# Prof. Dr. habil. Rubén D. Costa FRSC

**Source**: https://bfm.cs.tum.de/en/team/ruben-costa
**Parent**: https://bfm.cs.tum.de/en/

Prof. Costa got his B.Sc/M.Sc in Chemistry from the University of Valencia (Spain) in 2006. His PhD was performed at the Institute for Molecular Science at the University of Valencia where he graduated in 2010 (>30 publications and 3 awards: IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists, RSEQ Nanomatmol Prize 2010, PhD Prize 2010 by the U. Valencia). From 2011 to 2013, he was a Humboldt Postdoctoral Researcher at the U. Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) working on nanocarbon-based solar cells (>15 paper and finalist of the VI SUSCHEM post-doc award). In 2014, he got the Liebig Scholarship, heading the hybrid optoelectronics lab at FAU with a focus on sustainable lighting and photovoltaics. In 2017, he moved part of his group to IMDEA Materials (Spain) and he further expanded it to the U. Waseda (Japan) as Associate Professor in 2019.

Since 2020, Prof. Costa is the head of the Chair of Biogenic Functional Materials at TUM. He is a well-reputed scientist in hybrid optoelectronics as highlighted by his academic achievements: >180 papers; 1 edited book; >35 awards/fellowships.

## Current Position

Since 2022
:   Comissioner (Vice Dean) of Research & Innovation: TUM Campus Straubing

Since 2020
:   Full Professor (W3): Chair of Biogenic Functional Materials at the Technical University of Munich

## Previous Positions

2019–2020
:   Associate Professor: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, U. Waseda, Japan

2018
:   Guest Professor: Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics, U. Waseda, Japan

2017–2020
:   Senior PI: IMDEA Materials, Spain

2014–2017
:   Liebig group leader: Department of Physical Chemistry I, U. Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

2011–2014
:   Humboldt fellow (2011-2013) and Senior post-doc (2013-2014): Department of Physical Chemistry I, U. Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany (Prof. Guldi)

2007–2010
:   PhD fellow (FPU): Institute of Molecular Science, U. Valencia, Spain (Prof. Ortí; Dr. Bolink)

2009
:   Guest researcher: Siemens Erlangen, Germany (April-September, Dr. W. Sarfert)

2006
:   Research fellow: Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain (July-October, Dr. Cano)

2005
:   Introduction to research grant for students: Technological Institute of Chemistry, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain (July-September, Prof. Corma)

## Education

2022
:   German Habilitation: Physical Chemistry (Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

2025
:   Spanish Habilitation for Full Professor (Spanish Government; ANECA)

2010
:   PhD (Summa cum Laude): Institute of Molecular Science, U. Valencia, Spain. Prof. Ortí and Dr. Bolink

2006
:   Bachelor/Master: BSc/MSc in Chemistry, U. Valencia, Spain

## Fellowships, Awards, and Recognitions

2025 - 2030
:   Responsible in the Focus Group within the Global Bioeconomy Alliance  for the topic “Biomaterials”

2024
:   Top 2 % Scientists – Leading Minds in Science

2023
:   Global Young Academy Member

2022
:   Horizon Prize of the Dalton Division 2022

2021
:   RSC Materials Chemistry Division Horizon Prize: Stephanie L Kwolek Award 2021

    Scientific Award Ateneo 2021

2020
:   Numerary Member of the Academia Joven de España

    FPdGi research award by Fundación Princesa de Girona from the Spanish Royal Family

    Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)

2019
:   100 Spanish Economic Leaders for Tomorrow on the Choiseul Institute Ranking

    FEMS Materials Science & Technology Prize by the Federation of European Materials Societies (FEMS)

    I3 seal of excellence of the Spanish Government

    Young Researcher ChemPubSoc Award

    ERC-Consolidator

2018
:   Young Scientists 2018 by the World Economic Forum (WEF)

    Leonardo Fellowship 2018 by the BBVA Foundation

    XIII Science-Technology award Ciutat d’Algemesí

2018–2023
:   Ramon y Cajal fellow by the Spanish Government

2017
:   Innovationspreis der BioRegionen 2017 by AK BioRegionen

    European Innovator (Pioneer) 2017 under 35 by the MIT Technology Review

    Spanish Top Talent 2017 under 35 by the MIT Technology Review

    ADUC-Jahrespreis 2017 by the GDCh

2017–2019
:   Liebig Stipendium by the Fonds des Verbandes der Chemischen Industrie

2016
:   LpS Scientific Award 2016 for the emerging lighting technologies granted in the 6th annual LED professional Symposium +Expo (LpS)

    Silver Medal European Young Chemist Award 2016 by the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuChemMS)

    Young Chemist Award 2016 by the Real Sociedad de Química Española (RSEQ)

2014
:   Finalist of the VI SUSCHEM post-doc award

2014–2017
:   Liebig Stipendium by the Fonds des Verbandes der Chemischen Industrie

2013–2015
:   Starting Grant for Young Researchers by the Engineering Advanced Materials (EAM)

2011
:   Humboldt post-doctoral fellow by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

    3 PhD awards: 1) IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for the most outstanding PhDs at worldwide level; 2) Nanomatmol Prize 2010 for outstanding national PhDs by RSEQ; 3) Doctoral Prize 2010 by the U. Valencia

2007–2010
:   FPU PhD fellow by the Spanish Government

2006
:   4 Graduated student awards: 1) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry of Spain (3rd position) by the Spanish Government; 2) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry (1st position) by the U. Valencia; 3) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry (1st position) by the Spanish College of Chemistry; 4) Best Student Records Award in Chemistry (1st position) by the Valencian Government

2005
:   2 Undergraduate student awards: 1) Grant introduction to research for highly qualified students by CSIC; 2) Research collaboration grant by Spanish Government

## Commissions of Trust and Memberships

2025 - 2029
:   Responsible in the Global Bioeconomy Alliance for the Focus Group “Biomaterials”

2025 -
:   Secondary Membership in TUM School of Natural Sciences (NAT)

2025
:   Jury of Joachim Herz Stiftung Innovate!Fonds

2023–2028
:   Member of the Global Young Academy (GYA)

2022-
:   Comissioner (Vice Dean) of Research & Innovation: TUM Campus Straubing

2022–2028
:   Core Member of Munich Institute for Integrated Materials, Energy and Process Engineering

2022 - 2025
:   Jury of BBVA Foundation for Leonardo Fellowship Program

2022–2025
:   Ambassador of the European Climate Pact

2020–2025
:   Numerary Member of the Academia Joven de España

2020–
:   Member and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

    Member of the ECS

    Editorial board of *Scientific Reports*, *Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research*

2019–2020
:   Member of STEM: Madrid mentoring program for schools (young and elderly)

2019
:   Panel member of Juan de la Cierva grants

2018
:   Member of the Young Scientist Community of World Economic Forum (WEF)

    Jury of the MIT Tech. Rev. Awards for European Innovators under 35

2017–
:   Member of the MIT Innovation community

    Member of the Humboldt, MRS, RSQE and EuChemMS