Francisco Rivadulla Fernández

Francisco Rivadulla Fernández is a Full Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) in the Physical Chemistry Department, where he leads the Condensed Matter Chemistry Lab (CmCLab) at CIQUS (Centro de Investigación de Química Sustentable). He holds a prominent position in materials science research with international recognition.

Dr. Rivadulla received his Chemistry degree from USC in 1996 and completed his PhD in Physical Chemistry at the same institution in 2001 with a thesis titled "Magnetotransport and Electron Spin Resonance in Magnetoresistive Manganites." Following a two-year Fulbright postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin working in Nobel laureate John B. Goodenough's laboratory, he returned to USC as a Ramón y Cajal fellow in 2004, became Associate Professor in 2009, and was promoted to Full Professor in 2023.

His research program spans several interconnected areas of condensed matter science:

• Development of oxide and nitride thin-films with improved thermoelectric efficiency
• Chemical methods of thin-film deposition (particularly Polymer Assisted Deposition)
• Magnetic and transport properties in transition-metal compounds
• Metal-insulator transitions in correlated electron systems
• Heat transport in geometrically frustrated magnetic systems

Recent publications from 2025 demonstrate his continued leadership in controlling thermal properties at the nanoscale, with groundbreaking work on electric-field control of thermal conductivity in charge transfer oxides and thermal management in vertically aligned nanocomposites. His research shows a clear trajectory from fundamental understanding of correlated electron systems to practical applications in energy conversion technologies.

His scientific contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards:

• ERC-Starting Grant (2010) for "Design of new thermoelectric devices based on 2D and field modulated nanostructures"
• ERC-Proof of Concept grant (2017) for "ANTS": A new technology of microthermal sensing
• Fulbright Fellowship (2001-2003)
• Ramón y Cajal fellowship (2004)

As an academic advisor, Dr. Rivadulla has supervised 10 doctoral theses and numerous postdoctoral researchers. His current research group includes multiple postdocs and PhD candidates working on cutting-edge materials science projects. He has secured substantial funding through multiple national and regional projects in addition to his European Research Council grants.

The Condensed Matter Chemistry Lab (CmCLab) at CIQUS features advanced instrumentation for materials synthesis and characterization, including specialized equipment for measuring thermal conductivity of liquids and nanostructures. His team has developed patented technologies with commercial applications in microcalorimetry and thermal sensing, demonstrating the practical impact of his research program.