Tomás Cuenca

Tomás Cuenca was born in Zaragoza, Spain, in 1956. He graduated in Chemistry from the University of Zaragoza and obtained the Degree in 1979. He received his Ph.D Degree from the University of Alcalá (Madrid) in 1984, supervised by Professor Pascual Royo. He was awarded the Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado (Extraordinary Doctorate Award). After completing his PhD, Tomás Cuenca joined Professor W. A. Herrmann’s research group, at the Technischen Universität München (Anorganisch Chemischen Institut) in Germany, as a post-doctoral student, having obtained a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany, to spend two years studying the synthesis and chemical behaviour of early transition organometallic compounds. He also worked as researcher at the University “Los Andes”, Mérida, Venezuela, University of East Anglia, UK and at the Universitá di Salerno, Italia. He has been Appointed Professor at the University “Los Andes”, Mérida, Venezuela and the University of Hokkaido, Sapporo, Japan.

He was appointed as Profesor Titular in the University of Alcalá in 1988 and later Full Professor, his present position, in the same University in 1995.
His current research interests lies generally in the areas of the synthesis and characterization of early transition organometallic complexes an their application in the olefin polymerization processes. His focus has been to develop and apply new strategies for the synthesis of new cyclopentadienyl (unsubstutited or substitued) group 4 metal derivatives that exhibit special bonding dispositions and catalytic activities. Recently his research interests has been extended to the synthesis and characterization of coordination and organometallic compounds of the 1, 2 and 13 groups elements and the study of their catalytic applications in polymerization processes of biodegradable monomers and organic synthesis reactions.

He has been responsible for several national and international research projects. He has supervised 25 Ph.D theses, several degree theses, numerous post-doctoral research projects, several Bachelor’s Theses, End-of-Degree Projects and other researchs works. He has published more than 120 scientific articles and communications in international journals. He is author of several patents and has given lectures worldwide.
His teaching activities has been developed at the Technischen Universität München (Anorganisch Chemischen Institut) in Germany, the University “Los Andes”, Mérida, Venezuela and at the University of Alcalá.

He has been head of the Department and Secretary of the Department Conseil in the Inorganic Chemistry Department at the University of Alcalá.
He has 6 teaching five-year periods and 6 research six-year periods.