I graduated in Chemistry from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela in 1996 (with honors), and from 1996 to 2001 worked on my PhD under the supervision of Prof. José Luis Mascareñas developing new synthetic DNA-binding peptides. In 2001 I received the Human Frontier Science Program long-term fellowship and joined the group of Prof. Barbara Imperiali at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I worked for three years (2001-2004) on the development of caged compounds and fluorescent probes as tools to understand complex phosphorylation pathways involved in cell motility.
I returned to Santiago with a Ramón y Cajal contract in 2004, and was habilitated three years after in 2007. Since 2010 I am enjoying an Associate Professor position at the Organic Chemistry Department, and in 2011 I became a member of the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS).
Dr. Wallen earned a B.S. and Ph.D. from the Univ. of Illinois. He studied supercritical fluids at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory using a variety of spectroscopic techniques including NMR, XAFS, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The author of over 50 refereed papers his work has been highlighted in Science and C&E News. He has served as a reviewer for top journals and government science panels. Dr. Wallen is currently working in the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. His research interests are on the development/implementation of green nanotechnology, chemistry and sustainable processes applied to materials synthesis, remediation, recycling and chemical analysis. Projects converting biomass to carbon quantum dots for sensing and electronics; nanophotocatalytic oxidation of wastewater; and use of carbohydrates (biogenic materials) for nanomaterials preparation are ongoing as are development of microvolume, high-pressure continuous flow systems (HP-CFS) to prepare and analyze functional, sustainable nanomaterials. He recently developed the concept of a circular economy paradigm for implementing university science laboratories which led to an Award for Innovation in 2016 by the Campus Safety, Health & Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA). At the 21st Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference Dr. Wallen won the 2017 Applied Separations Prime Grant for commitment to teaching Supercritical Fluids. In his spare time he enjoys his family, playing music and outdoor activities.