MEMBERS OF THIS AGENCY
PhD Students
Anderson Alvarez Quesada (M.Sc.)
I was born in Cascajal-Bolívar, Colombia in 1993 where I had my primary and secondary education. After that, I went to Cartagena-Colombia in 2010 where I did my B.Sc. studies in Chemistry. I obtained my degree from University of Cartagena in 2016 with the thesis entitled “synthesis and characterization of ferrites of niobium-molybdenum and ferrous molybdate supported by carbon aerogels for the thiophene hydrodesulfurization”. I did my M.Sc. in Chemistry at University of Guanajuato (2018-2020). Currently I am working in my project of Ph.D. thesis about applications of oligoboranes under supervision of Dr. Gerardo Gonzalez-Garcia and Dr. J. Oscar C. Jimenez-Halla.
Main Supervisor of thesis: Dr. Gerardo González García
M.Sc. thesis: Synthesis and Characterization of Oligoboranes.
Oscar Francisco Gonzalez Belman (M.Sc.)
I was born in Silao, Guanajuato in 1991. I finished my high school studies in 2010 and in the last semester I felt interested in chemistry when I participated in an Chemistry Olympiad. During my stay in the University of Guanajuato I felt attracted by organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. After completion of my Chemistry degree in 2014, I worked in the Chemical Clean enterprise. Later, I did a research stay at the A Poater group where I obtained my M.Sc. double degree between Universities of Girona and Guanajuato (2018). Then, I started my own bussiness on formulation and production of ecological detergents. My PhD thesis involves the study of new heterocycles and polymerization reactions using p-block compounds.
Co-supervisor of Thesis: Dr. Jose E. Baez
PhD Thesis: Reactions of Formation of New Heterocycles and of Polymerization Using p-Block Compounds.
M.Sc. thesis: The Role of the Metal in the Dual-Metal Catalyzed Hydrophenoxylation of Alkynes (in english) Double Degree signed with University of Girona (Catalonia)
Co-supervisor of thesis: Dr. Albert Poater i Teixidor (Universitat de Girona)
B.Sc. thesis: New Rhodium Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity (in spanish)
Main Supervisor of Thesis: Dr. Oracio Serrano Torres
Leonardo Israel Lugo Fuentes (M.Sc.)
I was born in 1997 in San Francisco del Rincon, Guanajuato. When I was in high school, I had participated in many chemistry contests and lectures. This prompted me to study chemistry at the University of Guanajuato and move to Guanajuato city. Since I enrolled into the first courses, I met Dr. Jimenez-Halla who teaches in Differential and Integral Calculus and he brought my attention to computational chemistry. Then, I decided to work with him. Dr. Jimenez-Halla taught me the basics of computational chemistry and I loved it. Nowadays, I am in the last year of my career working on a project involving gold complexes in collaboration with Dr. Rong Shang (Hiroshima University). During my free time, I love to play guitar and keyboards as well as reading and videogames.
Co-supervisor of thesis: Dr. Rong Shang (University of Hiroshima)
Dr. Joaquín Barroso Flores (CCIQS UAEM-UNAM)
B.Sc. thesis: Computational Study of Dimetallene Reactions, R-M=M-R (M = Al or Ga), with Iminoboranes and Reactivity with Gold(I) Complexes.
Check on Leo's list of scripts and softwares developed for computational chemistry free to use in GitHub.
Darien Isaac Martínez Valencia (M.Sc.)
I was born in 1997, in Tapachula, Chiapas, a small town in southern Mexico, near of Guatemala border. I studied Chemical Engineering, in the Technology Institute of Tapachula. I had the opportunity to assist in some research stays. In 2019, I met Dr. Oscar Jiménez Halla and University of Guanajuato through a scientist program of research stays by the Mexican Science Academy. In that time, I did a research report about a computational study of multicomponent reactions, which allowed me obtained my bachelor’s degree. I was awarded two times in national essays contests (2018, by Economic Culture Fund; and 2020, by University of Veracruz–International University Book Fair). One of my main objectives is to become a professional disseminator of Science.
Co-supervisor of Thesis: Dr. Jose E. Baez
PhD Thesis: DFT Mechanistic Studies of Ylides as Catalysts in the Synthesis of Organic Polymers
M.Sc. thesis: Effect of the Lewis Adduct in the Mechanism of the Grignard Reaction. Isolobal Analogy with the Chemistry of Dialanes. (In spanish) Co-supervisor of Thesis: Dr. David Cruz Cruz
Master Students
Cinthya Karina Prieto García (Ch.E.)
