People

M.N. Tsampas, senior researcher

07/2014 - now: Senior Scientist, Group leader, Catalytic and Electrochemical Processes for Energy Applications (CEPEA), DIFFER, the Netherlands
11/2011 - 06/2014: Post-doctoral researcher, Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l’Environnement de Lyon (IRCELYON) (France), Air cleaning, Gas treatment, Atmospheric chemistry
03/2011 - 10/2011: Post-doctoral researcher, The Cyprus Institute (CyI), Energy, environment and water research center, (Cyprus)
02/2010 - 12/2010: Post-doctoral researcher, University of Patras, Laboratory of chemical and electrochemical processes (Greece)
02/2005 - 01/2010: PhD in (electro)catalysis ,and MSc in Physical, chemical and biochemical processes, University of Patras, Laboratory of chemical and electrochemical processes (Greece)

Research unique identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4367-4457

QR Mihalis Tsampas

Sina Haghverdi khamene, PhD candidate

2021-now, PhD candidate, DIFFER@TU.e ,the Netherlands
2018 - 2020: M.Sc. in Materials Chemistry, Stockholm University, Sweden
2013 - 2018: B.Sc. in Materials Engineering (Industrial Metallurgy), Iran University of Science and Technology, Iran

Interests and Hobbies: Materials for Energy Applications, Electrocatalysis, Valorization of Low-value C-streams, Watching Sports, Cooking, Table Tennis, Technophile

Ameya Ranade, PhD candidate

12/2021 – Now: PhD candidate, Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER),the Netherlands
04/2021 – 07/2021: Research Intern, AquaBattery B.V., the Netherlands
09/2019 – 07/2021: MSc.InChemical Engineering (Process Engineering), Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands
08/2015 – 06/2019: B.E. Chemical Engineering, Savitribai Phule Pune University, India
Research Interests: Ion Exchange Membranes (IEM), Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), Hydrogen Technology, Feasibility Assessment

Diwakar Kashyap,Postdoctoral researcher

2022 – Now: Postdoctoral Researcher, Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER),the Netherlands
2020 - 2022: Postdoctoral Researcher, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Montreal, Canada
2015 - 2020: PhD (Development of efficient catalyst for electro-oxidation of Dimethyl Ether and Methyl Formate in PEMFC), Ariel University, Israel
2013 -2015: Junior Research Fellow (Indo-Korean Joint Research Project, Microfluidic fuel-cell for Implantable Devices), University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India
2007 - 2013: B.Tech - M.Tech (Nanotechnology), University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India

Mengmeng Lao, Postdoctoral researcher

09/2022-now: Postdoc researcher,Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
07/2021-06/2022: Postdoc researcher, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
01/2021-06/2021: Postdoc researcher, Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials (ISEM), Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM), University of Wollongong (UOW), Australia.
11/2016-12/2020: Ph. D. in Materials Science, ISEM, AIIM, UOW, Australia.
09/2013-06/2016: M. S. in Physical Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, China.
09/2009-06/2013: B. Eng. in Chemical Engineering and Technology, School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, China.

Research interests: Designing supported metal catalysts ranging from single atoms to nanoparticles for small molecules activation using electrochemical methods;Developing new electrochemical strategies for organic syntheses, such as selective hydrogenation of unsaturated organic compounds based on water electrolysis.

Roopathy Mohan, Postdoctoral researcher

2023-now: Postdoc researcher,Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
2021-2022 Postdoctoral researcher,Chalmers Institute of Technology, Sweden.
2015-2019,PhD. in Chemistry,Ariel university, Israel.
2012-2014,MSc in Chemistry, National Institute of Technology-Thiruchirappalli, India
2009-2012,BSc in Chemistry with Cheminformatics,Lady Doak College, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India.

Research interests:Fuel cells, electrolyzers, wastewater treatment; plasma-assisted electrocatalysts/model electrodes development; probing the catalytic active sites, kinetics, and mechanisms.

Vairavel Manthayan, Postdoctoral researcher

2023-now: Postdoc researcher,Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
2021-2022 : Visiting researcher, Uppsala University, Sweden.
2019-2021 : Researcher, Uppsala University, Sweden.
2018-2019 : Research Associate, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, India
2013-2018 : Ph.D. in Physics, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
2012-2013 : Junior Research Fellow, Veltech Dr. RR & SR technical university, India
2009-2011 : M.Sc. in Applied Physics, National Institute of Technology, India.
2006-2009 : B.Sc. in Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India

Research interests : In-operando ion beam analysis, Energy materials, DFT, Electrochemistry

Hobbies: Drawing, Travelling, Badminton

Dimitrios Zagoraios, Postdoctoral researcher

03/2024 - now: Postdoc researcher,Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
04/2023 - 02/2024: Production Engineer, ELVAL COLOUR, Greece
11/2021 - 11/2022: Chemical Process Engineer (during the mandatory military service), Hellenic Army, Greece
09/2017 - 08/2021: PhD in (electro)catalysis, University of Patras (Laboratory of Chemical and Electrochemical Processes), Greece
09/2012 - 07/2017: Integrated Master of Engineering (MEng) in Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Greece

Deepak Kumar Chauhan, Postdoctoral researcher

03/2024 - now: Postdoc researcher, Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
07/2023-03/2024: Research Associate, Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali, India.
01/2018-06/2023: PhD in solar-fuels, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali (IISERM), India.
05/2017-01/2020: Project fellow at Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali, India.
09/2014-03/2017: Project fellow at Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP), Dehradun, India.
2011-2013: MSc in chemistry, University of Lucknow, India.
2008-2011: BSc in chemistry, University of Lucknow, India.

Research interest: (Photo)catalysis, Solar-fuels, biomass conversion and, mechanistic investigation for underlying heterogeneous (photo)catalysis.

Hobbies: Travelling, hiking, and playing guitar.

Muhamad Usman Ahmad, PhD Candidate

03/2025 - now: PhD candidate, DIFFER@TU/e, Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
03.2018-02.2024: MSc Hanyang University ERICA, Ansan, South Korea
2016-2020: BSc in University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Research interest: Design and optimization of electrochemical energy conversion devices, such as electrolyzers, electrosynthesis and fuel cells. Synthesis of nanoparticles or thin films for electrocatalytic reactions.

BILAL HANIF, Postdoctoral researcher

03/2025 - now: Postdoc researcher, Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
2020-2024: PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Xian Jiaotong University, China
2018-2020: MSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Xian Jiaotong University, China
2014-2018: BSc in University of Engineering and Technology from Institute of Space Technology, Pakistan

Research interest: Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs); Solid oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs); Proton ceramic electrolysis cells (PECEs); Nanomaterials; Energy conversion applications

Xiying jian, Phd candidate

03/2025 - now: PhD candidate, Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER), the Netherlands.
09.2021-06.2024: MSc in Materials and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Wear＆Corrosion Resistant and Functional Materials, Jinan University, China
Materials Science and Engineering from Xian Jiaotong University, China
09.2017-06.2021: BSc in New Energy Materials and Devices, School of Chemistry, South China Normal University, China

Research interest: Electrochemical energy conversion, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE), material synthesis, amorphous alloys