Teaching staff

CRISTINA PEÑA RODRIGUEZ

Graduated in Chemical Sciences (Macromolecules) and PhD in Materials Engineering (UPV / EHU). Her teaching activity is developed by active learning methodologies in the degrees of Civil Engineering, Engineering in Renewable Energies, and in the Master in Engineering of Renewable Materials. She is a member of the 'Materials+Technologies' research group. She focuses on the preparation, characterization and optimization of new more sustainable materials based totally or partially on molecules obtained from renewable and recyclable sources. In the area of renewable raw materials, she has worked on the modification of novolac phenolic resins and resol with tannins, and in the manufacture of special cellulose pulps, and biorefinery for agricultural and forestry waste. She has developed films, composites, nanocomposites and multilayer materials using protein matrices, mainly gelatin, as well as thermoplastic polyesters, and fibers of vegetable and animal origin. In the area of recycling materials, she is focused on the circular economy, related to the sustainable use of marine litter mainly post-consumer polymeric materials (director of two doctoral theses, and IP of several related projects), urban and agricultural, as well as post-industrial. She collaborates with entities such as the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, companies (Ekorec, Plastigaur, Koopera or Inditex), technology centers (Tecnalia, Azti, Gaiker) and universities (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

• Curriculum Vitae