PhD Student | Universitat Rovira i Virgili | Spain
Clara López Colom is an emerging researcher in chemical engineering with a strong academic and professional background that bridges research, teaching, and industry practice. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Distillation Processes at Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain (2023–present), with her thesis focused on the valorization of carob through the production of spirits, under the joint supervision of Dr. Francisco López Bonillo and Dr. Juan José Rodríguez Bencomo. She holds a Master’s degree in Chemical and Process Engineering from the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Germany (2016–2019), where her thesis investigated the influence of pectin molecular structure and ion concentration on the gelation of pectin droplets, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from URV, Spain (2011–2015), where she designed an ionic liquid production plant. Professionally, Clara has gained international experience as a Process Validation Specialist at NextPharma GmbH, Berlin, Germany, and as a Qualification and Validation Engineer at Ellab GmbH, Ravensburg, Germany, focusing on GMP compliance, process optimization, risk analysis, and technical documentation. She currently contributes to academia as an Assistant Professor at URV, teaching biotechnology, biochemical engineering, and chemical fundamentals, and has also presented her research at national conferences. Her research interests include distillation processes, biochemical engineering, process validation, and sustainable valorization of raw materials for industrial and food applications. Clara’s research skills encompass experimental design, process validation, risk assessment, data analysis (XLSTAT, SAP, ValSuite), and multilingual communication in Catalan, Spanish, English, and German. She has also enhanced her expertise through specialized courses in sensory analysis, consumer response evaluation, and alcohols, reflecting her growing involvement in oenology and food engineering. While early in her publication journey, Clara shows strong promise with active research dissemination and industry collaborations. Overall, her blend of academic training, international professional exposure, and interdisciplinary research positions her as a dedicated and impactful young researcher in chemical engineering.
Profile: ORCID
Featured Publication
- López-Colom, C., Andazola, J., Bargalló-Guinjoan, C., Rodríguez-Bencomo, J. J., & López, F. (2025). Chemical and sensory characterization of carob spirits according to different distillation systems. Beverages, 11(4), 119.