Materials scientist, hydrogen technology expert and consultant focusing on advanced materials and novel manufacturing methods. The question that drives me is: “How can manufacturing methods improve and account for critical raw materials?”
We can support each other to drive the potential of hydrogen in manufacturing and the production of hydrogen itself toward a more diverse and inclusive world where our voices will be heard.
After completing a physics degree, I started my career in the oil and gas industry as a petrophysicist in Venezuela. I realized that the world’s energy landscape would need to shift in a different direction. Wanting to contribute to this change, my interest changed to renewable energy sources. I added to my physics background a M.Sc. in materials engineering, which led me to Germany with a Scholarship to achieve a Ph.D in materials physics. Throughout my career, I have gained experience in the physical and chemical properties of materials, materials processing, development, and manufacturing techniques. I have worked with applications such as hydrogen storage materials, solid oxide fuel cells, electrolysis, proton conducting membranes and oxygen separation membranes. Manufacturing techniques, including thermal/plasma spraying (for coatings) and additive manufacturing, have been of particular interest. Also, a stay in Canada encouraged me to explore Entrepreneurship and to continue to build on project management skills.
As a woman, I have always studied and worked in male-dominated environments, and constantly longed for more diverse spaces. When feeling intimidated, you can ask yourself, “Where is my voice” and “Why am I not using it?” When in doubt, I ask myself, “What would Marie Curie have done?”
The mission of the 2.72D M.Inc. initiative aims to discuss building a ‘green industry.’ One which is not energy-intensive or that carries a large carbon footprint. We want to give space to those who have not discovered that they, too, have a voice.
Invited Talks:
• Application of thermal spraying to solid oxide fuel cells, Swiss welding association (SVS), Basel-Switzerland, 2017
• Electrolyte development on MSC by means of PS-PVD, 2nd EVOLVE Workshop “Towards the next generation metal supported oxide cells” German Aerospace Center (DLR), Stuttgart-Germany, 2016
• Thin and Dense Functional Coatings by means of Plasma Spray – Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing-China, 2016
• M.E. Ivanova, W. Deibert, D. Marcano, et al. Lanthanum tungstate membranes for H2 extraction and CO2 utilization: fabrication strategies based on sequential tape casting and plasma-spray physical vapor deposition, Separation and Purification Technology, 2019
