Mohammed Amran | Product Innovation | Young Researcher Award

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Mr. Mohammed Amran | Product Innovation | Young Researcher Award

The University of Dodoma | Tanzania

Mr. Mohammed A. Amran is a dedicated chemist and researcher specializing in organic and sustainable materials. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Dodoma (UDOM), where he received the Overall Best Project in Chemistry Award in 2022 for his outstanding research achievements. Continuing his academic journey, he completed a Master of Science in Chemistry with a specialization in organic materials at the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) in December 2024. Mr. Amran’s pioneering research on seaweed-based bioplastics, under the project “The Potential of Native Seaweed as an Alternative Source of Bioplastic to Mitigate Climate Change,” earned him recognition and led to a granted patent titled “A Seaweed-Based Renewable Resources Bioplastic and Production Methods Thereof” (Patent No. TZ/P/2024/00105). He currently serves as an Assistant Lecturer at UDOM (2025–present), specializing in material sciences and organic materials, having previously worked as a Tutorial Assistant in Organic Chemistry (2023–2024). His professional experience also includes roles as Assistant Quality Controller at Lootah Group of Companies in Zanzibar and Senior Census Clerk at the National Bureau of Statistics during Tanzania’s 2022 national census. Mr. Amran has presented his research at leading forums such as the International Conference in Science, Technology, and Innovation (ICST) in Dodoma (2024) and the 9th STICE Conference in Dar es Salaam, contributing to the advancement of renewable packaging materials. Skilled in forensic chemical analysis, natural polymer extraction, quality control, and sustainable material synthesis, he has further honed his expertise through certified courses offered by Elsevier’s Researcher Academy and other industrial training programs. A multidisciplinary researcher, Mr. Amran’s work lies at the intersection of environmental sustainability, green chemistry, polymer science, and renewable materials, with a vision to combat plastic pollution and climate change through innovative bioplastic technologies and cross-sectoral collaboration.

Profiles: Scopus

Featured Publications

"Assessment of baseline physicochemical qualities of carrageenan-based bioplastics from Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed for their packaging applications"

Edwin Tonderai Mombeshora | Energy Materials | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Edwin Tonderai Mombeshora | Energy Materials | Best Researcher Award

University of Pretoria | South Africa

Dr. Edwin Tonderai Mombeshora is a materials chemist and academic currently serving as Lecturer in Physical Chemistry at the University of Pretoria (since January 2025), where he teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses, supervises honours and postgraduate students, and coordinates second-year Physical Chemistry practicals, with a research focus on materials development and physicochemical characterization for energy storage applications. He previously lectured in Physical and Materials Chemistry at the University of Zimbabwe (2022–2024) and held several research positions, including Postdoctoral Fellowships at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Swansea University, and the University of the Witwatersrand, specializing in nanomaterials science, electrochemical energy storage systems, biorefinery, and energy conversion. Dr. Mombeshora earned his PhD (2018) and MSc (2015) in Materials Chemistry from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a BSc Honours in Chemistry (2011) from the University of Zimbabwe. His expertise spans nanotechnology, carbon materials, and energy devices such as solar cells and supercapacitors. He is the recipient of several prestigious fellowships and research grants, including awards from the Water Research Commission, the Australia Africa Universities Network, and the University of Johannesburg’s Global Excellence Stature Fellowship, as well as the SACI Postgraduate Award (2018). Dr. Mombeshora has supervised and mentored students across undergraduate, MSc, and PhD levels, contributed to international conferences, served as guest editor for MDPI’s Processes, and co-authored research articles in leading journals such as RSC Materials Advances, Journal of Materials Science, and Journal of Nanobiotechnology. He is also co-inventor of a US-patented electroconductive composite (2020) and an active member of professional bodies including the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the South African Chemical Institute (SACI).

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

"Pristine graphene oxide treatment of wastewater from a typical sub-tropical mine in Chegutu, Zimbabwe"

"Towards high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells by utilizing reduced graphene oxide-based composites as potential alternatives to conventional electrodes: A review"

"The prospects of biologically derived materials in perovskite solar cells"

"Towards high-performance lithium-ion batteries by introducing graphene-based materials into LiFePO4 cathodes: A review"

"Dynamics of reduced graphene oxide: synthesis and structural models"