Meet the authors of the runner-up paper

Coherent X-ray imaging of stochastic dynamics

Arnab Sarkar and Allan S. Johnson

	Dr. Arnab Sarkar is a postdoctoral researcher in the Ultrafast Science of Quantum Materials (USQM) group, led by Prof. Allan Stewart Johnson, at IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain. His research focuses on X-ray coherent imaging and ultrafast magnetism measurements. He earned his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he investigated nonlinear dynamics in nano-electromechanical systems, including the observation of time crystals in classical NEMS devices. He holds a master’s degree in physics from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Dr. Sarkar specializes in the application of ultrafast X-ray coherent imaging to explore quantum materials and advanced measurement techniques.
	Dr. Allan S. Johnson is head of the Ultrafast Science of Quantum Materials group at IMDEA Nanoscience (Madrid, Spain). There he holds a Ramón y Cajal fellowship, BBVA Leonardo fellowship, and directs the ERC Starting Grant “KnotSeen” dedicated to imaging photoinduced nanoscale dynamics. Previously he was a La Caixa Junior Leader at the Institute of Photonic Science in Barcelona, and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions doctoral fellow at Imperial College London, where he received his PhD in 2017. His research has spanned quantum materials, coherent X-ray imaging, ultrafast optics, and attosecond science, always with a special interest in non-perturbative dynamics.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

We’re extremely excited to apply this method to looking at laser-driven nanoscale dynamics, and break away from the stroboscopic (read, repeatable) dynamics accessible with existing techniques.

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

The ability to reach an audience well outside of our typical quantum materials community, but who could benefit from the methods we’ve developed, make Materials Advances a great place for us.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice for early career scientists?
When deciding where to go for a PhD, or a postdoc, or even a junior faculty position, make sure to talk to other people in the post you’ll be taking up. Where you work is a huge factor, and you want to make sure it’s an environment that will suit you in reality and not just on paper!

Meet some of the the authors of the runner up paper

Novel chemically reduced cobalt-doped g-C₃N₄ (CoCN-x) as a highly heterogeneous catalyst for the super-degradation of organic dyes via peroxymonosulfate activation

Aboubakr Ben Hamou, Mohamed Enneiymy, Salaheddine Farsad, Asma Amjlef, Ayoub Chaoui, Nisrine Nouj, Ali Majdoub, Amane Jada, Mohamed Ez-zahery and Noureddine El Alem

Aboubakr Ben Hamou is a PhD student, where he is affiliated with the Laboratory of Materials and Environment (LME). The research over his academic background spans the fields of Materials Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry being part of LME, with short stays at BIOSUV group in Spain, IS2M in France, and ALiCE/LSRE-LCM groups in Portugal. He focuses on environmental remediation, in the areas of wastewater treatment, adsorption, and advanced oxidation processes. He is also involved in the synthesis of carbon materials, metal-organic frameworks and composite materials. Additionally, his work includes material characterizations to understand the properties and performance of materials in treating pollutants and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Asma Amjlef holds a PhD from the Laboratory of Materials and Environment. Her research focuses on the development of hybrid composite materials for the removal of organic pollutants from water. She is particularly interested in sustainable water treatment solutions using adsorption techniques and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to enhance purification efficiency and environmental compatibility.

Professor Nisrine Nouj holds a PhD in physical chemistry from the Faculty of Sciences at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir. She is the winner of the 2023 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talent Award. She joined the teaching staff in 2023, where her work focuses on water analysis and quality and the development of innovative treatment methods using environmentally friendly biomaterials. She specializes in the detection of emerging pollutants and the development

Dr. Mohamed Enneiymy is currently working in Laboratory of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Applied Bioorganic Chemistry Team, at Ibnou Zohr University. He holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Haute-Alsace-University of Strasbourg, France. His research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of bio-based heterogeneous catalysts containing palladium or Pd/M alloy nanoparticles (M = Co, Ni, Au, Ir, etc.) and the evaluation of their catalytic activity in C–C cross-coupling reactions such as Suzuki, Heck, Sonogashira, and Hiyama, as well as in green carbonylation and mild hydrogenation processes. These catalytic systems are developed for the efficient synthesis of intermediates with potential biological activity.

What excites you most about your work right now?

Asma Amjlef: I’m particularly excited about developing multifunctional, bio-based materials that can simultaneously adsorb and degrade pollutants, offering a more sustainable and effective approach to water purification.

Nisrine Nouj: The possibility of combining advanced experimental techniques with artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of sustainable materials.

What do you think of Materials Advances as a journal for publishing in this field?

Asma Amjlef: Materials Advances offers excellent visibility and a strong multidisciplinary platform for emerging research in materials science. It provides a great opportunity to share innovative work with a wide scientific audience.

Nisrine Nouj: Materials Advances is a dynamic and open-access journal, well-suited for young researchers to publish innovative and interdisciplinary work with good visibility.

Do you have any advice for early-career researchers?

Asma Amjlef: Stay curious, be persistent, and don’t hesitate to explore interdisciplinary approaches. Collaboration and continuous learning are key to impactful and fulfilling research.

Nisrine Nouj: Be curious, ask questions, surround yourself with inspiring mentors, and don’t be afraid to explore topics at the interface of disciplines.

