Mario Merino Martinez

Mario Merino Martínez is a Full Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), leading the Plasmas and Space Propulsion Team (EP2). His research focuses on advanced electric propulsion systems, particularly electrodeless plasma thrusters (EPTs), magnetic nozzles, and plasma modeling. He holds an ERC Starting Grant (ZARATHUSTRA) to develop next-generation space propulsion technologies and has pioneered numerical tools like PWHISTLER and EP2PLUS for plasma simulation.

Merino's work integrates experimental and computational approaches, collaborating with institutions like MIT, ONERA, and Airbus. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on topics such as magnetic nozzle dynamics, ECR thruster optimization, and plasma-wave interactions. His group's experimental lab includes a 1.5m-diameter vacuum chamber with advanced diagnostic systems for thruster testing.

Award-winning educator, Merino teaches aerospace courses in English, including a popular edX MOOC ('The Conquest of Space'). He supervises 6 ongoing PhD theses and has advised numerous students on plasma physics and propulsion. Beyond academia, he co-founded 'La Facultad Invisible' to improve STEM education and participates in initiatives like the ST3LLAR lab with SENER Aerospace.

• Awards: ERC Starting Grant (ZARATHUSTRA), H2020 MINOTOR Project Lead
• Grants: €3.5M+ funding from EU, Spanish Ministry, and private sector
• Labs: EP2 Plasma Lab (UC3M), ST3LLAR Collaboration

His current projects aim to revolutionize space travel via electrodeless thrusters, addressing challenges in plasma detachment, wave energy absorption, and scalability for deep-space missions.