PhD Students
Jessica Itxel Vasquez Matias
I was born and raised in the beautifully chaotic Mexico City. I loved science from a very young age and decided to study Chemistry. I obtained my bachelor's and master's degrees (with honors) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, working on organic materials synthesis and characterization. Now, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in the Giovannitti group at Chalmers, as I have a strong interest in developing materials that could pave the way for sustainable technologies. In my spare time, I enjoy watching movies, reading any type of book (particularly novels), running, and spending time with my loved ones.
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Yixu Wang
I grew up in Xi’an, a famous historical and cultural city in the Northwest part of China. My passion for science, especially chemistry, began in middle school. I obtained my master’s degree at Chalmers University of Technology, where I worked on organic synthesis for biosensors during my master’s thesis in 2024. Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in the Giovannitti group, focusing on the synthesis and characterization of polymeric electrocatalysts. In my free time, I enjoy sports and travel, and I am also passionate about reading, playing Go, and exploring different cultures
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Ruby Susan Raju
Originally from Kerala, India, I grew up in Doha, Qatar where I developed a passion for science and engineering. In 2022, I moved to Sweden to pursue a Master's degree in Innovative and Sustainable Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology. I am now pursuing a PhD in the Giovannitti group, focusing on the electrochemical characterisation of synthesised polymeric organic semiconductors. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, taking long walks, baking and knitting.
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Albin Petrén
Growing up on the islands in the archipelago surrounding Gothenburg, studying at Chalmers University was always a dream growing up. I eventually attended the Bachelor program in Electrochemical engineering with Physics, which continued with a master’s degree in Materials Chemistry where my thesis topic was aimed at the use of organic electrode materials for efficient electrochemical synthesis. My Ph.D. studies will further develop the theories established in my master thesis and expanded towards application. Outside of my studies I enjoy traveling, hiking, mountaineering and biking to explore the different environments of the world.
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Postdocs
Jessica Orrego Hernández (Industrial Postdoc)
I was born in a small village close to the sea (Apartadó-Colombia) and raised in Bogotá-Colombia. I earned my chemistry degree at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Then, I did my master's and PhD studies at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) researching the synthesis of pyrazoles as fluorescent chemosensors for the detection of ions in water. In 2019, I moved to Gothemburg-Sweden to work at Kasper Moth-Poulsen group as a postdoctoral researcher developing the scalable synthesis of photoswitches for solar energy storage applications. In 2021, I joined a startup company called Celcibus AB located in Gothenburg-Sweden where I am working in the development of PGM-free catalysts for PEM fuel cells. Currently, I am an industrial postdoctoral researcher teaming up with the Giovannitti group and Celcibus AB. The current position is funded by the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE) which aims to develop new electrode materials for fuel cells and electrolyzer applications.
Megan Westwood
Originally from West Yorkshire, I moved to London in 2016 to undertake an integrated Master degree in Chemistry at University College London. In 2020 I began my PhD under the supervision of Bob C. Schroeder at UCL, where my research project was centred around developing self-healing conjugated polymers for wearable electronics. I joined the Giovannitti group as a postdoc in 2024, where my work will focus on developing efficient organic electrocatalytic materials. Outside of the lab I enjoy travelling to explore new cities, reading and cooking.
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Master students
Purin Sathirathai
Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, I have always been attracted to science. I completed my bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University. During my undergraduate years, I joined various research groups which sparked an interest in material science within me. Thus, I decided to pursue a master’s program in Materials Chemistry at Chalmers. I am currently working on metal complexes for photocatalysis applications. In my spare time, you can find me enjoying my stereo or reading books.​
Principal Investigator
Alexander Giovannitti
I am a Polymer Chemist with a strong interest in synthesizing alternative materials for energy storage and energy conversion technologies. My training in Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, and Material Science and Engineering enables me to prepare materials with exciting properties to pave the way for a greener and more sustainable future of energy storage and chemical/energy conversion technologies.
I studied chemistry (Diploma) at the Karlsruhe Insitute of Technology (KIT) (Germany), followed by a Master of Research (MRes) and Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry at Imperial College London (Center for Plastic Electronics (Department of Physics) and the Department of Chemistry). During my first postdoc in the Nelson group (Department of Physics), I fabricated polymer batteries and studied their performance in water-based electrolytes. In 2019, I moved to Stanford University to join the Department of Material Science and Engineering, working in the Salleo group, to push forward new concepts for the recycling of polymer batteries and electrocatalysts.
In my free time, I am passionate about cooking and baking, love exploring countries, and learning about cultures. I am also excited about surfing and cycling.