Sijin is currently a PhD researcher in the Sustainable Energy Storage & Recycling Group supervised by Dr. Georgios Nikiforidis at the Institute for Materials Discovery (IMD), University College London (UCL).
Sijin completed his bachelor’s and master’s studies at Imperial College London, where he graduated with an MEng in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering. His bachelor’s research focused on the “Development of biomimetic nanomaterials for early cancer detection,” where he systematically analyzed and envisioned the future potential of biomimetic nanomaterials in cancer diagnosis. During this time, he conducted highly interdisciplinary research programs under the supervision of Dame Professor Molly Stevens DBE FRS FREng. He closely collaborated with the University of Oxford’s Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics before Professor Stevens and her research group transitioned to Oxford in April 2023.
In October 2022, Sijin joined the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Interface with the Future - Underpinning Science to Support the Energy transition (InFUSE) Prosperity Partnership while simultaneously pursuing his master’s degree under the supervision of Imperial College London’s Vice-Provost, Professor Mary Ryan CBE FREng. His research focused on battery interface behaviors, employing a cross-disciplinary approach to study morphology, structure, and chemistry from the atomic to the macroscale, as well as their dynamic evolution under extreme operational conditions. Specifically, he concentrated on sodium-ion batteries, investigating the effects of various electrolytes and electrolyte additives in collaboration with Shell and Diamond Light Source.
Following his master’s research, Sijin worked as a Scientist in Energy Materials at the UK-based fuel cell company Ceres Power Limited, where he led a research project tackling a long-standing issue of poisoning in SteelCell Technology®. He also briefly worked as a carbon net-zero transition advisor for the UK fashion company Avinci before joining UCL in 2024.