DUVI Ourense 27/10/2025
The Auga Campus, the specialization project of the Ourense campus accredited by the Xunta de Galicia, annually recognizes the talent and effort of the University of Vigo’s research staff through its Research, Transfer, and Scientific Dissemination Awards. In its seventh edition, these awards honor nine initiatives (doctoral theses, final degree and master’s projects, scientific articles, and outreach actions) focused on functional food, agriculture and environment, and thermal water management.
Final Degree and Master’s Projects, Articles, and Outreach
In the category of best final degree and master’s projects (TFG or TFM), the winners were: Ana Pérez, for her master’s thesis Euphorbia hirta and Euphorbia jolkinii as potential sources of antioxidant compounds: a nutritional, chemical, and bioactive characterization, supervised by Jesús Simal and Miguel Ángel Prieto. Iria Moreira, for her bachelor’s thesis Effect of iron nanoparticles on the germination and early growth of wheat and quinoa. Evaluation of mobility in agricultural soils, supervised by Paula Pérez and Cecilia Araceli Martínez. Sofía Salgado, for her bachelor’s thesis On the legal framework for the use of thermal waters by spa establishments and recreational thermal spaces in Galicia, supervised by Roberto Bustillo.
In the category of scientific contributions, two works were awarded: The article Extraction of phenolic compounds from grape pomace using ohmic heating: chemical composition, bioactivity and bioaccessibility, by researcher Pedro Miguel Ferreira from the Department of Chemical Engineering, published in Food Chemistry in collaboration with C. Nobre, R.M. Rodrigues, Z. Genisheva, C. Botelho, and J.A. Teixeira.
The article Innovative low-voltage 3D electrode system using pine cone biochar for efficient removal of multicomponent pollutants from wastewater, by Nuria Bernárdez from the same department, published in Journal of Water Process Engineering with Emilio Rosales, Marta Pazos, and M. Ángeles Sanromán. The study proposes integrating an adsorbent derived from pine cones into a three-dimensional electrosorption system for the simultaneous removal of pharmaceuticals in multicomponent systems.
Finally, in the category of scientific outreach activities, the project Aprendo a leer lo que como. Formando consumidores responsables desde el aula was awarded. Coordinated by Beatriz Cancho and Raquel Rial, this initiative—funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT)—helped around 850 children learn to understand nutritional information on processed food labels. It was developed by the Faculty of Sciences through the Food and Health Omics research group and the Teaching Innovation Group on Food Education Aliméntate con Ciencia y Conciencia.
Three Doctoral Theses
The VII Research, Transfer, and Scientific Dissemination Awards included five categories, with up to three prizes in each, one per research line of the Auga Campus. In the doctoral thesis category, the winners were: In functional food, the thesis Unraveling the industrial potential of Arnica montana: a comprehensive study on phenolic compounds characterization, extraction and technological applications by Paula García, supervised by Jesús Simal and Miguel Ángel Prieto. It assessed the industrial potential of five selected species as sources of bioactive compounds, identifying the most promising for food industry applications.
In agriculture and environment, the thesis Drivers of hydrological extremes in current and future climates: the role of atmospheric moisture transport by Luis Gimeno Sotelo, supervised by Sergio Martín Vicente and David Barriopedro. Its goal was to determine the influence of moisture transport on the occurrence of hydrological extremes, particularly daily precipitation extremes and drought periods, in present and future climates.
In thermal water management, the thesis Study of the potential of the Ourense-city geothermal reservoir by José Ángel Cid, supervised by Pedro Araujo. It analyzed the current state of this reservoir, different methodologies for exploiting medium-low temperature geothermal resources, and the local, regional, and national regulatory framework. It also included proposals and examples of exploitation methodologies.
The total funding for the VII Research, Transfer, and Scientific Dissemination Awards amounted to €12,000, financed under the collaboration agreement between the University of Vigo and the Xunta de Galicia’s Department of Education, Science, Universities, and Professional Training to support the Auga Campus. As every year, the awards will be presented at a public ceremony.