BCMaterials hosted the second meeting of the Marie Curie ECLectic doctoral network from April 1 to 4. Our center is part of the consortium of 10 European universities, research centers, and companies participating in this project. ECLectic aims to develop electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors capable of early detection (within 2-3 hours) of bacteria that cause sepsis. As a doctoral network, ECLectic's mission is to train young researchers in this discipline.

On April 1 and 2, BCMaterials headquarters hosted the second general assembly of the Horizon Europe BIOntier project, "BreakIng FrOntiers in Sustainable and Circular Biocomposites with High Performance for Multi-Sector Applications." Nearly 50 representatives from the 25 consortium entities attended the event. 12 different countries are represented in the consortium.

BCMaterials is proud to host the very prestigious Basque researcher Maia García-Vergniory in a new invited talk to take plane in March 13^th. The talk is titled: “Topology is everywhere” and wil, start at 11:00 at the Martina Casiano auditorium (BCMaterials headquarters).

BCMaterials participated in the celebration of the International Week of Women and Girls in Science, which took place from February 10 to 16, by organizing several activities both inside and outside our center. On the 11th and 12th, we welcomed over 130 secondary school students from five educational institutions in Bizkaia: Zubi Zaharra Ikastola, IES Juan Antonio Zunzunegui, Ander Deuna Ikastola, IES Muskiz, and IES Sopela.

On April 3 and 4, BCMaterials will host a workshop organized by the MSCA international doctoral network ECLectic, aimed at training young researchers in the field of electrochemiluminescence (ECL). This event is also open to scientists who are not part of the doctoral network and will serve as the culmination of a week that includes specific training sessions for predoctoral students in the ECLectic network, as well as a follow-up meeting among project partners.

We would like to congratulate Ander García Díez for his brilliant defence of his PhD thesis in Materials Science and Technology, entitled “Printable Magnetically Responsive Materials and Devices”.

The thesis was developed in collaboration with the Department of Electronics of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the UPV/EHU, and directed by Jon Gutiérrez Etxebarria (UPV/EHU and BCMaterials) and Carmen Rial Tubio (BCMaterials).

BCMaterials celebrates, one more year, the Week of Women and Girls in Science. On February 11 and 12, we will carry out visits to our facilities by students from our region’s schools. The young students, especially women, will learn about the work of BCMaterials female researchers in new materials science. This activity focuses in three main goals: to help make the work of scientists visible, to awaken vocations in young students and to banish stereotypes about the capabilities of women in the field of science and technology.

Around 100 attendees met at a new edition of the annual BCMaterials workshop, New Materials for a Better Life! The event, held on November 27 at our center's headquarters, focused on technological transfer and innovation applied to advanced materials. The program brought together leading experts in the field, from institutions responsible for developing policies, to companies, research centers and entrepreneurs who presented their success stories.

On November 27, BCMaterials will hold a new edition of its annual workshop New Materials for a Better Life! at its headquarters in Leioa. Under the subtitle ‘Materializing the future: fostering social and economic impact of basic science on advanced materials’, the event will focus on the technological transfer of advanced materials basic science through innovation.

BCMaterials will offer a new invited talk on Nov 13, by Marco Sangermano, Full Professor of Polymer Science and Technology at Politecnico di Torino (Italy)

The talk, which will take place in the auditorium of the Martina Casiano building (BCMaterials headquarters, in Leioa), will begin at 11:00 am and will be titled “Sustainable UV-Cured polymers from coatings to composites and additive manufacturing”.