Tell us a bit about your research line and what you’re working on now.

During my PhD, I worked with radiofrequency, specifically applying this technology to the heating of food. More precisely, I worked with tomato purée and salmorejo. I completed my thesis in Monells, and a significant part of the project involved developing predictive computational models to estimate the temperatures food could reach during processing.

Currently, in Japan, I continue to work with microwave or laser heating. The computational models I develop are based on finite element analysis and allow us to conduct thermal studies of foods processed using different technologies. In addition to radiofrequency, I’m also working with microwaves in the context of thermal food processing.

How did you find this job in Japan?

I had already lived in Japan years ago, when I did my master’s in Hokkaido University. That’s where everything started. Later, during my PhD, I came back to Japan for a research stay and, during that time, I met people who helped me a lot. I was lucky, because when I came, I had almost finished my PhD—only the defense was left. I was able to stay for six months because the university provided me with accommodation, which made it possible to stay for a good while.

During that stay, we wrote one article and began another. I was already working with simulations and thermal treatments using radiofrequency. After the stay, I returned to Spain for three months. I defended my thesis on September 27th and flew back to Japan on the 28th, because I started working on October 1st.

And how is life in Japan?

If you don’t speak Japanese, it can be quite difficult. The language is very important. Fortunately, things have gone well for me. Public transport is excellent. Tokyo, being Tokyo, is a very comfortable city, and everything is very practical. It’s very hot and humid, but I love how everything works so efficiently.

What motivated you to do your PhD at IRTA?

My master’s was very academic, and I realized I was good at research, so I started looking for PhD programs. I applied to several, although at first, I couldn’t picture myself living in Monells. I’m originally from Costa Rica and at that time, I hadn’t lived in Europe yet. Initially, I thought the position was in Barcelona, but during the selection process, I realized it was in Monells.

What really attracted me was the project itself—I loved the topic. It allowed me to work with a lot of physics and engineering. And throughout the PhD, I had the opportunity to travel and get to know many European countries.

How do you remember your experience at IRTA?

I loved IRTA’s environment because it’s a much more professional setting. It’s very different from doing a PhD solely at a university. You make progress in an incredible way. I had a few classes at the University of Girona, but I was no longer embedded in a university environment. What I learned, I learned by doing—working directly on my own project.

I was lucky to work with Pere Gou—he’s a genius. My supervisors, Israel Muñoz and Maria Dolors Guàrdia, were also fantastic. I feel like doing my PhD at IRTA was much more enriching than if I had done it only at a university.

To what extent do you think your time at IRTA helped you professionally?

It really depends on your supervisor. Some people have a lot of connections—Luis Guerrero, for example, is very well-known. What’s great about IRTA is that it’s an institution with a large network and a strong reputation in Europe. Besides its good reputation, IRTA makes every effort to ensure you have the chance to attend key international conferences, which is essential for a scientific career.

Of everything you learned, what do you value most in hindsight?

The connections I made, without a doubt. Both professionally and personally. The friendships I made there will last a lifetime. In Monells, there were only a few of us, and most of us lived in Girona, so we built a close-knit community. The social experiences were also crucial for me.

What do you think are the main challenges in the field right now?

When you choose the academic path, you’re basically choosing a difficult road. It’s a world full of uncertainty, and it takes a long time to achieve job stability. That aspect should be improved if we want the most qualified people to stay in research.

On a broader level, I think that public research is often done in isolation. Sometimes, proposals come out of public research that the private sector has been implementing for 30 years. There’s a lack of communication between universities and applied research that adds real value. We need to stay closely connected with what the private sector is doing—not just attend academic conferences, but also go to trade expos and industry events.

Here in Japan, for instance, every year we send students to FOOMA, a fair where companies present their latest equipment. Many companies don’t publish academic articles, but they work on fascinating projects. Building these bridges is key.

What are you most proud of in your career? And what advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

A PhD can be just three papers—you write them, and you’re done. But for an academic career, it helped me a lot to finish those three as soon as possible and then keep going. I tried to make as many connections as I could. Networking is essential.

If you have time, go as deep as you can. If you don’t understand something, keep digging until you do. For me, the goal of a PhD wasn’t just to get a title, but to become an expert in the field. That’s how I approached it, and that’s what I’m most proud of.