Dr. María José Rivero Martínez is Full Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Cantabria. She earned her PhD in 2002 and has focused her research on water treatment technologies, including membrane processes, adsorption, ion exchange, and Advanced Oxidation Processes (Fenton, photo-Fenton, electrochemical oxidation, and photocatalysis). Following a postdoctoral stay at Cranfield University (UK, 2004), her work expanded to photocatalytic reactor design, novel catalysts, emerging pollutant removal, and hydrogen production. She has published over 70 Q1-indexed papers, participated in more than 40 competitive research projects (6 as PI), led industrial collaborations, co-authored two patents, supervised 13 PhD theses, and received four research assessment periods. She is also active in teaching innovation and currently coordinates the EHU–UC Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering.
In the context of her teaching activity, she has 4 accredited teaching periods (five-year periods) (last 01/01/2022). She is also member of a teaching innovation group of the University of Cantabria, has participated in several projects, has publications in specific journals, and participates in congresses in the field.
Regarding institutional positions in the university, she has participated as Academic Manager ETSIIT attached to the Deputy Director of Chemical Engineering (UC) (2006-2007), Deputy Director of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Inorganic Chemistry (UC) (2009-2012) and Director of the Department of Engineering Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry (UC) (2012-2014). At the moment, she is Coordinator of the Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering of the UPV/EHU-UC (2019- ).
She is member of several scientific societies: National Association of Chemists and Chemical Engineers of Spain (Asociación Nacional de Químicos e Ingenieros Químicos de España, ANQUE); Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (Real Sociedad Española de Química, RSEQ), and secretary of the specialized group ‘Energy and sustainability group’.
