DC1 - Serena Vettese

Serena Vettese graduated from the Master’s programme in Chemistry and Advanced Chemical Methodologies at the University of Camerino (Italy), with a thesis entitled “New Cu(II) Complexes for the Selective Catalytic Oxidation of Cyclohexane to Cyclohexanol”. Throughout her academic career, she developed a broad background in chemistry, combining solid theoretical knowledge with extensive laboratory experience. Over time, she progressively specialized in coordination and organometallic chemistry, with a particular focus on the optimization of catalytic systems for selective oxidation reactions.
 
Her international academic experience began during her Master’s thesis, which was carried out as a joint project between the University of Camerino and the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, where she completed an Erasmus+ traineeship. Working in an international environment strengthened her independence, adaptability, and critical thinking skills, while further consolidating her motivation to pursue research in stimulating and multicultural settings.
 
This background in catalytic optimization naturally aligns with sustainability, which is increasingly recognized as a key criterion in the design of modern synthetic strategies. In this context, rethinking and redesigning commonly employed synthetic methodologies to make them more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient has become particularly important. Electrosynthesis, in particular, has emerged as a highly promising area within organic chemistry. By replacing or complementing traditional synthetic routes with electrochemical methods, it offers a practical approach to reducing the environmental footprint of chemical processes while maintaining, or even improving, their selectivity and efficiency.