Celia Rogero, CSIC senior scientist, is the new director of the Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). She replaces Daniel Sánchez Portal, who has held the position for the last four years, contributing both to the expansion of the body of researchers and the strengthening of international collaborations: "I say goodbye to my stage with the joy of knowing that Celia is committed to strengthening our leadership in the area of materials science in all its breadth". 

With a solid academic background, Celia Rogero received her PhD from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in 2003, being awarded the Extraordinary Prize of the University and the prize of the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain. She continued her research career with postdoctoral stays at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (2004-3006) and at the Centro de Astrobiología de Madrid, CAB (INTA-CSIC) (2006-2009). Since then, she has demonstrated her leadership as a tenured scientist at the CFM, where she has held key roles, such as co-director of the Nanophysics Laboratory. She is currently the president of the scientific society ASEVA (Spanish Association of Vacuum and its Applications). 

Celia Rogero faces this new chapter with enthusiasm and respect, aware of the solid prestige of the center she represents. CFM is an internationally recognized institution, attracting renowned researchers from different scientific disciplines. Its mission is clear: to expand the horizons of knowledge through the synthesis and analysis of materials, addressing the scientific and technological challenges of our society. In the words of Dr. Rogero "CFM's commitment lies in ensuring that its findings are translated into solutions that address current and future challenges thus contributing to the advancement of cleaner, more sustainable and beneficial technologies for society."  

Research topics at the CFM cover a wide spectrum, from photonic building materials to quantum computing, from the study of nanoparticles for medical applications to new materials to reduce energy consumption, among others. "We must continue to embrace the challenge of advancing in new areas of research, doing so hand in hand and from the outset in line with industry, with a view to contributing to improving our society without detracting from the importance of and space for basic research".  

Therefore, one of the main challenges faced by the new director is to bring high quality and innovative fundamental research from academia to business, industry and, by extension, to society. Dr. Rogero stresses the importance of this collaborative approach, where academia can train the professionals who will work in the company. At the same time, this interaction provides the opportunity to understand the real needs and limitations in the production of new technology, especially those related to the use of new materials. This close collaboration, working side by side, not only benefits both parties, but also enriches and transforms our scientific and technological landscape, being a winning strategy in the medium and long term. 

The CFM has also been characterized as a pioneering center in undertaking policies to promote science in society and equality: "Gender equality in our field of research is still a challenge to achieve today. From my position as director I will continue to support all initiatives that promote scientific dissemination, recognizing the importance of sharing knowledge and praising the work of all people, regardless of their gender". 

The new director also wants to open a new stage in the CFM that tackles sustainability head on, both in the management of the CFM itself and in the projects that are undertaken. This will be materialized in the creation of a working commission to carry out an internal diagnosis of the situation and to propose a short-medium term action plan to be carried out in the next four years.