Javier García Martinez

García Martínez is a professor of inorganic chemistry at the University of Alicante,[3] and directs the molecular nanotechnology laboratory where he researches[4]  and works on the manufacture of nanomaterials for energy applications, water treatment, production and adequate use of biomass and gas separation techniques.[3]  

While at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2004 he founded Rive Technology to exploit his catalyst research.[4][5][6] The company was acquired by the North American multinational WR Grace in 2019.[7]

He has published on nanomaterials and on energy-related topics.[8] His latest published books are Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge (Wiley, 2010), The Chemical Element (Wiley, 2011), Chemistry Education (Wiley 2014), Mesoporous Zeolites (Wiley 2015),[9] Chemistry Entrepreunership (Wiley 2021) and Spain for sure (Planeta, 2021).

He is the president of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry in 2022–23.[10] He currently leads the Chair of Science and Society of the Rafael del Pino Foundation, where he directs a report on technology and competitiveness of the Spanish economy. He also chairs the Young Academy of Spain[11] is a member of the Board of Trustees and the Advisory Council of the Gadea Foundation for Science.

He was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader and by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the Innovators Under 35 award,[12] and in 2014, he was awarded the Rey Jaime I Award in the category of New Technologies. In 2015 he received the Emerging Researcher Award from the American Chemical Society.[13] In 2017, he was recognized by the American Chemical Society as the best entrepreneur in the US in the chemical sector and in 2018 he received the Kathryn C. Hach Award. He is a member of the Council on Emerging Technologies of the World Economic Forum, of the Global Young Academy and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Chemical Society.