Yerila Rodríguez Martínez is a researcher in materials science and surface engineering, specializing in the development of functional coatings for energy transition technologies. She currently works at Tecnalia Research & Innovation (Spain), where she develops protective and catalytic coatings using physical vapor deposition (PVD) for AEM and PEM hydrogen electrolyzers, contributing to strategic green hydrogen projects. She holds a degree in Physical Engineering and a Master’s in Materials Science and Technology from the University of Havana, and earned her PhD in Materials Science in 2023 from the University of Lorraine (France) under an international co-tutelle program. Her doctoral research focused on the synthesis of PVD multilayers and composites incorporating plasmonic nanoparticles for optoelectronic applications. She has authored eight peer-reviewed publications (h-index = 4) and has experience mentoring and supervising undergraduate and graduate students in nanotechnology and magnetron sputtering technique.