“I believe developing affordable methods, open-source tools, citizen science initiatives, and promoting open knowledge will be just as important as developing new technologies over the next decade.”
What does your research focus on, and what problem are you trying to solve?
I develop and validate green, novel, and more sustainable analytical methods for the determination of compounds of interest, mainly contaminants and bioactive compounds, in food and environmental samples. I’m also interested in chemistry education, generative artificial intelligence, and science communication.
What aspect of your current research excites you most – and why is this an important moment for it?
What I like most is that no two days are the same. There are always new contaminants to study, new food or environmental samples to analyze, or new analytical techniques to learn. You never stop learning, and I really enjoy that. I think it’s also the right time for this research because we need analytical methods that are greener, more sustainable, and economically affordable while keeping up with all the new challenges and technologies that are constantly emerging.
Looking five to 10 years ahead, what emerging trend do you think will have the greatest impact on analytical science?
Beyond AI, I think one of the biggest trends will be making analytical science more inclusive. Of course, high-resolution instruments and chemical fingerprinting will provide much more comprehensive information, but they also require expensive equipment and advanced data analysis. I think we sometimes overlook the fact that these advances shouldn’t increase the gap between well-funded laboratories and those with limited resources.
Recent conflicts, economic crises, and natural disasters have shown that access to analytical technologies is still very unequal. That’s why I believe developing affordable methods, open-source tools, citizen science initiatives, and promoting open knowledge will be just as important as developing new technologies over the next decade.
What is the biggest challenge facing analytical science today?
First, we need to keep up with emerging contaminants. New chemicals are constantly appearing, but developing validated methods, certified reference materials, and regulations takes much longer. As analytical scientists, we have to detect these compounds at lower concentrations, which is not always easy.
Another challenge is funding. High-quality analytical research is expensive, and modern instruments, maintenance, consumables, reference standards, and skilled personnel all require continuous investment. Without adequate funding, it’s difficult to develop innovative methods or keep laboratories competitive.
I also believe we need to improve the transfer of analytical research from universities to society. Every year, we publish many new analytical methods, but only a small fraction are adopted by industry, routine laboratories, or regulatory agencies. Finally, analytical science is generating a lot of data, so we need better strategies to manage, share, and reuse these data.
Do you have any strong opinions with which the rest of the field tends to disagree?
I wouldn’t say I have any opinions that strongly disagree with the field, but I have noticed some resistance to change. For example, I think we should be more open to using AI in analytical science. I also believe researchers should keep updating their knowledge throughout their careers because science is constantly changing.
Additionally, we should do a better job of communicating our research to society through talks, workshops, contests, and other science outreach activities instead of limiting our work to scientific publications.
What decision, opportunity, or unexpected event has had the greatest influence on your career so far?
I think the biggest influence on my career was deciding to collaborate with researchers from different countries and taking every opportunity to visit their laboratories and build my network. It all started a few years ago thanks to the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ program. Since then, I’ve met many colleagues around the world with whom I can develop collaborative research projects.
Moreover, my career combines both research and university teaching, and last year I took part in an international educational volunteering project in Guatemala. That experience allowed me to see a different reality and taught me how to teach with very limited resources in a place where access to education is not guaranteed for everyone.
Who has changed the way you think about science – or life more broadly – and how?
I think having good mentors is really important. You need supervisors who support your decisions, believe in your potential, and are honest with you. My two PhD supervisors, José Bernal and Ana M. Ares, have been two of the biggest influences on my career. I think we’ve built a real win-win relationship, where I’ve learned from their experience while growing as an independent researcher.
Throughout your career, there are always moments when you need advice, recommendations, or simply someone to discuss your ideas and doubts with. That’s why I think building a network of people you trust is just as important as building your scientific knowledge.
What interest or skill outside science has made you a better researcher?
Traveling and working with people from different cultures has helped me understand that not everyone has access to the same resources, opportunities, or research infrastructure, and that has changed the way I think about science and collaboration.
Another interest of mine is writing stories and poems. It might sound unrelated to science, but it has taught me the importance of strong writing skills and how to adapt a message to different audiences.
Adrián de la Fuente Ballesteros is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Analytical Chemistry with the TESEA Research Group at the University of Valladolid, Spain.
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