I was born in Aguascalientes city in 1999, but I grew up in Loreto, Zacatecas. During my time in High School, I used to participate in Chemistry and Physics Olympiads. It was then when I found my passion for science. I studied Chemical Engineering at the Technological Institute of Aguascalientes. Before finishing my studies, I participated in a summer research program with Dr. Jimenez-Halla where I met computational chemistry for the first time and I love it. In addition to this, I made my professional residence in the Advanced Materials Research Center (CIMAV), Monterrey, where I continued learning computational chemistry. Since 2018, I disseminate science, especially astronomy, physics, and chemistry through social networks with my project “Cúmulo científico” (@cumulocientifico). Thanks to this, I have participated in several scientific events bringing lectures and workshops for children and adults. Nowadays, I am doing a master’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. Also about me, I love solving and collecting Rubik’s cube variations and my drawing technique is really good.
Co-supervisor of Thesis: Dr. Felipe Fantuzzi (University of Kent, UK)
Sergio López Azpeitia (B.Sc.)
I was born in Zapopan, Jalisco, in 1995. My first approach to chemistry was at the Centro de Bachillerato Tecnologico, Industrial y de Servicios, in the city of Arandas, near to Guadalajara city. Later, I obtained my degree in Chemistry at the University of Guadalajara (CUCEI), where I studied reduction of ketones by using Ir, Rh and Ru bifunctional catalysts. After university, I worked for a couple of years: initially as a chemist in the area of alternative fuels and then as an analytical chemist at PISA pharmaceuticals. Currently, I am doing a master's degree at the University of Guanajuato. My research is focused on the nucleation of Ga-N clusters both experimental and computationally. I really enjoy traveling, meeting new people and learning new things.
Main Supervisor of Thesis: Dr. Oracio Serrano Torres
Victor Alonso Lucas Rosales (Zeus) (B.Sc.)
I was born in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, in 2000. Since I was a child I found curiosity in the behavior of numbers. I was fascinated by finding and playing with the patterns that are generated when operating with them. Later, I transferred this passion to the language of Chemistry. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to participate in different academic competitions in fields such as mathematics, physics and chemistry but my most important participation was in the Chemistry Olympiad, which is a program by the Mexican Academy of Sciences (AMC). I participated two years in a row in the National Chemistry Olympiad (ONQ) where I managed to consolidate excellent results. During this stage, I was trained in the art of chemistry like a child is taught a new language. After this, I started a bachelor's degree in mathematics at the Department of Mathematics (DEMAT) at the University of Guanajuato (August 2018). However, because of my love and passion for Chemistry, in January 2019, I got enrolled into the Chemistry Department, where I met Dr. Halla in the second semester, specifically in the Integral Calculus course. In this subject, I beat the highest academic marks historically in this course (Dr Halla nicknamed me 'Zeus'). Nowadays, my passion for numbers and chemistry has led me to join this Agency where I train my theoretical-computational skills by elucidating reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry.
José Antonio Sandoval Mendoza (B.Sc.)
I was born in Celaya, Guanajuato (Mexico) in 2001. In my high school last year I joined the national chemistry olympiads and won a medal. I really enjoyed this experience where I met a lot of people. I started my bachelor in chemistry in Aug 2019. There I met Dr. Halla and have been working with him in my last year (2022). I had also been involved in other projects and fields (analytical chem, nanomaterials, polymers). I'm currently working in my M.Sc. project. But I have always thought that theoretical and experimental sides have to go together. This is why I'm still involved in experimental chemistry. I see the computational chemistry as a prediction tool and as a very important support for experimental chemists. My main scientific interests are catalysis and polymers. Some hobbies I have are soccer, play team sports, videogames, gardening and listen to music.
Undergraduate Students
José Ramón Gárate Ruiz
I was born in 2000, in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco. Since a child, I was interested in natural sciences. During my time on high school, I decided to study chemistry. I got accepted at the University of Guanajuato, where I am still studying to become a chemist graduate. In my first years of career, I met Dr. Oscar, and he introduce me to wonders of theoretical and computational chemistry. I decided to approach myself to the Private Investigator Agency of Molecules, and nowadays I am studying hard and preparing myself to become a molecule investigator.
Kazuhiro Santos Tanamachi
I was born in 2001 in Leon, Guanajuato. Since I was a child, I have questioned myself about the functioning of things around me. This curiosity drove me to natural sciences, specially those oriented to the study of matter. This way, I ended up studying chemistry at Universidad de Guanajuato. When I met Dr. Halla, he showed me the beautiful way to understand the world through maths. From that moment on, I decided I wanted to understand the structure and interactions of matter using mathematical descriptions. Eventually, I became interested in the theoretical work at the Private Investigator Agency of Molecules.