Dr. Elitsa Petkucheva | Electrochemistry | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Elitsa Petkucheva | Electrochemistry | Best Researcher Award

BAS - Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems, Bulgaria.

Dr. Elitsa Petkucheva is a dedicated hydrogen enthusiast committed to advancing clean energy solutions. With a robust background in engineering and a profound understanding of hydrogen fuel cells, she actively collaborates with industry leaders, government officials, and academic researchers to promote hydrogen-based applications across various sectors, including power generation, transportation, and industrial processes.

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🎓 Education

Dr. Elitsa Petkucheva holds an Executive MBA in Energy Management from the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva, Switzerland, which she completed between March 2022 and May 2024. She earned her Ph.D. in Electrochemistry from the Acad. E. Budevski Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems (IEES) in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she conducted research from September 2013 to May 2018. Prior to that, she obtained an M.Sc. in Hydrogen Technologies from the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy (UCTM) in Sofia, Bulgaria, graduating in June 2013. Dr. Petkucheva also holds a B.Sc. in Biotechnologies from UCTM, which she completed between September 2007 and September 2011.​

💼 Experience

Dr. Elitsa Petkucheva is currently serving as a Chief Assistant in Research and Development at the Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems (IEES) within the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, a position she has held since July 2019. Prior to this role, she worked as a Research Assistant at IEES-BAS from September 2017 to July 2019. Additionally, she gained international research experience as a Research Associate at the Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Catalysis (LSCI) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, where she was involved in advanced research from January 2016 to January 2017.​

🔬 Research Interests

Hydrogen technologies

Electrocatalysis

Electrochemistry

Biotechnologies

Development of membrane electrode assemblies for PEM hydrogen systems

🏆 Awards

"Eurika" Foundation Honoree Diploma in the category "Young Inventor" (2021)

"Prof. Hristo Balarev" Award for prominent young scientist in the field of Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Union of Chemists (November 2, 2020)

First Place in the category "Science and/or Technological Development" of the program "The Most Prominent Young People in Bulgaria 2020," part of the international movement Junior Chamber International (JCI) (May 6, 2020)

Acad. M. Drinov Prize 2020 for the best scientist (under 35 years) in the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, in the category "Energy Resources and Energy Efficiency"

Zeno Karl Schindler Foundation Doctoral Exchange Grant (2016-2017)

📚 Selected Publications

An unconventional iron-nickel catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction
F. Song, M. M. Busch, B. Lassalle-Kaiser, C. S. Hsu, E. Petkucheva, ...
ACS Central Science, 5(3), 558-568 (2019)Citations: 363

Ebonex supported iridium as anode catalyst for PEM water electrolysis
E. Slavcheva, G. Borisov, E. Lefterova, E. Petkucheva, I. Boshnakova
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 40(35), 11356-11361 (2015)Citations: 42

Gold-supported magnetron sputtered Ir thin films as OER catalysts for cost-efficient water electrolysis
E. Petkucheva, G. Borisov, E. Lefterova, J. Heiss, U. Schnakenberg, ...
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 43(35), 16905-16912 (2018)Citations: 29

Highly KOH doped para-polybenzimidazole anion exchange membrane and its performance in Pt/TinO2n−1 catalyzed water electrolysis cell
H. Penchev, G. Borisov, E. Petkucheva, F. Ublekov, V. Sinigersky, I. Radev, ...
Materials Letters, 221, 128-130 (2018)Citations: 13

Co-electrodeposition of iron and sulfur in aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes
V. A. Majidzade, S. P. Mammadova, E. S. Petkucheva, E. P. Slavcheva, ...
Bulgarian Chemical Communications, 52, 73-78

Dr. Riccardo Narducci | Energy | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Riccardo Narducci | Energy | Best Researcher Award

Tor vergata university, Italy.

Riccardo Narducci is an Italian researcher currently holding a fixed-term research position (RTDb) at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata. He obtained his National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in Chemical Foundations of Technologies (CHEM-06/A) on January 13, 2020. His research focuses on advanced materials for energy applications, particularly ion-conducting membranes for fuel cells.

