Emre B. Boz

Emre received both his BSc and MSc degree in Materials Science and Nano Engineering, from Sabanci University in 2016 and 2019, respectively. He conducted his master’s research under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Selmiye Alkan Gursel, where he worked on metal-organic framework/graphene oxide sacrificial hybrid materials to generate hierarchically porous carbons, which were used as supports for Pt nanoparticles performing oxygen electroreduction.

In January 2020, Emre stated his PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology, where he develops electrodeposited functional layers on porous carbon electrodes for energy-storage applications. He enjoys scuba diving and swimming, is a fan of science fiction and fantasy movies and likes to practice guitar in his spare time.

Inmaculada Giménez García

Inmaculada Giménez García received her BSc and MSc in Chemical Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. For her Master Thesis she also studied at TUe, where she carried out research on the development of porous metal electrodes for advanced alkaline electrolysis. After finishing her MSc in 2020 she started her PhD in the group Membrane Materials and Processes at TUe.

The aim of the doctoral project is to develop synthetic methods to manufacture new ionomers and gas diffusion layers for next-generation polymer electrolyte fuel cells. This utilizes electrochemical methods on molecules with specific functionalities to control the properties of catalytic layers. Inma is the recipient of the La Caixa Excellence Award for Postgraduate Studies in Europe Fellowship.

Maxime van der Heijden

Maxime studied Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at Eindhoven University of Technology, where she obtained her BSc and MSc degrees. During her bachelor she worked on complex patterning of luminescent solar concentrators for improved aesthetics. For her master with the focus on Molecular Systems and Materials Chemistry, she received a grant from the Royal Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry (VNCI) and DSM, and performed research on multi dye coordination in layered smectics for luminescent solar concentrator applications. For her internship at DSM Coating Resins in Waalwijk, Maxime studied receptive coatings for inkjet formulations.

In late 2019, Maxime began her PhD where she work on understanding and optimizing the three-dimensional structure of porous electrodes. The aim of the project is to design and synthesize novel electrodes with architected microstructures by using a combination of computer simulations and synthetic methods. Besides coming to work on her normal bicycle, she also likes to take out her road bike a couple of times a week for a nice trip. She also loves cooking, games, boxing, fitness, skiing and testing beers.

Rens Horst

Rens received both his BSc. and MSc. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Twente with a focus on heterogeneous catalysis and electrochemistry. During his studies he also studied Materials Science at ETH Zürich for a semester and worked on fuel cell electric vehicle hydrogen drive train for a full year. For his master thesis, Rens developed an open-source electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance that could be used simultaneously with in-situ surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy to study adsorption processes at interfaces. Rens’ internship was performed at BASF Netherlands and was focused on advanced ceramics. He was awarded a scholarship for both his bachelor and master studies from the Royal Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry in collaboration with BASF Netherlands and received the Young Talent Encouragement Prize from the Royal Dutch Society of Sciences and Humanities.

In January 2022, Rens started his PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology, where he will work on structural optimization of electrodes for low-temperature hydrogen fuel cells. He will focus particularly on the catalyst layer microstructure and the development of novel ionomer systems, coating techniques and advanced characterizations. In his spare time he likes reading fantasy and history books, doing small engineering projects, learning electrical engineering, hiking and just generally enjoying nature.

Winnie Kong

Winnie obtained her BSc degree in Chemistry from Utrecht University. During the bachelor thesis, Winnie performed research on self-assembling liquid crystalline nanorods. She obtained her MSc degree in Materials Science and Engineering at TU Delft. Passionate to contribute to sustainability she started her specialization in Materials for Sustainable Development. For her master’s thesis, she devoted her time to researching the influence of microstructure on the corrosion of 3D-printed implants.

In April 2022, Winnie started her PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology. She will work on platinum-group metal-free catalyst layers for next-generation polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In her free time, she practices Taekwon-do and has a creative outlet through baking and sewing.

Irene Sinisgalli

Irene Sinisgalli studied Industrial Chemistry at the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, where she received both her BSc and MSc degrees in 2019 and 2021, respectively. During her bachelor, she worked on the development of a new catalytic system based on supported gold nanoparticles. For her master, she worked at the University of the Basque Country on the development of a new catalyst for the glycerol hydrodeoxygenation. After completing her studies, she performed research at the Chalmers University of Technology and participated in a joint project with SCA (Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget) on the valorization of the lignocellulosic wastes.

In April 2022, Irene started her PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology, where she will work on polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In particular, she will focus on the development of new coating methods of the carbon fiber substrate and alternative synthetic pathways for microporous layers. Apart from science, Irene also enjoys doing sports and every kind of outdoor activity, especially exploring nature. Last but not least, Irene has a lot of fun dancing like no one else in the world.

Mert Can Erer

Mert received both his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Chemistry from the Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey. During his M.Sc. studies, he worked on the fabrication and characterization of organic solar cells comprising functional conjugated polymers under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ali Cirpan. Within the scope, he also studied the fabrication and characterization of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on both conjugated polymers and structurally-demanding conjugated organic small molecules.

