The Xàtiva City Council has announced the names of four individuals to be honored this year with the 9 d’Octubre Prize, among them researcher José J. Baldoví from the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) at the University of Valencia. This award is presented annually to individuals and entities that have made significant contributions to society through their professional work, particularly in the fields of science and research.
Born in Xàtiva in 1986, José J. Baldoví is a Distinguished Researcher of Excellence within the Gen-T Plan of the Generalitat Valenciana and director of the 2D Smart Materials Lab at ICMol. His research focuses on the theoretical and computational design of smart molecular devices, integrating physics, chemistry, and materials science to explore applications in emerging fields such as magnonics, spintronics, and quantum computing. This year, he was elected president of the Association of Scientists of Excellence from the Gen-T Plan (AccenT) and became a full academic member of the Young Academy of Spain. Additionally, he serves as one of Spain's two representatives on the management committee of the COST Action SuperQumap. His work extends beyond research, as he is also dedicated to scientific advisory roles and outreach efforts to bring science closer to society.
With a solid academic background, Baldoví earned his degree in Chemistry in 2009, followed by a Master's degree (2012) and a PhD in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (2016) from the University of Valencia, receiving outstanding awards at each stage of his education. His doctoral thesis was recognized as the best in its category. In 2017, he was awarded a prestigious Marie Curie-Sklodowska fellowship to join the Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter in Hamburg, Germany, before returning to the Valencian Community through the Gen-T Plan of the Conselleria of Universities, Innovation, and Science. He currently supervises a multidisciplinary team of eight researchers and has published over 70 scientific articles, in addition to being an invited speaker at numerous international conferences.
The mayor of Xàtiva praised Dr. Baldoví’s commitment and impact in the field of nanoscience during the announcement of the award, congratulating him for his dedication and continuous academic achievements. Baldoví expressed, "I feel immense pride and gratitude for this recognition of the work we do every day, and for all the affection and support from the people of Xàtiva throughout my scientific and academic journey." The award ceremony will take place during the celebrations of the Day of the Valencian Community at the Puerta de la Aljama in Xàtiva.
