Edwin Tonderai Mombeshora | Energy Materials | Best Researcher Award

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"

Sara Barati | Environment | Women Researcher Award

Dr. Sara Barati | Environment | Women Researcher Award

Semnan University | Brazil

Author Profiles

Scopus 

Google Scholar

Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Sara Barati began her academic journey in Chemical Engineering at the University of Arak, Iran, where she obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Her early research was rooted in environmental applications, particularly focusing on the modeling of CO₂ capture in porous media using MATLAB. This strong foundation in computational modeling provided her with essential skills in transport phenomena and process simulation. She further pursued her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Semnan, Iran, where her doctoral research centered on nanocomposites synthesis and the development of advanced proton exchange membranes for fuel cells, coupled with COMSOL Multiphysics simulations.

Professional Endeavors

Dr. Barati’s professional career reflects a seamless integration of computational modeling, experimental fabrication, and interdisciplinary research. She has worked as a Research Assistant at multiple prestigious universities, including Amir Kabir University, Tehran University, and currently at USP University in Brazil. Her roles involved battery modeling, experimental cell assembly, and the design of innovative energy systems. She has also contributed as a course lecturer, offering advanced training in COMSOL Multiphysics, covering domains from electrochemical systems and membrane separation to biomedical simulations and renewable energy applications.

Contributions and Research Focus

Her research contributions span a wide range of energy and material systems, with a primary focus on next-generation batteries (Li-ion, Na-ion, Li-S), fuel cells, nanocomposites, and multiphysics simulations. She has authored impactful articles on battery modeling, sensitivity analysis using Python and machine learning approaches, and optimization of electrochemical performance. Beyond batteries, her projects have addressed fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, CO₂ absorption, membrane design, and microchannel transport phenomena. This broad scope underscores her interdisciplinary expertise and ability to connect materials, chemical processes, and energy systems.

Impact and Influence

Through her work, Dr. Barati has advanced understanding in both the theoretical modeling and practical development of sustainable energy technologies. Her innovative modeling strategies, particularly using COMSOL, Python, and PyBaMM, have provided valuable insights into the commercialization challenges of Li-S batteries and the performance optimization of Na-ion and Li-ion systems. Additionally, her training programs have empowered students and researchers globally to apply multiphysics modeling tools across diverse engineering problems, amplifying her influence as both a researcher and mentor.

Academic Citations

Dr. Barati has published over 10 peer-reviewed articles in reputed international journals, contributing significantly to the scientific discourse in electrochemistry, nanomaterials, and computational modeling. Her publications, indexed on Google Scholar, have been cited by researchers worldwide, reflecting the growing impact of her research in advancing cleaner energy technologies and computational methods in chemical engineering.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Looking ahead, Dr. Barati is poised to make further strides in the development of sustainable energy solutions. Her expertise in coupling data-driven methods with computational modeling positions her at the forefront of future innovations in battery technology and renewable energy systems. With her strong academic and professional background, she is likely to continue bridging gaps between experimental research, advanced simulations, and industrial applications, thereby contributing to the global shift toward sustainable energy.

Conclusion

Dr. Sara Barati exemplifies the qualities of an accomplished woman researcher, with a career marked by dedication to scientific excellence, interdisciplinary innovation, and knowledge dissemination. Her journey-from early academic pursuits in Iran to international research collaborations—demonstrates her resilience, adaptability, and commitment to solving global energy challenges. With her growing research footprint and mentorship, she stands as a strong candidate for recognition through the Women Researcher Award.

Notable Publications

“Separating carbon dioxide from natural gas by a hollow fiber membrane contactor with various absorbents: Numerical investigation of membrane wettability

  • Author: H Rahnema, A Etminan, S Barati, K Pope
  • Journal: Separation and Purification Technology
  • Year: 2025

"‏Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer and Turbulent Fluid Flow for Transverse Vortex Generators with Nanoparticles

  • Author: S Barati, A Etminan, K Pope
  • Journal: Heat Transfer Research
  • Year: 2024

"Air Pollution Control: A Review of the most Important Methods

  • Author: S Barati, M Soleymani
  • Journal: Iranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
  • Year: 2023

"Preparation, characterization and proton transport of new porous nanocomposite membranes based on polybenzimidazole, lignin and TiO2 nanoparticles for high

  • Author: S Barati, M Mehdipourghazi, M Abdollahi, K Hooshyari, B Khoshandam
  • Journal: International Journal of Energy Research
  • Year: 2021

"Poly (benzimidazole)/poly (vinylphosphonic acid) blend membranes with enhanced performance for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

  • Author: Z Taherkhani, M Abdollahi, A Sharif, S Barati
  • Journal: Solid State Ionics
  • Year: 2021