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From a spark ignited by my sister to a PhD across the Atlantic, my journey shows how science lives beyond the lab. The MSCA fellowship bridged my work between universities and industry, transforming plastic waste into value. Each step taught me that real impact happens when knowledge meets action. Today, I stand for science as service, adaptable, resilient, and deeply connected to people and planet.
Bionote
Sabino Armenise is a senior scientist and expert in heterogeneous catalysis, biomass valorisation, and circular economy solutions within the energy and chemical sectors. With over a decade of experience in R&D and industrial innovation, he has led multidisciplinary projects bridging academic research and business strategy, particularly in the development of catalysts for the conversion of waste plastics and biomass into high-value fuels and chemicals. As a former Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow, he mentors early-career researchers and is actively involved in science communication. His current work focuses on enabling the transition to sustainable fuels by integrating renewable feedstocks into refinery operations.
Sabino Armenise
Science was always at home. My sister’s passion sparked my path long before I entered a lab. From Venezuela to Spain, Ecuador, and Europe again, each step, from researching catalysis to transforming plastic waste, showed me that real science must serve society. After graduating, I gained hands-on experience in the private sector, but a persistent hunger for deeper understanding pulled me back towards research. In 2008, that calling led me across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain on a PhD scholarship, where I explored heterogeneous catalysis and the catalytic cracking of ammonia to produce hydrogen.
Just as I approached the finish line, the economic crisis in Spain forced me to return to Venezuela with uncertainty in my suitcase but with an invincible conviction that my scientific life was far from over. As soon as I could, I began to seek ways of staying connected to science at home. A new adventure arrived in Ecuador, where I worked for a university developing projects with social and environmental purposes near the Amazon jungle. It was a turning point. It helped me envision a more grounded type of science, one that interfaces directly with people and the environment. I learnt that meaningful work is more than just getting papers published in scientific journals. Science, to be significant, must be lived. It must become a service, tool, or solution to real-world problems.
It was then, while reading to my son a children's book on Marie Curie, that the idea of a postdoctoral fellowship in Europe resurfaced. The MSCA programme seemed like the ideal way to return to global research. It wasn’t easy; five rejected applications only pushed me to try harder. But I didn’t abandon hope. And once I was finally selected for the Got Energy Talent MSCA Fellowship, I knew I had been aiming in the right direction all along. My MSCA project was designed as a mixed experience: I worked between two university institutions, Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC) in Spain and Sorbonne University in France, and an industrial partner from the energy sector (Moeve, formerly CEPSA). The goal was to convert plastic waste into useful chemicals, unifying sustainability goals with industrial applications.
Working between these worlds was not just a matter of geography; it was a matter of worldview. I had to learn to shift from the discovery-driven pace of research facilities to the results-oriented pace of industry. I learnt to speak several languages, communicating concepts not only to scientists but also to engineers, managers, and financiers. I had to turn theory into actionable avenues and understand that timing, scalability, and the regulatory environment are as valuable as scientific creativity.
MSCA as a bridge between thinking and doing: From research to real-world impact
This experience prompted me to redefine success. It was no longer solely about publishing. Success now included creating change, contributing to value chains, and linking research with market and environmental conditions. Shuttling between these domains convinced me that academia and industry are not opposites; they are two sides of the same innovation engine. Academia gives us the intellectual foundation to think and question. Industry pushes us to act, to measure, and to scale. Combined, they can transform bold ideas into real results. The MSCA fellowship provided me with the framework to exist in both worlds. It showed me that although scientific excellence is the foundation, its influence truly expands when tested under economic, regulatory, and social pressures. That is where cross- sector, interdisciplinary researchers come in as integrators, translators, and drivers of change.
Now, as a member of an amazing team focused on circularity and biomass valorisation, I bring scientific discipline and strategic thinking to the lab. It wasn’t always easy. But with every obstacle — settling into new environments, learning new paradigms, recalibrating priorities — each challenge made me more resilient, sharper, and better attuned to where science can truly make a difference. If you are considering a departure from academia, know this: you're not losing your identity as a scientist; you are broadening it. The curiosity, determination, and problem-solving skills you've cultivated are valuable in any context. But transitioning requires intention. It means being open to learning new models, accepting new definitions of success, and reconnecting with your purpose.
Remember, your career is not a straight line but a dynamic landscape, where adaptability becomes your greatest strength.
Thanks to the MSCA, URJC, Moeve, and my family.
Sabino Armenise
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sabino.armenise@moeve.com
MSCA as a bridge between thinking and doing: From research to real-world impact