Host: Prof. Iris Visoly-Fisher
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
I am Dr. Bhavana Gupta, and I am a materials chemist interested in interdisciplinary subjects. I completed my PhD in the year 2012. During my PhD studies, I had the opportunity to work at the Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan under a student cultural exchange program for seven months. After completing my PhD, I was selected for the prestigious Blaustein Postdoctoral Fellowship at Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Israel in the year 2015. Here, I was able to work on a sophisticated technique, namely, conduction and electrochemical atomic force microscopy. We succeeded in making a correlation between surface properties and photo-electrochemical water splitting efficiency on the surface of single crystal α-Fe2O3. This gave us insight into the mechanism of water oxidation on the surface of α-Fe2O3. After departing the BIDR, I had the chance to do research in my home country (India), France, and China. Currently I am an Assistant Professor (PD2PI Laureate, under an H2020 grant) at the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Science. My primary research interest is to understand the mechanism of the hole scavenger photooxidation during photo-electrocatalysis with the help of a scanning electrochemical microscope. This will pave the way for developing tailormade semiconductor films that can be used for efficient water splitting.
During my slightly more than one-year stay in Israel, I received intensive training in working in a team, along with interpersonal and career development. Moreover, I was also able to learn the culture, enabling me to mix with local people and enjoy this time. My work in Israel not only allowed me to build my expertise in this field, but also helped me to improve and grow in terms of my academic writing, communication skills, and making inter-cultural friends, which has helped me in my current position and international travel and collaborations.
