Within the framework of the CSIC i-COOP 2025 project COOPB25065 – “Integrating Advanced Spectroscopic Tools and Theoretical Modeling for Rational Catalyst Design”, researchers from the consortium participated in a project workshop held in Argentina. The activity brought together Dr. Patricia Concepción from ITQ, UPV-CSIC, Prof. Pablo Sebastián Fernández from the University of Campinas, Brazil, and members of the Argentinian research group.

During the workshop, the participants discussed the first advances of the project, reviewed the complementary expertise of the different partners, and planned new scientific strategies to strengthen the collaboration. The meeting provided an opportunity to coordinate future activities related to advanced spectroscopy, operando methodologies, theoretical modelling and rational catalyst design.

In addition, members of the consortium participated in the Latin-America Workshop on Advanced In Situ and Operando Methodologies, held from 18 to 20 March 2026 in Santa Fe, Argentina. The event brought together researchers, professionals and early-career scientists to discuss recent developments in catalysis, spectroscopy, materials science, transient and modulation experiments, X-ray absorption techniques, reaction mechanisms and DFT modelling.

This activity contributed to the dissemination of the project, the exchange of scientific knowledge and the strengthening of international cooperation between research groups from Spain, Argentina and Brazil.

The Instituto de Tecnología Química (ITQ, UPV-CSIC) recently hosted the Second Working and Collaboration Meeting of the project COOPB25065, funded under the CSIC I-COOP 2025 Programme from 8 to 11 June 2026,.

The meeting brought together researchers from the Universidad Nacional del Litoral and INTEC-CONICET in Argentina, the Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica (ICP-CSIC, Madrid), and the Instituto de Tecnología Química (ITQ, UPV-CSIC, Valencia). Participants included Prof. Sebastián Collins, Prof. María Verónica Ganduglia-Pirovano, Dr. Pablo Lustemberg, Dr. Daviel Gómez, and Dr. Patricia Concepción (project coordinator).

During the meeting, the consortium reviewed preliminary scientific results, discussed the complementary technological capabilities available at each institution, and defined future research activities aimed at maximizing the scientific impact of the collaboration.

This initiative highlights the importance of international cooperation in promoting scientific excellence, strengthening research capacities, and fostering long-term partnerships between institutions committed to addressing global scientific and technological challenges.

The CATREDOX Group thanks all participants for their commitment and looks forward to the next milestones of the project.

As part of the i-COOP 2025 project COOPB25065 – “Integrating Advanced Spectroscopic Tools and Theoretical Modeling for Rational Catalyst Design”, Sabrina Piña Marcos, a researcher from INTEC-CONICET, Argentina, carried out a research stay at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil, from 9 to 27 July 2026, with the aim of strengthening scientific collaboration among the participating institutions and advancing the planning of joint research activities.

During the stay, Sabrina met with Prof. Pablo Sebastián Fernández and Prof. Daniela Zanchet, researchers at UNICAMP involved in the i-COOP project. These meetings provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing activities, exchange scientific perspectives, and identify new opportunities for collaboration in heterogeneous catalysis, electrochemistry, and the conversion of molecules of energy and environmental relevance.

The scientific exchanges also contributed to defining complementary approaches for the rational design and advanced characterization of catalytic materials, reinforcing the integration of the different expertise available within the consortium.

The research stay also included scientific seminars and technical visits to the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM). A particularly relevant activity was the visit to Sirius, the Brazilian synchrotron light source, where Sabrina had the opportunity to explore its experimental infrastructure and advanced capabilities for materials characterization.

Beyond its scientific and training value, the visit to Sirius provided an opportunity to identify potential synchrotron-based approaches and experimental strategies for future joint studies, particularly those involving advanced structural and spectroscopic characterization of catalytic materials under relevant conditions.

This research stay contributes directly to one of the central objectives of the i-COOP project: to consolidate an international collaborative network between Argentina, Brazil and Spain, integrating complementary expertise in catalyst synthesis, catalytic testing, electrochemistry, advanced spectroscopy, kinetic studies, synchrotron-based characterization and theoretical modelling.

FUNDED BY CSIC, I-COOP 2025 CALL – Action COOPB25065.