Ana Arenillas graduated from the University of Oviedo, Spain, where she received her M.Sc. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 1994 and 1999, respectively. She joined INCAR-CSIC in 1995, where she has been working since then, with different stays at Leeds University (UK) between 1995-1997 and Nottingham University (UK) between 2003 and 2004. Her research in recent years has focused on the optimization and production of materials using the sol-gel methodology, through a fast, economical, and scalable process based on microwave heating. The properties of these materials can be designed and optimized for a wide range of applications, such as (i) gas separation and H2 storage, (ii) energy storage in electrochemical devices, (iii) thermal insulation, (iv) catalytic processes, etc. She leads several research projects in these fields. She is a co-author of several scientific publications, book chapters, and patents (Google Scholar; Scopus, WoS, ORCID). Cofounder of the spin-off Xerolutions Ltd and Glotac Technologies Ltd.