- Position
- Associate professor
- Speciality
- Experimental Physics
- Field
- Soft Matter
- Institution
- University of Granada, Spain
- Research Page
- https://www.ugr.es/personal/julia-maldonado-valderrama
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-maldonado-valderrama-53373b10/
- ORCID
- https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6372-723X
Short bio
I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Physics at the University of Granada, or a "foam scientist," as my youngest daughter likes to say.
I hold a B.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. in Colloids and Interface Science and Technology from the University of Granada, where my doctoral research focused on the physicochemical properties of emulsions and foams. I later joined the Institute of Food Research in Norwich (UK), redirecting my work toward food science by applying physical phenomenology to study digestion processes. Currently, I am focused in understanding how different emulsifiers adsorb at interfaces, how they interact, interconnect and rearrange at the interface and how this affects interfacial tension, interfacial rheology, adsorbed layer dynamics and subsequent foam and emulsion properties. In this research line, we are looking at microgels and plant derived proteins.
This is a highly interdisciplinary field where I have learnt to value cross-disciplinary teamwork. Throughout my career, I have worked in research laboratories in France, Germany, and Australia, collaborating with over 100 international researchers. Because emulsions and foams have widespread applications, ranging from cosmetics and biomedicine to technology and food, I thrive on exploring new disciplines and leading collaborative international projects.
I am passionate about cooking and science communication, actively participating in outreach initiatives. This experience has honed my ability to explain complex scientific concepts in a simple, engaging way. In fact, I believe the kitchen is an extraordinary educational tool, a familiar space where complex physics and chemistry come to life.
Key words
soft matter