Researcher at Laboratory of Electron Microscopy

I am a Senior Scientist in the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy (LAME), where my research focuses on the in situ and in operando characterisation of materials and components relevant to the hydrogen value chain, encompassing production, storage and utilisation technologies. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience in transmission electron microscopy, I integrate advanced TEM/STEM methodologies with the development of dedicated experimental infrastructures to address fundamental and applied challenges in energy‑related materials science.

My research is centred on the real‑time investigation of nanoscale phase transformations under controlled vacuum, gas and liquid environments, as a function of external stimuli such as temperature, gas pressure and electrical biasing. By employing state‑of‑the‑art aberration‑corrected electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, I aim to establish quantitative correlations between the atomic‑scale structure of materials—including crystallography, chemistry, defect density and epitaxy—and their macroscopic functional properties. This approach underpins the rational design of next‑generation materials and devices for catalysis, electrocatalysis and energy conversion.

I have co‑authored 70 peer‑reviewed publications and have secured research funding as Principal and Co‑Investigator from UK funders as The Royal Society and EPSRC. I have solid experience in the supervision of doctoral and master’s students, and I have actively contributed to the academic community through service roles, including committee membership within the Engineering, Physical and Materials Sciences section of the Royal Microscopy Society, as well as appointments as both external and internal PhD viva examiner.