This week we are sharing five minutes with Clara Inés Alcolado Olivares, she is a chemist and predoctoral researcher at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha among other achievements. You may recognise Clara as she was featured in our International Women’s Day initiative last year. Clara also posts educational lab videos on her social media (which the team love to watch!).

Ready, set, share!

Can you give us an insight into your career path and how you ended up working within the lab industry?

I am a chemist and predoctoral researcher at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, specifically in the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Technologies. I am part of the FOTOAIR research group, where I study chemical kinetics in solution.

I began my academic career studying Chemistry at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I continued with the Master’s degree in Chemistry at the same university. Upon completion of the master’s degree, I started my doctoral thesis, in which I dedicate myself to research at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. My daily work in the laboratory focuses on conducting kinetic and mechanistic studies related to the oxidation of emerging contaminants.

What is something that keeps you motivated within the industry or what influences your decisions on how you work?

What motivates me the most is that each day presents a new challenge, and I always learn something new about my research. It’s amazing how when starting from scratch, you can deeply understand any aspect of your field of study. I’m driven by the curiosity I have for this wonderful science I’m dedicated to and the daily desire for self-improvement.

Where do you see either you or the future of the lab industry going?

I see myself continuing my research once I obtain my Ph.D. in Chemistry, anywhere in the world, with the goal of contributing my bit to the evolution of science as much as possible. Additionally, I would like to inspire more people to pursue scientific vocations, fostering interest and passion for research.

Thank you for your minutes Clara!