas separation and pervaporation. Czechia
Principal investigator (2017): Czech Grant Agency– Project (IGA 2017, MSMT No 20-SVV/2017): Synthesis of ternary-mixed matrix membranes based on Matrimid® 5218, PEG 200 and microporous nanoparticles for gas separation. Czechia
Studies:
He studied the MSc in Biotechnology at Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN). Meantime, he performed research internships at the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Italy and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He defended his research thesis with Honors and was awarded by IPN as the best academic performance student. In 2014, he started his first Ph.D. in Sciences in Biotechnology at IPN, Mexico. In 2015, Roberto was selected and awarded a PhD fellowship for the European Union Joint Doctorate ‘Erasmus Mundus Doctorate in Membrane Engineering (EUDIME), having as home institution the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic. Additionally, his hosting institutions were the University of Calabria and Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Italy and the University of Zaragoza (Unizar), Spain. In 2019, Roberto defended his second European PhD, obtaining an International mention from Unizar.
Experience abroad:
20/02/2015 to 15/08/2015: Lecturer at National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico.
1/9/ 2013 to 31/12/2013: Research internship at Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR), Italy
1 month (April 2013): Research internship at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Bibliographical data in Scopus (up to date 03.10.2023):
- publications: 156
- citations: 4 443
- h-index: 39
ORCID number: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7657-3302