The first edition of GenTalks, held on 19 September at the Oceanogràfic of Valencia, brought together more than 450 people in a gala dedicated to science and research talent from the Valencian Community. The event, organized by the Generalitat Valenciana and the Association of Scientists of Excellence from the Plan GenT (AccenT), was presented under the motto "Talent that transforms" and turned scientific dissemination into an accessible and dynamic story. Five researchers linked to the Science Park of the University of Valencia (PCUV) participated as speakers: José J. Baldoví, Belén Franch, Emma Torró, Gonzalo Abellán and Iván Martí-Vidal. The gala was presented by Mariola Penadés, director general of Research and Innovation of the Generalitat Valenciana, and Rafa Sebastián, director general of Science and Research of the Council of Education, Universities and Employment of the Generalitat Valenciana.
GenTalks was created with the aim of giving visibility to the research talent of the Valencian Community and showing the role of science as a motor for social, technological and economic development. The day was more than a lecture cycle: it became a shared experience where knowledge was communicated with closeness and emotion.
In his talk entitled "The power of the infinitely small," José J. Baldoví explored how two-dimensional materials can revolutionize quantum computing and nanotechnology. Graduated in Chemical Sciences, completed part of his training at the University of Cambridge and obtained his PhD at the Institute for Molecular Science (ICMol), where his thesis was recognized as the best in Chemistry in 2016. Throughout his career he has received awards such as the Scientific-Technical City of Algemesí (2022), 9 d'Octubre of Xàtiva (2024) or the Young Researcher Group Leader Award (2025). Since 2024 he has chaired AccenT and represents Spain on the COST SuperQumap Action management committee.
GenTalks was born with the aim of giving visibility to the research talent of the Valencian Community and showing the role of science as a motor of social, technological and economic development
Do not miss the Chapter 1 of our podcast "La Bombilla de Livermore", in which participates José J. Baldoví
Belén Franch, with the talk "Growing with data," explained how satellites can anticipate crops and reduce volatility in agricultural prices. Doctor Cum Laude in Physics by the University of Valencia, worked between 2013 and 2019 at the University of Maryland and NASA, where he received the Early Career Achievement Medal in 2018. Since 2022 she is a full professor at the UV and leads the group of agricultural yield estimates within the international consortium NASA Harvest.
Emma Torró, in "The Universe in a Collision," discussed CERN research and the search for new particles that could change the current model of physics. Doctor by the University of Valencia, she is a CIDEGENT researcher since 2020 and has coordinated teams in the ATLAS collaboration, focusing on the analysis of long-lived particles and the search for exotic physics. In 2024 she was appointed coordinator of the ATLAS Model Analysis group. It is part of the Young Academia of Spain and collaborates in scientific equality and diversity initiatives.
GenTalks debuted with a format that combined scientific dissemination and entertainment, and placed the Valencian Community at the forefront in promoting its research talent
Iván Martí-Vidal, in his talk "Where time stops", reviewed his career in radio astronomy and his role in the collaboration Event Horizon Telescope, responsible for the first image of a supermassive black hole. Doctor of Astronomy and Astrophysics by UV, he developed part of his career at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and at the Onsala Observatory. Full professor at the UV and head of instrumentation at the OAUV.
Don’t miss the interview with Iván Martí-Vidal for the project Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)
Gonzalo Abellán, with "The usefulness of the useless", highlighted the relationship between basic research and business innovation. Full professor of Inorganic Chemistry, has led more than 20 research projects, including two ERC Proof of Concept, and has been recognized with awards such as the BASF-ICIQ in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2024) or the RSEQ Excellence in Research (2025). He is co-founder and CTO of Matteco, a spin-off of the University of Valencia dedicated to catalysts for green hydrogen, which in 2024 closed a financing round of 15 million euros for its 10,000 m2 plant and a team of more than 40 people.
GenTalks debuted with a format that combined scientific dissemination and entertainment, and placed the Valencian Community at the forefront in promoting its research talent.
Don’t miss chapter 6 of our podcast "La Bombilla de Livermore", in which Gonzalo Abellán participates
Source: ACCENT