- Vanessa Ripoll, Silvia Puerta, and Ismael Rodríguez collect their awards at the Polytechnical School of Algeciras
- The winning scientific works show outstanding innovation, technical excellence, relevance and applicability
The 2020 Fundación Cepsa Chair awards ceremony was held in the Polytechnical School of Algeciras Graduation Hall of the University of Cádiz. These awards have been recognizing and promoting leading scientific research since 2006, focused on articles, invention patents, and utility models, as well as university theses that help to promote innovation in the fields of energy, oil, and the environment.
This year, Vanessa Ripoll Morales et al (Montserrat Pérez, Bruno Rodríguez- Morgado, Juan Parrado, and Rosario Solera) won the Improvement of biomethane potential of sewage sludge anaerobic codigestion by addition of “sherry-wine” distillery wastewater.
Silvia Puerto Moreno also received an award in the Bachelor's Thesis category for her project Designing a hydrothermal liquefaction reactor for sewage sludge treatment. Finally, the initiative of Ismael Rodriguez Maestre, Hybrid Solar Thermal-Electric Modular and Integrated into the Building Envelope was recognized in the invention patent category.
The event, which was held with the safety measures required for COVID-19, was also attended by the winners, María Jesús Mosquera, vice-rector of Scientific Policy at the UCA, who joined remotely; the vice-rector of the Bahía de Algeciras Campus, Mar Cerbán; Gabriel González, director of the Polytechnical School of Algeciras; Francisco Trujillo, director of the Fundación Cepsa Chair; and Estrella Blanco, Fundación Cepsa representative.
During the ceremony, the winning students took the opportunity to share some words about the works that had earned the recognition of the joint committee of Fundación Cepsa Chair for their innovation, originality, scientific and technological approach, relevance and applicability.
Since its inception in 2005, the Cátedra Prize’s activity has focused on promoting and incentivizing aspects linked to education, research, outreach and the transfer of knowledge. The relationship between the University of Cadiz and Cepsa dates back to the founding of the Algeciras University School of Technical Industrial Engineering, and gained momentum when the School became the Higher Polytechnic School in 1988. Since then, the two institutions have collaborated on numerous occasions, and have signed a wide range of specific agreements.
Fundación Cepsa Academic Chairs in Andalusia
Cepsa continues to work alongside academia. The Fundación Cepsa-managed chairs at the universities of Huelva, Seville and Cadiz are growing thanks to the contributions and dedication of professionals from all these organizations to improve training, innovation and research.
The Fundación Cepsa Chairs in Andalusia have helped thousands of students to gain first-hand experience in a real working environment, while bringing university professors closer to the reality of industry in Andalusia. Exchanges between technicians and professors have allowed them to hone their skills and apply their newly gained expertise in their daily work. For all these reasons, today Cepsa is a great ally of universities in Andalusia.