LCN researcher Dr Anastasiia Zaleska, a research associate from King’s College London’s Department of Physics, recently presented a poster at STEM for Britain 2023. This prestigious event celebrates the best of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research in the UK. The event is hosted by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee at the Houses of Parliament and brings together early-career researchers to showcase their work to policymakers and other stakeholders.
Zaleska’s poster presentation, titled “Light-Harvesting Nanomaterials for CO2 Reduction,” highlighted her research on the use of nanomaterials to enhance the catalytic activity of metamaterials for CO2 reduction. This research is part of the EPSRC-funded CPLAS (New perspectives in photocatalysis and near-surface chemistry: catalysis meets plasmonics) programme grant.
“Being selected as a finalist for STEM for Britain 2023 is a great honor,” said Zaleska. “It is incredibly inspiring to be part of such an important event and to have the opportunity to share my research with others who are passionate about STEM.”
Zaleska’s research focuses on plasmo-catalysis, a field that combines plasmonics and catalysis to enhance chemical reactions. Specifically, she investigates how light-harvesting nanomaterials can be used to drive the reduction of CO2 which can be converted into valuable chemicals, while mitigating the negative effects of carbon emissions.
“The potential impact of Anastasia’s work is significant, particularly in mitigating the effects of climate change,” said Professor Anatoly Zayats, Zaleska’s supervisor at King’s College London. “Her research has the potential to provide new insights into the use of plasmonics and catalysis to drive chemical reactions in a sustainable way.”
STEM for Britain 2023 is an important platform for early career researchers like Zaleska to showcase their work and engage with policymakers and other stakeholders. It provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of STEM research and the potential impact it can have on society.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of STEM for Britain 2023,” said Zaleska. “I hope my research will inspire others to pursue similar work and contribute to finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing our world.
