Miguel Sanz-Novo


Miguel Sanz-Novo


After graduating from the Universidad de Valladolid (UVa, Academic Excellence Award B.S. Chemistry 2017, ranked #1), and following up the M.S. Advanced Techniques in Chemistry (Academic Excellence Award M.S. Advanced Techniques in Chemistry 2018, ranked #1), I did my PhD studies in Chemistry at UVa in both the Grupo de Espectroscopía Molecular (GEM) and the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Group (TCC) under the supervision of Prof. José L. Alonso and Prof. Carmen Barrientos. The topic of my PhD thesis was the synergetic experimental-theoretical study of interstellar molecules and biomolecules, based on rotational spectroscopic techniques and state-of-the-art quantum-chemical computations (Summa Cum Laude and International mention, 2022). Currently, I am a Margarita Salas Fellow at the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, CSIC-INTA), where I am exploring the Ultra-deep Line Spectral Survey of the molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027 based on Yebes 40-m, IRAM 30-m, APEX, and GBT observations. Thus, my research activity has been devoted to several areas within Laboratory, Computational and Observational Astrochemistry. My research works hinge around Rotational Spectroscopy, addressing both experimental and theoretical aspects, and look forward to unveiling the limits of molecular complexity in the interstellar medium (ISM) based on the detection of new interstellar species. Such expertise, in collaboration with world's leading institutions in the field of Radio astronomy has led to surprising discoveries such as: suggestion of several glycine isomers and glycine precursors as relevant interstellar molecules, its subsequent rotational characterization and their interstellar search; a thorough experimental and astronomical study of complex interstellar aldehydes in the Galactic center region, which shows that this family of iCOMs is characterized by a drop of one order of magnitude in abundance at each incrementation in the level of molecular complexity; experimental rotational characterization of several complex cyano-bearing molecules that will enable their eventual detection in the ISM.

I am author of 21 peer-reviewed publications (11 as first author and 8 as second author), highlighting: 1xAngew. Chem. (Front Cover, Impact factor:16.82), 3xApJ, 4xA&A, 2xMNRAS, 2xPCCP (Front Cover), 1xJPCL (Front Cover), 1xJPCA (Front Cover).

I have also presented 22 conference communications at national and international meetings (14 as presenting author and 8 as contributing author).

Moreover, I have more than 250 hours of teaching experience in the Chemistry Degree (UVa, 2018/2019-2022/2023). Experimental Chemistry IV (Molecular Spectroscopy & Chemical Kinetics) and Experimental Chemistry II (Quantum Chemistry & Molecular Spectroscopy) subjects, and I have been co-supervisor of 1xTrabajo Fin de Grado (TFG, 2022), 3xTFG (ongoing) and 1xTFM (ongoing), and academic Tutor of 5xPrácticas de Empresa (2021/2022). In June (2022) I recieved the ANECA acreditation to Profesor Ayudante Doctor, Profesor de Universidad Privada and Profesor Contratado Doctor.