Dr. Simantini Nayak, Principal Investigator

Dr. Simantini Nayak is working as a Scientist in the Matrials Chemistry Department of CSIR-IMMT. Dr. Nayak has pursued her PhD in Chemistry from Max-Planck Institute for Iron Research GmbH (MPIE), Dusseldorf, Germany. Her doctoral thesis was based on investigation of electrochemical oxygen reduction on semiconductor surfaces by attenuated total internal reflection infrared spectroscopy. After completion of her PhD, she has joined as a postdoc at Department of Chemitry, University of Oxford, UK where she has been awarded with Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellow (MSCA-IF) from European Commission. Dr. Nayak has also over a year of industrial experience in a Carbon-Ion based Supercapacitor company, ZapGo Ltd., UK prior joining at IMMT. She has recieved her M.Sc. in Chemistry from National Institute of Technology; NIT Rourkela, India and B.Sc. in Chemistry from B. J. B. Autonomous College, Utkal University, India.

Her research here focuses towards development of novel nanostructured materials for energy generation, energy storage, hydrogen production, carbon dioxide capture and utilisation to value added products, electrocatalytic applications and understanding of surface reactions and cell degradation mechanisms at electrode/electrolyte interfaces by using electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques.

Research experience

• Scientist (06/2020-to date) at Materials Chemistry Department, CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar

• Research Scientist (10/2018-11/2019) at ZapGo Ltd., Oxford, UK (Industry)

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellow (MSCA-IF) (04/2015-08/2017) at University of Oxford, UK (Host: Prof Kylie A. Vincent)

• Research Scientist (01/2015-03/2015) at Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Sonning Common, Reading, UK

• Postdoctoral Research Associate (11/2013-03/2015) at University of Oxford, UK (Host: Prof Kylie A. Vincent)

• Postdoctoral Fellow (04/2013-08/2013) at Max-Planck Institute for Iron Research GmbH (MPIE), Dusseldorf, Germany (Host: Prof Andreas Erbe)

 

Education

• Ph.D. (Chemistry) (09/2009-03/2013) from MPIE, Germany under the program International Max Planck Research School of Surface and Interface Science, IMPRS - SurMat) 

     Dissertation: “Investigation of Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction on Semiconductor Surfaces by Attenuated Total Internal Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy”

• M.Sc. (Chemistry) (06/2006-04/2008) at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, India

• B.Sc. (Chemistry) (06/2003-04/2006) at B.J.B. Autonomous College, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, India

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Awards and Honors.

• 2015-2017: Awarded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellow (MSCA-IF) at Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford

• 2009-2012: PhD Scholarship under International Max Planck Research School of Surface and Interface Science (IMPRS-SurMat) program, Germany

• 2009: Qualified in National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (UGC-CSIR), India

• 2007: Summer internship under Visiting Students Research Program (VSRP) at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, India

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Teaching

AcSIR Ph.D. program Course tutor for following courses:

• Chemistry at Surfaces & Interfaces (CHE-IMMT-3-3304; Chemical Science & PHY-IMMT-3-3309; Physical Science)

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Invited talks

• Mechanistic Understanding of Electrocatalysis and Energy Storage Applications - in situ Infrared Spectroscopy, India-UK ISCC: Innovation & Sustainability Chemistry Consortium, organised by University of Oxford (20th-22nd April, 2021).

• In situ infrared spectroscopic observation of oxygen reduction intermediates on platinum nanoparticles, Conference on Advances in Catalysis, Energy and Environmental Research (CACEE-2020), online meet organised by TIFR-Hyderabad (16th-18th December, 2020).