Maria Chiara SPADARO
Maria Chiara Spadaro is tenure track professor (RTD-b) in PHYS-03/A and visiting professor at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2). She graduated in condensed matter physics at the University of Messina and completed her PhD studies in 'Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies' at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and at the CNR-NANO. Prof Spadaro possesses an international profile: she has been post-doctoral researcher at the EPFL-CIME and Swansea University (UK). In 2018 she moved to Barcelona with a Marie Curie post-doctoral fellowship at the ICN2, where she also got the Juan de la Cierva Incorporacion fellowship.
Her research interests are focused on the controlled characterization and growth of ultraprecise nanoscaled materials. Particularly, she is expert on electron microscopy related techniques, such as imaging (transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy), spectroscopy (electron energy loss spectroscopy in STEM and -energy dispersive X-ray in STEM), post-imaging treatment (strain analysis, exit wave reconstruction and peak finding), advanced 3D modelling and EM image simulation.
EDUCATION
2012-2016 PhD in Physics and Nanoscience, University of Modena and Reggio, Italy
2008-2012 BsC in Physics at University of Messina, Italy
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2024-present Assistant Professor (RTD-b) at University of Catania, Catania, Italy
2023 Assistant Professor (RTD-b) at Marche Polytechnic University (UnivPM), Ancona, Italy
2023-Present Visiting Professor at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Barcelona, Spain
2022- Juan de la Cierva Incorporation Fellow at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Barcelona, Spain
2019-2021 Marie Curie Fellow at Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Barcelona, Spain
2018 Research Officer at Swansea University, Swansea, UK
2016-2017 Post-Doctoral Researcher at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
2016 Post-Doctoral Researcher at CIME-EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
AWARDS AND HONOURS
2022-To the mother of Science BIST Award
2021-Juan de la Cierva – incorporacion 2020
2019-present Honorary Research Fellow, College of Engineering, Swansea University, UK
2018 University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Award – distinction for the research activity developed at national and international level, Modena, Italy;
2018 Italian Physical Society (SIF), Laura Bassi SIF Award for the scientific production of young researcher in Physics, Rende, Italy;
2018 Seal Of Excellence Award from the European Commission for the project proposal 796949, ENERGEN, scored as high-quality project proposal in a highly competitive evaluation process;
2016 Italian Society of Microscopic Sciences (SISM), SISM Award to the Best PhD Thesis, Urbino, Italy;
2015 E-MRS prize for The Best Student Presentation, Symposium V, Fall Meeting (EMRS), Warsaw, Poland;
2014 The Best Poster Presentation at the International workshop (Fundamentals and applications of cerium dioxide in catalysis), Udine, Italy;
2010 The Best Student distinction of the Physics Class at the University of Messina.
INVITED talks at conferences:
2024 EMRS Spring Meeting, Strasbourg (France)
2023 Nanoworkshop 2023, September 12th-14th 2023, Plon Castle (Germany).
2021 Applied Nanotechnology and Nanoscience International Conference ANNIC2021, March
24th-26th 2021, online.
2020 2nd Webinar on Material Science & Nanotechnology, November 18th-19th 2020, online.
2020 Condensed Matter Division Conference, CMD2020GEFES, On-line.
2018 2nd Global Conference on Catalysis, Chemical Engineering & Technology, Rome, Italy.
2018 International Meeting on Nanoalloy 2018, Orleans, France.
2017 Gordon Research Seminar on Cluster & Nanostructures, South Hadley, MA, USA.
INVITED INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS
2023 Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italia.
2023 La Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma Italia.
2022 Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italia
2021 Nanomaterials Webinar at the Swansea University, Swansea, UK.
2020 Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), Genoa, Italy
2019 Trento University, Trento, Italy
2018 Swansea University, Swansea, UK
2018 National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Teddington, UK
2018 Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Barcelona, Spain.
MAIN PROJECTS
1) NanoStore – PRIN PNRR (Ref: P20227TNLX) PI: Maria Chiara Spadaro 01/12/2023-30/11/2025; Budget: 230000 €
2) LOCAL – Juan de la Cierva Incorporacion, (Ref: IJC2019-041702-I) PI: Maria Chiara Spadaro 01/10/2021 – 30/09/204 Budget: 100000 €
3) NanoGen – Retos - MINECO (ESP), Ref.: ENE2017-85087-C3-3-R, PI: Jordi Arbiol, Role in the Project: Working Package Leader, 01/01/2021-31/12/2023; Budget: 133,100 €
4) ATONCE - Atomic-resolution Transmission electron microscopy of Nanomaterials for Clean Energy applications MSCA Cofund EU PROBIST, Grant No. 754510, PI: Maria Chiara Spadaro, 01/10/2018-30/09/2021; Budget: 98,913 €