His research interests are focused in the development of new materials for engineering applications in transport, energy and health. The processing-structure-properties relationships of materials are established by means of different computational tools (ab initio, cluster expansion, molecular mechanics, dislocation dynamics, phase field, computational thermodynamics, computational mechanics, etc.) and multiscale modeling strategies (transition state theory, homogenization, etc.) with the support of in situ and in operando characterization techniques. Particular emphasis is paid to the interaction among biological, chemical and mechanical processes. This information is used to design new materials that are manufactured by means of advanced processing techniques (including additive manufacturing of metallic alloys, polymers and composites, magnetron sputtering, etc.).

In this respect, the concurrent application of multiscale modeling and in situ/in operando characterization strategies has led to important advances to establish the structure – properties relationship, one of the paradigms of materials science. They were initially applied to to composites (metal-, ceramic- and polymer-matrix composites) and some of the contributions in this area are classics within the scientific community. Afterwards, this methodology have been expanded over the years to a wide range of engineering materials (including metallic alloys, ceramics, amorphous and crystalline polymers, high performance fibers, catalysts and biological materials) by expanding the number and complexity of the simulation tools and experimental techniques. Owing to the vision and ideas of Prof. LLorca in this area, he was awarded in 2015 an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council to develop a multiscale modeling strategy to carry out virtual design, virtual processing and virtual testing of metallic alloys.

The current interests of the research group – within the framework of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering – are aimed at the design of advanced materials for engineering applications, so new materials can be designed, tested and optimized in silico before they are actually manufactured in the laboratory. They include the microstructural design of polycrystalline metallic alloys and composite materials for structural applications in transport, health care (implants and scaffolds) as well as energy (catalysis).

• 2023-2026 Honorary professor, Yanshan University, China.
• 2023-2025 Guest Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
• Since 2017 Scientific Director of the IMDEA Materials Institute, Spain.
• 2016-2021 Guest Professor, Central South University, China.
• 2013-2014 Brahm Prakash Visiting Professorship, Indian Institute of Science, India.
• 2012-2015 Guest Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
• 2007-2017 Director and founder of the IMDEA Materials Institute, Spain.
• Since 1995 Professor, Department of Materials Science, Technical University of Madrid
• 1989-1990 Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Brown University, USA.
• 1987-1995 Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science, Technical University of Madrid.
• 1986 PhD in Materials Science. Technical University of Madrid.
• 1983 BSc & MSc in Civil Engineering with honors. Technical University of Madrid.

• 2024 Magnesium Science & Technology Award, International Magnesium Society
• 2024 Morris Cohen Award, TMS
• 2023 Leonardo Torres Quevedo National Research Award in Engineering
• 2023-2026 Honorary Professor, Yanshan University, China
• 2023 Distinguished Scientist Award, Structural Materials Division, TMS
• 2023-2025 Guest Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
• 2019 Fellow, Materials Research Society
• 2018 Award of the Structural Materials Division of TMS to the best paper published in JOM in 2017
• 2018 Career Award, Spanish Society of Materials (SOCIEMAT).
• 2016-2021 Guest Professor, Central South University, China.
• 2013-2014 Brahm Prakash Visiting Professorship, Indian Institute of Science, India.
• 2013 Elected to the Academia Europaea, Physics and Engineering Section.
• 2012-2015 Guest Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
• 2012 Fellow, European Mechanics Society.
• 2009 Research award of the Technical University of Madrid.
• 2000 Gold medal of the Spanish Society of Structural Integrity.
• 1999 Research award of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences.
• 1990 Young investigator award of the Technical University of Madrid.
• 1989-1990 Fulbright visiting scholar at the Division of Engineering, Brown University, USA.
• 1986 Award to the best doctoral thesis, Technical University of Madrid.

• Since 2022  External Advisory Board, PRISMS (PRedictive Integrated Structural Materials Science) centre, University of Michigan.
• Since 2021  Editor, Materials Research Letters
• Since 2019  Executive editor, Modelling and Simulation in Materials Science and Engineering
• 2019-2022  International Technology Advisory Board, IRT Saint Exupéry.
• 2017-2019  Board of Directors of the Society of Engineering Science
• 2018-2023  Chair, European Mechanics of Materials Conference Committee
• 2015-2023 Member, European Mechanics of Materials Conference Committee
• Since 2015 Member, European Materials Modeling Council.
• 2012-2018 Member of the External Advisory Panel of the Institute of Materials (Georgia Tech)
• 2011-2014 Member of the Advisory Board, Materials Science and Surface Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland
• Since 2011 Member, International advisory board, Multiscale Modeling of Materials Conference
• 2010-2015 Member, European Solid Mechanics Conference Committee