Interview with our R&D Scientist Laia Alentorn

1- Can you tell us a little about your background in science and technology?

 I studied Chemistry at the Rovira y Virgili University (URV) in Tarragona. In the last year of my degree, I had the opportunity to do an internship at the Ascó Nuclear Power Plant, in the environmental quality control laboratory.

It was while Kamleon was inside the laboratory of nanoscience and nanotechnology of the URV University that our path crossed for the first time.

Later, after graduating from URV, I did a master’s degree in the development of tools for the chemical industry in which, as my final project, I implemented the whole RID system for the quality and safety of the handling of chemicals in train depots. During the master’s degree I wanted to know more about innovation projects, and I did an internship at Kamleon and in September 2019 I joined as a Biosensors R&D scientist.

2- How did you start at Kamleon and what is your role? What does your day-to-day life look like at Kamleon?

 After finishing my final degree project at Kamleon, I had the opportunity to extend my Master’s internship attached to the company in September 2019. I joined as an R&D scientist where my main mission was to implement scientific methods and perform quality assurance activities, such as the validity and reliability of the technological platform. My day-to-day at Kamleon is never the same and this is what I like. Every day is different and offers me new kinds of possibilities to feel useful to the company. Being part of Kamleon is being able to work as a team in order to coordinate different specialties such as engineering and design, among others.

When I first started, I used to start by validating the analytical performance from the updated versions of the platform, and now that we are in the phase of pilots, I’m the one coordinating all of the phases to realize them.

In general terms, we can say that my day-to-day at Kamleon is very dynamic, thanks to every skill I can learn every day.

3- What has been your motivation in your field of work?

 As I previously said, Kamleon has given me the chance to learn every day and this is thanks to a motivated and coordinated team that is making my daily tasks easier to do.

What keeps me also very motivated is the role that each one of us has. Contrary to other firms, Kamleon is able to make us feel important by giving everyone different missions, increasing our responsibility as the company is maturing.

 4- What is the most rewarding about working at a startup?

 For me, there are many advantages to working in a startup, starting with the proximity between the team members. In this type of company, there is no definitive structure, but there is a great proximity between all employees. This proximity gives us the feeling of being part of a big family, which makes work easier. And also a great opportunity to grow professionally.