Javier Rodríguez-Viejo

Javier Rodríguez-Viejo is Full Professor of Applied Physics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and Senior Group Leader of the Thermal Properties of Nanoscale Materials group at UAB and ICN2. He holds a PhD in Physics from UAB (1992), conducted postdoctoral research at MIT, and has been faculty at UAB since 1997 (Associate Professor 1997-2011, Full Professor since 2011). He has held visiting positions at Air Products (2008) and Harvard University (2016).

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Physics, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 1992
• Postdoctoral Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Rodríguez-Viejo specializes in thermal phenomena at the nanoscale, with pioneering work in nanocalorimetry for studying phase transitions in ultra-thin films (down to 1.5 nm thickness). His research spans glass transitions in organic semiconductors, nanoscale thermal transport, thermoelectricity, and the impact of disorder on thermal conductance. He has developed experimental techniques to observe real-time glass relaxation and equilibrated liquid regions in amorphous materials.

His recent publications (2021-2025) reveal a strong focus on stable glasses, molecular orientation control in organic semiconductors, and 2D material applications for gas sensing. The work combines experimental nanocalorimetry with computational modeling, emphasizing molecular dynamics and novel sensor development through impedance-assisted techniques.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Fundación Repsol Entrepreneurs’ Prize (Ideas category, 2015)
• Fundación Repsol Entrepreneurs’ Prize (Projects category, 2016)

He actively mentors students as coordinator of UAB's Master’s in Advanced Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (since 2019) and previously supervised the Physics PhD Programme (2003-2008). He co-founded FutureSiSens, a thermal sensor startup, and served as Vicedirector of MATGAS research organization (2008-2015). His teaching covers Introductory Physics of Nanomaterials, Phase Transformations, and Quantum Physics at UAB.

He leads the Thermal Properties of Nanoscale Materials group across UAB and ICN2 facilities, focusing on nanoscale heat transfer measurement and thermoelectric material development through interdisciplinary collaborations with ICMAB and IMB-CNM.