Profile

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🎓 Education:

Dr. Riccardo Narducci holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences and Sciences des Matériaux, earned in 2014 through a double degree program between the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Aix-Marseille Université. His dissertation, titled "Ion Conducting Membranes for Fuel Cells," was awarded Cum Laude under the supervision of Prof. M.L. Di Vona and Prof. Philippe Knauth. Prior to his doctorate, he completed a Master’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Perugia in 2004, specializing in Inorganic and Material Chemistry, with a final grade of 108/110. His thesis focused on the "Effect of Acceptor-Donor Pair Adsorption on Surface Conductivity of Non-Stoichiometric Oxides." Dr. Narducci's academic journey began with a Technical Diploma in Industrial Chemistry from I.T.I.S. "L. Allievi" in Terni, where he graduated with the highest distinction (60/60) in 1998.

💼 Professional Experience:

Dr. Riccardo Narducci is currently a Researcher (RTDb) (2022-2025) at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Industrial Engineering, where he is an active member of several research grant selection committees and a participant in the 2024 PACE project.

Previously, he served as a Research Fellow (2017-2022) at the same university, contributing to the HORIZON 2020 CREATE project focused on energy and hydrogen production. From 2016 to 2017, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow under the VINCI Grant, working on functionalized polymers for next-generation redox flow batteries.

Between 2010 and 2017, Dr. Narducci held the position of Research Associate, collaborating on various European and industrial projects, including LoLiPEM, MAESTRO, and HVAC systems research. In addition to his research activities, he has also served as a Contract Professor at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Faculty of Engineering.

🔬 Research Interests:

Energy Materials: Ion-conducting membranes for fuel cells and hydrogen production.

Polymeric and Composite Materials: Functionalized polymers and nanostructured materials.

Electrochemical Devices: Redox flow batteries and electrochemical energy conversion.

Environmental Technologies: Sustainable heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

🏆 Awards & Grants:

National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professor (2020).

VINCI Grant (2016) – Université Franco Italienne for postdoctoral research.

Several European Research Grants (FP7, HORIZON 2020).

Research funding from the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

📚 Selected Publications:

One-Component Catalytic Electrodes from Metal–Organic Frameworks Covalently Linked to an Anion Exchange Ionomer
Molecules (2025-03-10) 
DOI: 10.3390/molecules30061230
Contributors: Riccardo Narducci, Emanuela Sgreccia, Alessio Vincenzo Montella, Gianfranco Ercolani, Saulius Kaciulis, Suanto Syahputra, Emily Bloch, Luca Pasquini, Philippe Knauth, Maria Luisa Di Vona

Composite Membranes Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Lamellar Solids for Water Decontamination
New Journal of Chemistry (2024) 
DOI: 10.1039/D3NJ04942F
Contributors: Maria Bastianini, Michele Sisani, Eziz Naryyev, Annarita Petracci, Irene Di Guida, Riccardo Narducci

Composite Anion Exchange Membranes Containing a Long-Side Chain Ionomer and Exfoliated Lamellar Double Hydroxides
Membranes (2024-12-20)
DOI: 10.3390/membranes14120275
Contributors: Riccardo Narducci, Suanto Syahputra, Maria Luisa Di Vona, Philippe Knauth, Luca Pasquini

Porous Polymers Based on PSU and PSU-TMA with Grafted Zirconium-Organic Moieties: Synthesis and Application for Removal of Arsenite and Arsenate Water Pollutants
Preprint (2024-11-20)
DOI: 10.20944/preprints202411.1539.v1
Contributors: Alessio Vincenzo Montella, Maria Bastianini, Michele Sisani, Emanuela Sgreccia, Maria Luisa Di Vona, Riccardo Narducci

Polyvinyl Alcohol Coatings Containing Lamellar Solids with Antimicrobial Activity
Physchem (2024-08-01) 
DOI: 10.3390/physchem4030019
Contributors: Maria Bastianini, Michele Sisani, Raúl Escudero García, Irene Di Guida, Carla Russo, Donatella Pietrella, Riccardo Narducci