The Cuban scientist José Roque, a Chemistry professor at Princeton University in the United States, has been awarded a grant of $985,834, aimed at funding a five-year research project that could contribute to the development of medications, new materials, and less polluting technologies.
Roque, born in Havana and having emigrated to the United States when he was only six years old, is one of the 20 scientists, mathematicians, and engineers selected in 2026 to receive the Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering, awarded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
The University of Princeton confirmed the recognition on October 15 and emphasized that these fellowships are among the largest private grants for researchers starting their academic careers in the United States.
Roque mentioned that he found out during a video call organized by Paul Chirik, who had been his mentor during his postdoctoral period and currently heads the Department of Chemistry at Princeton.
"During the first few seconds, I honestly thought I had misheard," he confessed.
For Roque, the award represents not only personal recognition but also an opportunity to advance the research he conducts alongside his students and collaborators.
Silicon as an alternative to metals in chemical processes
The awarded project is titled "Metalomimetic Chemistry: Catalysis with Silicon" and aims to develop new ways to utilize this element, which is abundant in the Earth's crust, as an alternative to certain metals used in industrial processes.
Currently, many chemical reactions necessary for the manufacture of medicines, materials, and other products depend on metals that can be expensive, difficult to extract, or harmful to the environment.
The laboratory led by Roque aims to harness the silicon found in sand to create more cost-effective and sustainable catalysts.
Catalysts are substances that facilitate or accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. Their use is essential in the production of countless everyday products.
According to Princeton, the team's research could have future applications in the production of next-generation pharmaceuticals, the development of advanced materials, solar energy conversion, and the removal of persistent pollutants.
The challenge is to modify the chemical properties of silicon so that it can participate in reactions that typically require other elements.
It is not yet a technology ready for industrial use, but rather a line of research that could open up new possibilities for developing chemical processes that are less costly and have a lower environmental impact.
From Cuban immigrant child to Princeton professor
José Roque was born in Havana and arrived in the United States at the age of six, accompanied by his parents. His father was a mechanic and his mother had worked as a doctor in Cuba.
However, upon settling in Florida, her mother was unable to continue practicing medicine due to economic difficulties and the requirements of the federal exams necessary to practice the profession.
In an interview published by Princeton in March 2023, the researcher proudly spoke of his mother, who years later was able to complete her Nursing studies in the United States.
Roque began his university studies at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry in 2015. His initial intention was not to become a researcher.
He thought about studying Medicine, but he realized he was too squeamish about blood. Then he considered Pharmacy until his laboratory experiences awakened his true calling for chemistry.
Subsequently, he obtained a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2020, and that same year he began a postdoctoral research position at Princeton.
In 2023, he joined the Department of Chemistry at that university as an assistant professor, where he established his own laboratory focused on catalysis and chemical synthesis.
His trajectory includes published research in leading scientific journals such as Science and Nature, along with other academic recognitions.
A scholarship that allows for more freedom in research
The Packard Fellowships were established in 1988 at the initiative of David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, to support young researchers with innovative scientific projects.
Unlike other sources of funding, this program grants significant freedom to utilize resources, allowing for the exploration of ambitious ideas and the undertaking of scientific risks that do not always receive support through traditional mechanisms.
The beneficiaries are selected from researchers at invited U.S. universities who are invited to submit applications.
The Packard Foundation announced that the 20 scientists selected this year will each receive $985,834, distributed over five years.
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