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July 9, 2024
René Herrera Díaz, guest researcher at InnoRenew CoE; main research area: wood modification
My first memories were when I was living with my grandparents in a countryside house. I spent my childhood with them until my grandfather passed away. Then we moved to a crowded city, and, with this drastic change, I learned being a child to distinguish between two very different types of scenarios. Now I’m living in Koper, a quiet port town which I cannot compare with any of my childhood memories.
I have studied different areas and I’m still studying languages and everything that attracts me. But, officially, I started with environmental sciences, then forestry engineering, engineering in renewable materials and the last six years biorefinery processes in the chemical engineering department, where I did my thesis on wood modification.
In the simplest way, associating it with common concepts; for example, with cooking recipes, which really have a lot in common!
Random. I could be all day in the laboratory or sitting in front of the computer or learning something new or many other variants, just depending on the specific moment.
The thought that there are always new fields to explore and that you will always find people to whom you can contribute somehow and vice versa.
We always have small or big battles of self-improvement. I believe that the biggest challenge is to be true to yourself. Work shouldn’t take it away from you; this way, you can enjoy your work and keep being fascinated by what you do.
I like the unknown scientists, those that you discover after going deeper into specific topics and who have probably had the same questions as you, maybe while they were looking to do the same thing as you.
I like different expressions of art; for example, street art can tell you many things about places and cultures as well as the music, which can guide you throughout your daily journey.
I was reading “The Master and Margarita”, a classic novel by Bulgakov, and “1984” by Orwell. But better to read it just for fun, not for getting paranoid.
I saw a beautiful country with impressive mountains and very green. My first visit to Slovenia was to Rogla.
I like the diversity of landscapes and the variety of options you can find, even if it is a small country. I miss my family and friends more than the places, but I sometimes miss the Spanish fiesta.
I think that all of them have their own charm and none is better than others.
Any sport activity makes me feel good, also traveling to new destinations.
I think being where I want to be and the freedom to choose my way of life is something that satisfies me.
If you are in a forest, you can feel its energy; if you use it as a material, you find its versatility and complexity. It is a unique material, so simple and so complex at the same time.