Our research team

David Kubička

LinkedIn ; Research Gate; ORCID

Education: 

• University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Department of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry (MSc.)
• Abo Akademi University, Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry (Ph.D.)
• University of New York in Prague (MBA)
• University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Department of Petroleum Technology and Alternative Fuels (Prof.)

Working experience: 

• UCTP (2016 - …)
• VUAnCH/UniCRE (2006 – 2015)
• Abo Akademi (2001-2005)
• Chemopetrol/VUAnCH (1999-2001)

Specialization: 

• heterogeneous catalysis
• biomass valorization
• green chemistry
• refining and petrochemical processes

Hobbies:

• (dog) agility and obedience, natural garden planting

Oleg Kikhtyanin

Research Gate; ORCID

Education: 

• Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia (PhD)
• Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia (MSc)

Working experience: 

• 2017 - till now Technopark Kralupy VŠCHT Praha – Research scientist
• 2016-2016 Unipetrol Centre for Research and Education (former Research Institute of Inorganic Chemistry (VUANCH)) – Head of the laboratory RENTECH (Organic Synthesis)
• 2013-2015 Research Institute of Inorganic Chemistry (VUANCH) – Senior Researcher
• 2000-2013 Boreskov Institute of Catalysis (Novosibirsk, Russia) – Researcher
• 1992-1999 Scientific-Engineering Centre “Zeosit”, Novosibirsk, Russia – Head of the Group of Organic Synthesis
• 1984-1991 Boreskov Institute of Catalysis (Novosibirsk, Russia) – Junior Researcher

Specialization: 

• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Acid-base catalysis
• Synthesis and characterization of microporous and mesoporous materials
• Chemical utilization of renewables – valorization of biomass
• Biomass-to-chemicals, advanced biofuels.

Hobbies:

• books, music, sport

Jaroslav Aubrecht

LinkedIn; Research Gate; ORCID

 Education:

• University of Chemistry and Technology Prague – Development of Cu catalysts for ester hydrogenolysis (Ph.D.)
  
• University of Chemistry and Technology Prague – Drug synthesis and production (MSc.)

 Working experience: 

• UCCS Lille (6/2023 - prof. Jean-François Lamonier) - catalyst surface analysis 
• ITQ Valencia (3 months 2019, prof. Agustín Martínez) - advanced characterization of heterogeneous catalysts  
  
• EnProCo Berlin GmbH (totally 5 months in 2015 and 2016) – process design

 Specialization: 

• heterogeneous catalysis
• catalyst characterization 
  
• Cu-based catalysts for ester hydrogenolysis

 Hobbies: 

• sports, travelling and relax 

Valeriia Korolova

 Education:

• University of Chemistry and Technology Prague – PhD

Specialization: 

• Aldol condensation
• Hydrotalcite-based catalysts 

Anastasia Kurbanova

LinkedIn; ORCID

Education:

• Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic – Development of iron-zeolite catalysts for hydrocarbon cracking and hydrogenation applications (Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry)
• Mari State University, Yoshkar-Ola, Russia (Specialist degree in Fundamental and Applied Chemistry) 

Working experience:

• UCT Prague, 2025 – present, postdoctoral researcher (UCT Prague)
• Charles University in Prague, 2020-2025, researcher (Ph.D. student) (Dr. Jan Přech, group of Prof. Jiří Čejka) 
• Johnson Matthey, 2021-2024, doctoral student under supervision of Dr. Ming-Feng Hsieh
• Johnson Matthey PLC, Billingham site, 2023 (2 months), internship (Dr. Ming-Feng Hsieh)
• Chromatec SDO JSC, Yoshkar-ola, 2018-2019, laboratory technician 

Hobbies:

• Baking, yoga, hiking

Rujito Sesariojiwandono Ridho Suharbiansah

Education:

• Institute of Chemical Technology, Leipzig University, Germany – Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx over Copper-Containing Zeolite Y (Ph.D.)
• Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia (M.Sc.)

Working Experience:

• 2025-present, UCT Prague
• 2020-2025, Institute of Chemical Technology, Leipzig University (Prof. Roger Gläser)
• 2022, Chemistry Department, University of Turin (Prof. Silvia Bordiga and Prof. Gloria Berlier) 
• 2019-2020, Institute of Chemical Technology, Leipzig University (Dr. habil. Eng. Magdalena Jablonska) 
• 2016-2018, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Leipzig University (Prof. Evamarie Hey-Hawkins)

Specialization:

• Heterogeneous catalysis
  
• Catalyst design, synthesis, and characterization
  
• Investigation of zeolites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Layered-Double Hydroxides (LDHs) in catalyzed reactions.

Hobbies:

• Travelling, sports (futsal and badminton), and content creator

Racheal Ariokot

Education:

• University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic | University of Oviedo, Spain | Abo Akademi University, Finland (Ing. IMATEC Erasmus Mundus)
• Kyambogo University, Uganda (Bsc. Chemical Engineering)

Working experience:

• 2019 – 2023: Quality Control Officer at Movit Products Limited, Uganda

Specialization:

• Circular economy,
• green chemistry,
• biomass valorization,
• heterogeneous catalysts

Hobbies:

• Crocheting, motorbike rides, nature walks

Snehasis Dutta

Education:

• Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India (M.Tech in Chemical Engineering)

  Working experience: 

• Research Scientist in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Mumbai, India

  Specialization: 

• Organic synthesis and purification
• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Design of experiments
• Process scale-up

 Hobbies: 

• Music, community services, long drives, exploring new places

Evgeniya Grechman

Education:

• University of Chemical and Technology, Prague, Department of Petroleum Technology and Alternative Fuels (Ing.)
• University of Chemical and Technology, Prague, Faculty of Environmental Technology (Bc.)

Working experience:

• 2024-till now – UCT, Technopark Kralupy, scientific researcher
• 2022-2024 - UCT, Technopark Kralupy, laboratory assistant

Specialization:

• heterogeneous catalysis
• catalyst characterization

Hobbies:

• drawing, music, video games

Keren Nderitu

Education: 

• University of Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, (MSc)
  Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering (BSc)

Working experience: 

• 2020– Highlands Drinks Limited,Kenya-Quality assurance
• 2022(Jan-March)– Oil refinery Menengai Limited,Kenya- Process engineer intern
• 2022(April-July) – Institute of Energy Processes and Chemical Engineering(IEC) Freiberg,Germany -Research intern
• 2022-2023 – Ranido s.r.o – Prague,Czechia- Research intern   

Specialization: 

• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Synthesis and characterization of microporous and mesoporous materials
• Valorization of biomass using Cu catalysts
• LCA of energy processes

Hobbies:

• Coding &Programming, Dancing, Sports, Video editing

Sharmistha Saha

Education:

• Masters in Technical Chemistry, Graz University of Technology, Austria
• Masters in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh
• BSc. in Chemistry, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh

Working experience:

• BRISKII: Transnational Access (Internship) - LNEG/UBB – Unit of Bioenergy and Biorefinery, Lisbon, Portugal
• Internship - Centre for Structural Chemistry, University of Lisbon, Portugal
• Internship - PROFACTOR GmbH, Steyr, Austria

Specialization:

• Biogas production and optimization
• Optimization of the crystallization process using molecular dynamics simulation
• 3D printing

Babar Amin

PhD student

2021-2026

Bogdan Shumeiko
post-doc 2023,
PhD 2017-2022

Andrey Smirnov

post-doc 2021-2023

Violetta Pospelova
PhD 2017-2022 

Arumugam Mahashanon

post-doc, 2021-22