Ozgur Afsar | Analytical Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ozgur Afsar | Analytical Chemistry | Best Researcher Award 

Ege University, Turkey

Profiles

Early Academic Pursuits

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ozgur Afsar began his academic journey at Ege University, where he pursued his Ph.D. in Physics. His early academic interests centered around complex systems and nonequilibrium thermodynamics, fields that would go on to shape his future research path. He was also affiliated with Celal Bayar University in his early years, contributing to nuclear statistical mechanics through ARDEB 3501-funded research.

Professional Endeavors

Currently serving as a faculty member at the Faculty of Science, Ege University, Dr. Afsar has also carried out prestigious postdoctoral research at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany. His academic career is marked by a strong foundation in theoretical physics, complexity, and entropy analysis, with leadership and consultancy roles in numerous TÜBİTAK and BAP-funded national research projects.

Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Afsar’s research delves into entropy-based complexity measures, dynamical systems, and statistical mechanics. His work has practical implications, particularly in analyzing physiological signals in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's, ALS, and Huntington’s disease. He has applied advanced mathematical models to real-world problems, blending theoretical frameworks with experimental data, and has developed robust measures for complexity in both natural and synthetic time series.

Impact and Influence

With 16 publications in high-impact journals such as Physica D, Entropy, Scientific Reports, and Chaos, Dr. Afsar has established himself as a prominent researcher in his field. His citation index of 8 reflects a growing academic footprint, supported by fruitful collaborations with renowned scholars like Prof. Dr. Juergen Kurths and Dr. Norbert Marwan. His studies on entropy, nonequilibrium states, and complex dynamics have enhanced our understanding of chaotic systems and self-organization.

Academic Cites and Collaborations

Dr. Afsar maintains an active Google Scholar profile here, where his research is accessible to the global academic community. He is deeply involved in interdisciplinary collaborations, notably with institutions in Germany and Türkiye, which amplify the international scope and relevance of his work.

Technical Skills

His expertise spans time series analysis, recurrence quantification, entropy metrics, nonextensive statistical mechanics, and computational modeling. These tools are foundational in his research on both physical systems and biological signals, revealing patterns that contribute to diagnostics and system behavior analysis.

Teaching Experience

As an associate professor, Dr. Afsar has mentored undergraduate and graduate students at Ege University, guiding them through complex theoretical and experimental physics. His consultancy role in TÜBİTAK’s BİDEB 2209-A projects also reflects his engagement in academic development and support of emerging scholars in the field of entropy analysis and dynamical systems.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Looking ahead, Dr. Afsar aims to expand the application of complexity measures to broader scientific problems, including climate dynamics and medical diagnostics. His interdisciplinary methodology and commitment to research excellence position him as a vital contributor to the evolution of statistical physics and applied mathematics. His trajectory promises to influence both theoretical exploration and practical innovation in the years to come.

Notable Publications

Recurrence Quantification Analysis at work: Quasi-periodicity based interpretation of gait force profiles for patients with Parkinson disease
Authors: O. Afsar, U. Tirnakli, N. Marwan
Journal: Scientific Reports
Year: 2018

Probability densities for the sums of iterates of the sine-circle map in the vicinity of the quasiperiodic edge of chaos
Authors: O. Afsar, U. Tirnakli
Journal: Physical Review E—Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
Year: 2010

Generalized Huberman-Rudnick scaling law and robustness of q-Gaussian probability distributions
Authors: O. Afsar, U. Tirnakli
Journal: Europhysics Letters
Year: 2013

Entropy-based complexity measures for gait data of patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: O. Afsar, U. Tirnakli, J. Kurths
Journal: Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science
Year: 2016

Renormalized entropy for one dimensional discrete maps: periodic and quasi-periodic route to chaos and their robustness
Authors: O. Afsar, G.B. Bagci, U. Tirnakli
Journal: The European Physical Journal B
Year: 2013

Nini Wen | Catalysis | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nini Wen | Catalysis | Best Researcher Award

Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China

👨‍🎓Profiles

🎓 Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Nini Wen began her academic journey with a strong foundation in chemical engineering and materials science, culminating in the award of her Ph.D. in 2023. Shortly thereafter, she joined Zhejiang Sci-Tech University as a lecturer, where she continues to advance research at the intersection of environmental catalysis and materials chemistry.

