Beatriz de la Fuente

Beatriz de la Fuente is a Researcher affiliated with the Department of Materials and Chemistry at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Faculty of Engineering. She holds an MSc in Engineering and is currently pursuing a PhD in Sustainable Materials Engineering under the Doctoral scholarship program. Her primary research focuses on advanced materials characterization using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and optical absorption techniques to study photocatalytic systems and optoelectronic devices.

Education:

• MSc in Engineering (university unspecified)
• Doctoral scholarship in Sustainable Materials Engineering (VUB)

Research Interests:

Her work emphasizes electronic and optical properties of materials, particularly in semiconductor interfaces and photocatalytic systems. Key areas include charge carrier dynamics in optoelectronic devices, energy band engineering for photocatalysts (e.g., Cu₂O/TiO₂ junctions), and CO₂ reduction via photoelectrochemical cells. She also investigates novel electrocatalytic systems using nano-TiO₂/TiN architectures and interfacial metal chlorides to enhance material performance.

Recent Activities:

• Presented at international conferences (2023–2025) on topics like solar-driven materials, bismuth-based chalcogenides, and photocatalytic CO₂ conversion.
• Contributed to 4 peer-reviewed articles in journals like ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces and Applied Surface Science.

Labs/Teams:

Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams focusing on advanced materials characterization, including the Hauffman and Hubin research groups at VUB.