In June 2022, Mert started his Ph.D. at Eindhoven University of Technology where he will be designing gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) with tailored wettability for CO2 reduction electrolyzers. His main focus will be on engineering interfaces with tailored surface functionalities and topologies to develop GDEs for electrolyzers with extended operational times and high product concentrations. In his spare time, Mert likes to do any kind of outside activities, but mostly interested in more physical hobbies such as going to the gym and playing football, basketball, etc. Most importantly, he is a former licensed tennis player, and would accept any challenge at any sports that includes rackets.

Jenifar Mazumder

After completing her BSc degree Power Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from the Jorhat Institute of Science and Technology (JIST Assam, India), Jenifar moved to Germany to pursue her MSc in Applied Engineering at the Ernst Abbe Hochschule (EAH Jena, Germany). During her master thesis, Jenifar simulated the contact losses of the current collector/supplier plates from the electrode surfaces in Solid Oxide Electrolyzer cells (SOECs). In this work, a model was developed for a single SOEC where the effects of contact losses on the electrode current density, concentration of hydrogen produced, and other factors were simulated and analyzed. Besides contact losses, the effect of different flow directions (fuel and air) was also studied with respect to the overall performance of the SOEC.

In June 2022, she joined EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies (Germany) as a PhD student with Dr. Antoni Forner-Cuenca as the academic supervisor from the Eindhoven University of Technology. Her PhD thesis is a part of the project Gas diffusion layer properties on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells water management and durability (Gallia). This project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport under the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology and coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ). The aim of this project is to examine the design and properties of gas diffusion layers and their influence on the performance and durability of proton conductive membrane fuel cells. The mechanical and electrochemical aging phenomena of PEMFCs will also be further studied with a focus on the developed GDLs. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop optimized diffusion media and operating conditions for heavy-duty applications to achieve a long service life. Outside of work, Jenifar enjoys music, hiking and outdoor activities with friends.

Senan Amireh

Senan received his BSc degree in Chemical Engineering in 2019 from the Jordan University of Science and technology (JUST) and briefly worked in the pharmaceutical industry following his graduation. In 2020, he was awarded the Amandus H. Lundqvist and Holland Scholarships to pursue a MSc in chemical engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology. He obtained his master’s degree cum laude in 2022 with a specialization in electrochemical engineering. In his MSc thesis, Senan investigated the interaction between power electronics (e.g. during dynamic operation) and alkaline water electrolysis.

In August 2022, Senan began his PhD under the supervision of Antoni Forner-Cuenca where he will be studying the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethylene. During his PhD project, Senan will manufacture advanced gas diffusion electrodes with controlled microstructure and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, he will optimize electrochemical reactor designs employing gas diffusion electrodes with a focus of achieving long operation times and high product selectivity. In his free time, Senan likes to cook, aquascape and maintain his fish tank, go hiking and enjoys natural sceneries, as well as physical activities like going to the gym and running.

Jesse de Boer

Jesse de Boer received both his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Chemistry from Utrecht University. During his bachelor thesis, he worked on the phase behavior of silica nanocubes under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Albert Philipse. For his master thesis, Jesse worked on promoting electroreduction of CO₂ to formate using ZnSn-bimetal oxides under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Petra de Jongh.

In August 2022, Jesse started his PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology. At the Membrane Materials and Processes group, Jesse works on developing next-generation gas diffusion electrodes for the electrochemical reduction of CO₂ to ethylene. Jesse will primarily focus on the modification of copper catalysts to enhance selectivity and understanding the effects of catalyst layer morphology on the electrolyzer performance. Outside of the lab Jesse enjoys all kinds of sports and music. In his spare time, he likes to sail, hike and plays music with his guitar or saxophone.

Simona Buzzi

Simona Buzzi received her BSc degree in Chemistry and Chemical Technologies from the University of Genoa. During her BSc thesis, she worked on the synthesis of adsorbent materials (iron(III) oxides) for the removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas. Simona obtained her MSc degree in Industrial Chemistry from the same university where she specialized in Polymer Science. For her MSc thesis, she investigated the surface nucleation mechanism in double semicrystalline non-miscible blends.

In September 2022, Simona started her PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology. She will work on the scale up of the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method to synthesize novel electrodes for implementation in vanadium redox flow batteries. Besides science, she enjoys horse riding, hiking and travelling.

Baichen Liu

Baichen received his BSc degree in Energy & Environment Systems Engineering in 2017 from Zhejiang University (ZJU). He obtained his MSc degree in Power Engineering from the same university in 2020. During his master’s period, he mainly focused on the heat and mass transfer mechanisms, system diagnostics, and optimizations in vanadium redox flow batteries.

In October 2020, Baichen started his Ph.D. under the supervision of Johan Hjelm in Technical University of Denmark (DTU). He is working on the carbon-fiber electrode microstructure designs for enhanced electrochemical performance in redox flow batteries using combined experimental and Lattice-Boltzmann simulation methods. In October 2022, Baichen started a six-month external stay as a visiting researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) under the supervision of Antoni Forner-Cuenca. During his stay, he will work on the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method to prepare non-fibrous carbon electrodes with improved mass-transport properties. In his free time, Baichen enjoys natural sceneries and photography, and he is also learning to improve his cooking skills.