💼 Professional Endeavors

Since her appointment, Dr. Wen has dedicated her academic career to the study and development of Selective Catalytic Reduction-Hydrocarbon (SCR-HC) catalysts, particularly focusing on novel catalytic systems like metal oxides, pillared interlayered clays (PILC), layered double hydroxides (LDHs), and atomic clusters. Her methodical approach integrates catalyst design with advanced characterization techniques to uncover fundamental catalytic properties and reaction mechanisms. She has completed one foundational research project and currently leads two additional national-level foundation projects, underscoring her growing research independence and leadership.

🧪 Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Wen’s cutting-edge research lies in environmental pollution control and catalytic materials, particularly LDH-based catalysts for SCR-HC reactions. LDHs, known as emerging 2D layered materials, have seldom been utilized in this field. Her innovative work includes designing binary and ternary LDH catalysts, which leverage the synergistic effects of multi-metal components to enhance catalytic activity. She has thoroughly explored the impact of synergy on both the intrinsic physicochemical properties and catalytic mechanisms. Furthermore, her studies address real-world challenges by investigating how poisoning species such as H₂O, SO₂, and alkali metals influence catalyst performance and structural stability, making her contributions highly relevant for industrial applications.

🌍 Impact and Influence

Dr. Wen has made a significant mark in the catalysis community with over 20 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals including the Chemical Engineering Journal, Fuel, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, and Molecular Catalysis. Her work continues to inspire new approaches in designing resilient and efficient environmental catalysts, positioning her as a promising young scholar in the field of applied catalysis.

📈 Academic Citations

Although early in her independent career, Dr. Wen’s publications are gaining recognition in the academic world, with citations steadily increasing. Her focus on mechanistic insight and application-driven research makes her work valuable for both academic studies and industrial implementations in pollution mitigation technologies.

🛠️ Technical Skills

Dr. Wen possesses a broad suite of experimental and analytical techniques essential to modern catalysis research. These include X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface area analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), temperature-programmed desorption/reduction (TPD/TPR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), among others. These tools support her rigorous examination of structure-performance relationships in catalytic systems.

👩‍🏫 Teaching and Mentorship

As a lecturer, Dr. Wen is actively involved in undergraduate and graduate instruction. She integrates her research findings into the classroom to foster scientific curiosity and train students in environmental engineering and materials chemistry, laying the groundwork for future researchers.

🤝 Professional Memberships

Dr. Wen is a member of the Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, through which she engages in professional development and collaborative opportunities, staying current with trends in catalysis and environmental remediation technologies.

🌱 Legacy and Future Contributions

Dr. Wen’s pioneering work in LDH-based SCR-HC catalysis and pollution control positions her at the forefront of sustainable environmental technologies. Her future plans include exploring atomically dispersed catalysts, enhancing low-temperature catalytic activity, and developing next-generation catalyst systems with improved tolerance to industrial poisons. Her work is expected to play a vital role in the global effort to reduce industrial emissions and transition toward greener technologies.

📖Notable Publications

Preparation and de-NOₓ performance of C₃H₆-SCR over Cu-SAPO-44 catalyst
Authors: Zhou, H.; Zhang, H.; Wen, N.; Wang, X.; Xu, L.; Li, W.; Su, Y.
Journal: Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress
Year: 2023

Research on resistance of CuxNiyFez-LDHs derived catalysts to poisoning components and insight into the complex role of SO₂ on C₃H₆-SCR performance
Authors: Wen, N.; Zhou, H.; Ning, S.; Hu, M.; Deng, W.; Zhao, B.; Su, Y.
Journal: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
Year: 2023

Research progress on supported Cu-based zeolite catalysts for the selective catalytic reduction of NOₓ with hydrocarbons
Authors: Ning, S.; Su, Y.; Yang, H.; Wen, N.
Journal: Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress
Year: 2023

Selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with propylene over one-step synthesized Cu-SAPO-44 catalysts
Authors: Zhang, H.; Zhou, H.; Wen, N.-N.; Wang, X.-R.; Xu, L.; Su, Y.-X.
Journal: Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology
Year: 2022

Study on CH₄-SCR performance by Ga-Fe catalysts supported on Ti-pillared interlayered clays (Ti-PILC)
Authors: Xu, G.-Q.; Su, Y.-X.; Wen, N.-N.; Zhang, H.; Liu, Q.; Deng, W.-Y.; Zhou, H.
Journal: Journal of Molecular Catalysis
Year: 2022

Synergy of CuNiFe-LDH based catalysts for enhancing low-temperature SCR-C₃H₆ performance: Surface properties and reaction mechanism
Authors: Wen, N.; Su, Y.; Deng, W.; Zhou, H.; Hu, M.; Zhao, B.
Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal
Year: 2022