Dr Abel Santos

I have pursued an independent research leadership role in materials science, nanofabrication, nanophotonics, optical sensing and biosensing, drug delivery and nanotoxicity, and photocatalysis. I have held full-time positions since my PhD (Magna Cum Laude—highest distinction for a PhD in Spain), by the Rovira i Virgili University (URV, Spain). After a postdoctoral research position (2011–12) at the Department of Electronic Engineering (URV), I undertook an academic Level A position in the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials (CEAM) at the University of Adelaide (UoA) in January 2012. I secured an ARC DECRA (2014–16), and took up a Level B position at UoA’s CEAM in 2014. In September 2015, I was promoted to research-only Level C position by the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences (ECMS, UoA). In 2016, I gained a competitive Vice-Chancellor Fellowship (2017–19) (success rate ~10%) by UoA in recognition of outstanding research performance during my DECRA (42 articles, two books, four book chapters, and four PhD completions, of which I was principal supervisor for one, and took the primary role for three; all completions gained Dean’s Commendations and two UoA medals).

In 2019, I was appointed Senior Lecturer and gained a permanent position at UoA’s CEAM. My current role incorporates research (55%), administration (15%), and teaching (30%). I lead a dynamic research group comprising two postdoctoral fellows, four PhDs (principal supervisor), three research Masters (principal supervisor), two PhD visitors, and four Honours students, and have a research laboratory for my group. I am also actively involved in teaching, and I am Director of the Master in Materials Engineering and HDR coordinator at UoA’s CEAM.

I have an outstanding publication track-record for a researcher in my fields at my career stage, having published: five books (one as sole author; one as co-author; three as editor), eight book chapters, and 103 research articles: 1st author: 31; 2nd author: 19; corresponding author: 78; last (lead) author: 40; journal covers: 9; invited: 14; featured: 2; conferences and symposia: 54. My publication performance over the last five years (2015–20) has been sustained, following an upward trajectory (Google Scholar— GS). I have been consistently productive throughout this period, publishing an average of 10 papers per year, with an average IF of 6.8. >70% of these were published in journals with IF >6. I have been corresponding and last (lead) senior on ~80% and ~40% of these publications, respectively, which further demonstrates my leadership and genuine contribution to research. My publications have received >3600 citations and I have several highly cited articles (one article >200 citations and four articles >100 citations). I have an h-index of 38 (GS), an i10-index of 81 (GS), an m-index of 3.6, a total IF of 630, a Field Weighted Citation Impact of 1.66 (FWCI, Scival)—global indicator that demonstrates that I perform 66% above the world’s average in my research fields (i.e. materials science and engineering). Since 2015, I receive an average of ~500 citations per year with an increasing trajectory (GS).