About Me

Hello! I'm Pedro Juan Royo, a PhD student in Computational Chemistry at the Day Group in Southampton (UK). I hold a Master of Engineering in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Sheffield. My research focuses on using the Monte Carlo threshold algorithm to explore the crystal packing energy landscapes of molecular crystals, and see how we can use this information in a crystal structure prediction workflow.

In addition to my research, I have a strong interest in scientific programming and open-source software development. During my time in the Day Group, I have contributed to the mol-CSPy codebase and lead group meetings to discuss code development. Some of my other projects can be found on my GitHub.

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Work Experience

Society Treasurer
October 2023 - May 2024

University of Sheffield

  • Orchid Society treasurer at The University of Sheffield.
Student Advisor
November 2022 - May 2023

University of Sheffield, Digital Innovation Zone

  • I was a student advisor at the Digital Innovation Zone. A place in the university made in collaboration with Siemens, in order to teach students digital skills (CAD, 3D modelling, etc.).
Student Representative in Staff Student Committee
October 2022 - May 2023

University of Sheffield

  • I represented the students of the 3rd year in the MRes course in Material Sciences and Engineering.
Society President
June 2022 - May 2023

University of Sheffield

  • President of the Catalan Society.
SURE Scheme Summer Internship
June 2022 - July 2022

University of Sheffield

  • Worked with Dr Julian Dean and Prof Derek Sinclar to analyse the impedance response of BaTiO3 under different conditions.
  • All the coding was done in MATLAB.
Summer Internship
July 2019 - August 2019

Institut Català de Nanosciència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2)

  • Worked in the group led by Victor Puntes to develop core-shell silica-polystyrene nanoparticles to study the impact of nanoplastics in living tissue.

Education

PhD in Computational Chemistry
October 2024 - Present

University of Southampton

  • Researching the application of Monte Carlo threshold algorithms to crystal structure prediction.
MEng in Materials Science & Engineering
September 2020 - June 2024

University of Sheffield

  • Graduated with First Class Honours.
  • Relevant coursework: Computational Materials Science, Metallurgy, Characterization Techniques.
  • Final Year Project: on the analysis of growth and dissolution mechanisms of potassium nitrate and potassium chloride using molecular dynamics simulations, under the supervision of Dr. Colin Freeman.

Skills

Programming Languages

Python, Rust

Software & Tools

Git, Jupyter Notebooks, LaTeX, Typst

Languages

Catalan
Native 🗣️
Spanish
Native 🗣️
English
Work Proficiency 💼
Turkish
Baby 🐣

Honours & Awards

Mappin Medal and Premium
July 2024

University of Sheffield

Prize is awarded to ten undergraduate students annually, in honour of the late Sir Frederick Mappin, Bart. It is given to students who have shown great distinction, and are in the final year of study for an undergraduate programme offered by the Faculty of Engineering. All prize winners receive a medal and a monetary sum.

Sheffield Metallurgical and Engineering Association Hatfield Memorial Prize in Metallurgy
August 2022

University of Sheffield

This prize is awarded once annually for the best examination performance, by a second-year undergraduate studying for a Bachelor or Master of Engineering degree in either Metal or Materials Science and Engineering.

Distinction and Best Pitch for Funding for Engineering You Are Hired
July 2022

University of Sheffield

Awarded for the group work on developing a nuclear powered desalination plant for a remote island in the pacific.

Sir Harold West Award
July 2021

University of Sheffield

Award given due to personal and academic performance during Level 1 of the Materials Science and Engineering degree.

The Joe Hemmant Award
June 2021

University of Sheffield

Mr Joe Hemmant, an alumni of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering generously donates to two first year students on the basis of their entry grades into the Department, and continued performance after the first examination period.

CiMs-Cellex
May 2018

Cellex Foundation

CiMs-Cellex is a very prestigious scholarship that pays the last two years of High School in Aula Escola Europea to course International Baccalaureate.

HP Codewars
May 2017

Hewlett-Packard

1st place in the 2017 HP Codewars competition in Sant Cugat, Spain. 12th place in the HP Codewars Programming Competition in Houston, Texas, the following year.

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