It is time to introduce you to ESR 3, Gabriela Garbonova!

Born in Bulgaria and raised in South Africa, Gabriela completed her master’s degree in Polymer Science at Stellenbosch University. In November 2021, she joined the Dove Research Group at the University of Birmingham where she focused on advancing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) with improved thermal and mechanical properties.

At the beginning of 2022, Gabriela moved to the Basque Country, Spain, to join and the Sardon Lab where she furthered her research into greener methods for producing polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) with tunable properties. She also expanded her research by collaborating with a master’s student on biobased resins for volumetric additive manufacturing.

Throughout her PhD, Gabriela honed her skills in synthetic and air-sensitive chemistry, deepened her understanding of sustainable development, and explored organocatalysis. Gabriela participated in the writing of a book chapter on stereocontrolled organocatalysis for polymer synthesis and is currently preparing articles on her thesis work so stay tuned! ✍

After three years of exciting scientific challenges, learning, and amazing experiences, Gabriela is to defend her thesis at the University of Birmingham in March 2025. She is now looking ahead to continuing her passion for polymer science and sustainability with Sulzer Chemtech in Switzerland. 🌱🔬

We wish you all the best for this next chapter Gabriela! 👏 👏