- Fundación Banco Santander has sponsored ten editions of the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award. Today, the winner of the tenth edition has received his award: Dr Francisco Jesús Lizana Moral.
- Dr Lizana has been awarded the 2025 SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award for his pioneering contributions in the field of energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of buildings, including the development of advanced materials for thermal energy storage, smart systems for energy flexibility, and the study of indoor air quality.
- The Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU) and Fundación Banco Santander keep their joint mission of supporting young Spanish researchers with an outstanding scientific career in the United Kingdom, which in turn promotes new collaborations between academic institutions and enterprises both from Spain and the UK.
London, 24th November 2025. This Monday, the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award ceremony took place at the Spanish Embassy in London, recognising the outstanding research contributions of Dr Lizana, winner of the 2025 edition. The SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award, which this year celebrates its 10th edition, is part of the collaboration between the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU) and the Fundación Banco Santander.
The award ceremony featured the presence of His Excellency Mr José Pascual Marco Martínez, Ambassador of Spain to the UK; Mr Borja Baselga, General Manager of the Fundación Banco Santander; and Dr Carlos Soler Montes, President of SRUK/CERU. During the reception, Mr Baselga remarked that initiatives like this are vital to recognising talent and fostering opportunities in research.
Dr Lizana’s research interest focuses on accelerating the energy transition through solutions that reduce emissions associated with the heating and cooling of buildings. His team, based at the ZERO Institute at the University of Oxford, combines engineering, materials science, and climate policy analysis to develop technologies that enable carbon-free space heating and cooling. His contributions include the design of innovative materials for thermal energy storage, the development of smart energy-management systems, and the assessment of indoor air quality impacts on public health. These innovations could transform the energy sector, improve urban sustainability, and contribute to achieving international climate goals.
His extraordinary contributions to the field have been recognised with prestigious national and international accolades, and he collaborates with institutions such as the United Nations Environment Programme and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Dr Lizana has also secured competitive research funding to develop high-impact projects in energy sustainability and climate transition.
Receiving this award, Dr Lizana expressed gratitude for the support that initiatives like the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award provide to early-career researchers, helping to amplify their impact and foster innovation.
With the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award, SRUK/CERU supports and gives visibility to early-career Spanish scientists carrying out their research in the United Kingdom, while promoting collaborations between these two countries. Dr Carlos Soler Montes, President of SRUK/CERU, stated that “the Emerging Talent Award is an award that symbolizes the best of our community: talent, dedication, and a strong commitment to science”. “For ten years, we have watched young researchers grow into leaders of projects, teams, and international collaborations. This anniversary reflects the strength and continuity of our commitment and our presence in the United Kingdom.”
For media enquiries, please contact Dr Mario Saborido Beltrán, Roving Director of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU), at [email protected]
