Olga Kasian honoured by the Werner-von-Siemens-Ring Foundation

Olga Kasian
Prof. Dr. Olga Kasian, FAU

Young Scientist 2022

The Werner-von-Siemens-Ring Foundation has selected Prof. Dr. Olga Kasian into its network in recognition of her outstanding scientific contribution to the field of electrocatalysis. Olga Kasian is a W2 Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and heads a junior research group on electrocatalysis at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg. The foundation has been honoring young researchers in the technical and natural sciences since 1977 and offers them unique opportunities for interdisciplinary networking. Every two years, the Council of the Foundation honors young scientists who are usually not older than 35 years. In 2022 the board of the Werner-von-Siemens-Ring Foundation honored a total of four young scientists.

Water electrolysis for hydrogen production from renewable energies

Olga Kasian is being recognized for her research activities on electrolysis for hydrogen production from renewable energies. „Green hydrogen has a high potential to become a key technology in a carbon-free global energy sector, because it enables the transition of our energy systems in many sectors.“, Olga Kasian explains the relevance of her research.

„Green“ hydrogen production relies on the electrocatalytic splitting of water using renewable electricity from wind or sun. To accelerate electrochemical water splitting catalyst materials are used. However, the catalysts age over time and their efficiency decreases. Olga Kasian is studying these changes at the atomic scale in order to target them and improve the durability of the catalytically active materials.

About Olga Kasian

Olga Kasian has joined the Faculty of Engineering of FAU in 2021 as W2 Professor of materials for electrochemical energy conversion. She has been leading the Helmholtz Young Investigator Group at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) since 2019, which focuses on dynamic changes in materials during electrocatalytic reactions.

She received her PhD in electrochemistry from the Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology in 2013. She then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. In 2015, she received a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to perform her research at the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research in Düsseldorf.

Further information

Prof. Dr. Olga Kasian
https://www.ww.tf.fau.de/person/olga-kasian/

Stiftung Werner-von-Siemens-Ring
https://siemens-ring.de/jungwissenschaftler-2022/