People

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Matthias Vandichel

Group leader, Principal Investigator, FRSC

Matthias obtained his PhD at Ghent University in 2012. He enjoyed postdoctoral periods in Ghent University (2013-2015), IRCELYON (2015-2016), Chalmers (2016-2018) and Aalto University (2018-2019). Since Oct 2019, he holds a faculty position at the University of Limerick and lectures in Chemical Engineering (Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics; Chemical Engineering Design Methods; Process Control, Instrumentation and modelling). Matthias leads a multidisciplinary team (Materials and Catalysis Modelling group – https://macatamo-group.com).

His main research interests are: computational materials and catalysis research, porous materials and inorganic interfaces.

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Sousa Javan Nikkhah

Assistant Professor, University of Limerick, Ireland (2024-)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Career-FIT PLUS Research Fellow (2021-2024)

Sousa is developing methodologies to describe hormone delivery vesicles and adsorption processes.

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M Umer

Postdoctoral Researcher MEM-E-TECH (2025-)
Postdoctoral Researcher HERMES (2023-2025)

M Umer is studying various metal- and metalhydride-based electrocatalytic systems (HERMES-project), in collaboration with 6 other partners in Europe (H2020-FETproactive HERMES) and continues these activities towards the identification and exploitation of these and other systems for various electroreduction reactions (MEM-E-TECH-project).

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Krishna Chaitanya

Postdoctoral Researcher GEOTHERMAL (2023-2025)

Krishna is studying phase change heat transfer in Geothermal energy technologies (mentors: Dr. Matthias Vandichel, Prof. Vivek Ranade).

Indrajit-Chakraborty

Indrajit Chakraborty

Postdoctoral Researcher GEOTHERMAL (2023-2025)

Indrajit is studying phase change heat transfer in Geothermal energy technologies (mentors: Prof. Vivek Ranade, Dr. Matthias Vandichel).

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R Lipin

Postdoctoral researcher MEM-E-TECH (2025)
Graduated PhD student and IRC-PhD student (2021-2025)

Lipin has been developing methodologies to describe electrochemical reactions on metal-hydrides and other systems, while working on the HERMES project and MEM-E-TECH project, and additionally on carbon-based materials in the framework of his IRC-project C-BUDDY (09/2022-08/2024).

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Keshav Hibare

PhD student (2022-2026)

Keshav is working on a project at the interface of molecular modelling, and bioinformatics.

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Hooman Hasheminejad

PhD student (2022-2026)

Hooman is working on adsorption within porous materials. His PhD-fellowship was created via funding from EU-project HERMES, the SFI-centres SSPC and AMBER.

PhD student (To Be Announced)

PhD student (2025-2029)

 

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PhD student (To Be Announced)

PhD student (2025-2029)

 

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PhD student (To Be Announced)

PhD student (2025-2029)

 

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MSc student (To Be Announced)

PhD student (2025-2029)

 

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Affiliated Researchers (ongoing collaborations)

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Ryan Lacdao Arevalo

Current position: Professor, De La Salle University, Phillipines (2025-)
Associate Professor, Akashi National Institute of Technology, Osaka, Japan (2022-2025)
Marie Skłodowska-Curie PROCESS COFUND Research Fellow (2021-2022)
Postdoctoral Researcher HERMES (2021)

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Apinya Ngoipala

Current position: Postdoctoral researcher, Chalmers, Sweden (2025-)
Postdoctoral researcher HERMES (2024-2025)
Graduated IRC-PhD student (2021-2024)

Apinya is developing methodologies to describe electrochemical reactions in metal-hydrides and other systems. Her IRC-project MHSVAC is related to the H2020-FETproactive HERMES project.

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Venkata Surya Kumar Choutipalli

Current position: Postdoctoral researcher Temple University (2024-)
Baylor University, Texas, USA (2022-2024)
Postdoctoral Researcher University of Limerick (2021-2022)

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Lakbira El Atouani

EPS-IRC Postdoctoral Fellow (2022-2024)

Kabira was studying traditional materials used in piezo-actuators using first-principles electronic structure methods.

Alumni

Jiri Bednar

Permanent position in VSB-TU Ostrava (2022-)
Visiting postdoctoral researcher, Postdoc MEYS research internship, VSB-TU Ostrava (01/02/2022-30/11/2022)

Jiri is modelling a nanoparticles’ aggregation at the sublimation interface of a rapidly frozen dispersion. The main research interests are preparation and characterization of nanostructured materials and their incorporation into filtration membranes and developing new means of material testing.

Amin Koochaki

Graduated MSc (2020-2023)

Ciara O'Sullivan

Current position: Process engineer, Merck
MSc student (2021-2022)