Shahid Shafi Shah | Surface Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shahid Shafi Shah | Surface Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shahid Shafi Shah | Guru Nanak Institutions Technical Campus Hyderabad | India

Dr. Shahid Shafi Shah is an accomplished chemist with a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Jammu (2022), specializing in kinetic and thermodynamic studies on plant-waste-based adsorbents for dye removal from aqueous solutions. He also holds an M.Phil. in Chemistry from Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, where he worked on oxidative cleavage mechanisms. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Guru Nanak Institutions Technical Campus, Hyderabad, and is a ratified faculty member of JNTU Hyderabad, contributing as a Board of Studies member for Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Science, NPTEL Coordinator, and reviewer for RSC Advances. His earlier research experience includes five years as JRF/SRF at the University of Jammu and three years as Lecturer/PGT Chemistry under CBSE and JKBOSE. He has taught a wide range of courses in Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Science across multiple branches and academic years. His research expertise spans synthesis and characterization of biopolymer nanocomposites, wastewater dye remediation, UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA, BET analysis, and DFT computational studies. He has published 12 research documents with 258 citations and an h-index of 7, reflecting strong scientific impact. His future goals include supervising more Ph.D. and PG scholars, contributing research-oriented projects, and strengthening academic and societal development. As a teacher, he emphasizes conceptual clarity, disciplined learning, student-friendly engagement within professional boundaries, and tailored instruction for learners of different capabilities. Highly dedicated, hardworking, and loyal to institutional values, he consistently contributes to innovation, academic growth, and organizational excellence.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar 

Featured Publications

Shah, S. S., Bamezai, R. K., Khan, F. A., Singh, A., Ahmed, E., & Arya, S. (2025). Application of L-histidine @ polysaccharide-based bio-nanocomposites derived from leaves of populus tree for amputation of crystal violet dye: An experimental, theoretical and DFT simulation approach. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry.

Singh, A., Lalotra, N., Shah, S. S., Rather, M. U. D., Lopez-Maldonado, E. A., Pathania, K., Abaszade, R. G., Stetsenko, M., & Arya, S. (2025). A comprehensive review on the synthesis and properties of MXenes for supercapacitor applications. ACS Applied Energy Materials.

Singh, A., Shah, S. S., Dubey, A., Ahmed, A., Rather, M. U. D., Ranganayakulu, S. V., Sundramoorthy, A. K., & Arya, S. (2025). Advancements in wearable energy storage devices via fabric-based flexible supercapacitors. Journal of Energy Storage.

Singh, A., Shah, S. S., Sharma, C., Gupta, V., Sundramoorthy, A. K., Kumar, P., & Arya, S. (2024). An approach towards different techniques for detection of heavy metal ions and their removal from waste water. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.

Kumar, D., Sharma, T., Shah, S. S., & Bamezai, R. K. (2024). Experimental and preliminary computational assessment of thermodynamic properties of l-serine and l-threonine in (water + 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide) solutions at various temperatures. Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data.

Shah, S. S., Kumar, D., Sharma, T., Kapoor, K. K., & Bamezai, R. K. (2023). Experimental and computational studies on the removal of crystal violet dye from aqueous solution using Juglans regia leaves treated with acetic acid and L-arginine. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry.

Khan, F. A., Ahad, A., Shah, S. S., & Farooqui, M. (2023). Adsorption of crystal violet dye using Platanus orientalis (Chinar tree) leaf powder and its biochar: Equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics study. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry.

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.

Profile

Scopus
Google Scholar​

🎓 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