[Activity Report] Visiting Professor Maria Jose COCERO (Valladolid University, Spain) stayed at Kumamoto University for 4 days

Professor María José COCERO of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering at the University of Valladolid (Spain) IROAST Visiting Professor, stayed at Kumamoto University from October 22 to 25, hosted by Professor Tetsuya KIDA (Faculty of Advanced Science and Engineering) and Professor Armando T. QUITAIN (Center for International Education).

Prof. Cocero is a world-class researcher and professor in the field of the development of green technologies for the conversion of biomass to useful chemicals and energy using high-pressure fluids. She is currently director of The Bioeconomy Research Institute of the University of Valladolid (BioEcoUVa), where she leads a team of top researchers and scientists working on biomass utilization, processes, and economics.

On the 24th, she gave a lecture in hybrid for Kumamoto University and overseas students at the IROAST Seminar. Before the IROAST seminar, Prof. Cocero and her host faculty member, Prof. Quitain, visited the Prof. Takashima, IROAST Director, to greet him and to talk about the past mutual exchanges between Prof. Cocero and Kumamoto University.

According to the talk, since Prof. Cocero has been conducting research exchanges with Kumamoto University (KU) on the use of green technology (supercritical fluid and microwave) for biomass utilization for more than 10 years, and is now further developing the collaboration with Prof. Quitain under KAKENHI International Joint Research Project and JSPS Bilateral Joint Research Project (Open Partnership), more than 10 students from Kumamoto University have been accepted so far, and two graduate students are scheduled to be sent again this month for research internship.

During this stay, her fourth visit to Kumamoto University, she gave a lecture at an IROAST seminar, met with students scheduled to study abroad under her supervision, and toured and discussed improvements of research equipment in Kida Laboratory.

Meeting with Director Takashima  (Oct. 24, 2024)

Orientation and discussion of research with students who will be sent to University of Valladolid

Tour of Kumamoto University campus and laboratory