The Research Center for Technologies, Energy and Industrial Processes (CINTECX) at the University of Vigo is strengthening its commitment to knowledge transfer to the Galician business sector through two industrial PhD programs that bridge academia and industry. Researchers Camila Rey and Nerea Airado are developing their doctoral theses in collaboration with leading companies, within the framework of the grant program promoted by the Xunta de Galicia.
Camila Rey has been selected to carry out her thesis at BIOPRANAWORLD SL, under the supervision of CINTECX BIOSUV group researchers Ángeles Sanromán Braga and Marta Pazos Currás. Her project, titled “Optimization of Bioprana Activator Efficiency in Bioremediation Processes with a Focus on Sustainability and Circularity (ACTBIO)”, falls within the field of biotechnology and aims to provide sustainable solutions for improving environmental processes. This PhD modality allows Rey to gain first-hand insight into the needs of the business sector and directly apply her scientific knowledge.
Meanwhile, Nerea Airado is conducting her thesis at BorgWarner, focusing on the design of predictive models for the electromagnetic behavior of power electronic systems. Supervised by Óscar López Sánchez, a researcher from CINTECX’s APET group, and Mónica Fernández Barciela from atlanTTic, her research aims to reduce electromagnetic interference and improve the efficiency of these systems. Airado highlights that the industrial PhD allows her to access advanced technical resources and acquire key skills such as project management and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Both theses are part of the public grant program promoted by the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN), which has supported 20 projects at the University of Vigo since 2021, consolidating this model as a strategic path for training highly qualified researchers and fostering business innovation.
New Call for 2025
In addition, CINTECX and the technology center EnergyLab are announcing a new opportunity for the 2025 call: an industrial PhD focused on electrochemical water splitting processes for renewable hydrogen (H₂) production. This offer includes a three-month international research stay and is aimed at graduates in science, engineering, or environmental studies with a strong academic record and foreign language certification.
The International Doctoral School (EIDO) emphasizes that industrial PhDs enable a direct connection between university and industry, facilitating job placement and the development of projects with real-world impact.