Meet the authors of the runner-up paper

3D printable gelatin/nisin biomaterial inks for antimicrobial tissue engineering applications 

Mateo Dallos Ortega, Jenny Aveyard, Alexander Ciupa, Robert J. Poole, David Whetnall, Julia G. Behnsen and Raechelle A. D’Sa

	Mateo Dallos Ortega’s academic path combines acoustic and biomedical engineering, with a focus on health technologies. He earned a BSc in Acoustical Engineering at the University of Southampton, focusing in biomedical signal processing. This led to a postgraduate diploma in Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University, focusing on biomaterials and their biological interactions. He then completed an MSc and is now nearing the completion of his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Liverpool, researching material design and evaluation for clinical use. This interdisciplinary training drives his commitment to applied research that improves healthcare and enhances quality of life.
	Jenny Aveyard is a lecturer in Polymer Biomaterials in the Department of Materials, Design and Manufacturing in the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool.  She has a degree in Applied Microbiology and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Liverpool. Her interests include the synthesis, functionalisation, and characterisation of nanomaterials for drug delivery and diagnostics applications
	Alexander Ciupa earned his PhD from the University of Bath in 2013, focusing on chalcone derivatives for cancer research and tissue engineering. He then managed teaching and analytical research facilities in the Department of Chemical Engineering until 2017, when he joined the Materials Innovation Factory (MIF). Alex specializes in spectroscopy and chromatography while pursuing his own research interests in the development of simple fluorescent sensors for the detection of toxic metals. He has authored over 13 peer-reviewed papers, including six as sole author.
	Rob Poole is the Harrison Chair of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Liverpool.  He has research interests in the areas of rheology, complex fluids and non-Newtonian fluid mechanics encompassing both experimental, theoretical and numerical approaches. He is currently President of the British Society of Rheology and co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluids Mechanics
	David Whetnall is a Senior Research Technician at the Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool. With more than 15 years’ experience in both industry and academia, he specialises in rheology and formulation science, with a focus on using automation for high-throughput formulation and characterisation.

	Julia Behnsen is a technical specialist for X-ray microCT analysis at the University of Liverpool, UK. Her work focuses on supporting a wide range of materials research with experiment design, data collection, and image analysis. Julia has a degree and a PhD in physics from Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.
	Raechelle D’Sa is a Professor of Antimicrobial Biomaterials at the University of Liverpool. Her research focuses on engineering advanced biomaterials combined with alternative antimicrobial agents such as nitric oxide and antimicrobial peptides. Through an interdisciplinary approach that brings together materials science, microbiology, and biomedical engineering, her work enables the development of targeted therapies. Raechelle’s group is dedicated to combating antimicrobial resistance and enhancing treatment outcomes in infectious diseases through innovative, biomaterial-based solutions.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

As conventional antibiotics become less effective, there is an urgent need for alternative strategies to target drug-resistant infections. We are proud to be at the forefront of developing innovative, advanced materials-based delivery systems for bioinspired antimicrobials, addressing the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

Materials Advances provides an excellent platform for disseminating high-quality interdisciplinary research with real-world impact. It has a strong track record in both fundamental and applied studies making it an ideal venue for research at the interface of materials science and healthcare.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice for early career scientists?

Stay curious and don’t be afraid to explore outside your comfort zone. Interdisciplinary work often leads to the most exciting breakthroughs.

Meet the authors of the winning paper

Control of spin on ferromagnetism and thermoelectric properties of K₂GeMnX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) halide perovskites: emerging candidates for semiconductor spintronics and thermoelectric applications 

Mudasir Younis Sofi, Mohd. Shahid Khan and M. Ajmal Khan

Mudasir Younis Sofi is a Ph.D. scholar and Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF, Cycle 9) in the Department of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He holds an M.Phil. in Physics with Rank 2 from Jiwaji University. His research focuses on perovskite-based materials for spintronic, thermoelectric, and optoelectronic applications using density functional theory (DFT). He has authored over eight first-author SCI-indexed papers, three Scopus-indexed book chapters, and presented at nearly ten international conferences, earning several Best Presentation Awards. As a Teaching Assistant at DSEU, he mentors students and advocates for sustainable electronic materials, reflecting his academic excellence and impact.

Professor Mohammad Shahid Khan is a Professor of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has 18 years of postgraduate teaching and 20 years of research experience and published 120+ papers in peer reviewed journals. He has supervised many PhD and Master students.  His work spans nanostructured and nonlinear-optical materials, computational molecular science, photonic materials, optical spectroscopy, and clean-energy generation and storage. Beyond research, he has served university at administrative positions.

Dr. Mohammad Ajmal Khan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has over 19 years of teaching and research experience. His research focuses on condensed matter, optoelectronic materials, and computational modelling of materials. He has published over 70 research papers in peer reviewed reputed journals and actively supervises Ph.D. and postgraduate students. Dr. Khan also carried out many major research projects successfully. His recent work on energy-efficient and functional materials supports advancements in nanoelectronics, thermoelectrics, and next-generation semiconductor technologies.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

We are particularly excited about advancing the development of lead-free, environmentally sustainable double halide perovskites for multifunctional applications in spintronics, thermoelectrics, and energy conversion. Leveraging advanced density functional theory (DFT) and post-DFT approaches, we aim to design materials with precisely tailored properties—combining fundamental scientific insight with strong potential for real-world technological impact.

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

Materials Advances is an excellent platform for publishing interdisciplinary and forward-looking materials science research. Its global reach, rigorous peer-review process, and commitment to emerging technologies make it an ideal venue for impactful work in perovskite-based materials.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice for early career scientists?

Stay curious, collaborative, and consistent. Build a strong foundation in theory, actively share your work, and seek feedback. Many opportunities emerge through openness, persistence, and genuine scientific engagement.