Dr. Yuan Li | Environmental Physics | Interdisciplinary Physics Award

Dr. Yuan Li | Environmental Physics | Interdisciplinary Physics Award

Dr. Yuan Li | X-Here Trek Laboratory (Establishing) | United States

Dr. Yuan Li is an innovative research scientist whose interdisciplinary work integrates cryospheric science, ice physics, and renewable energy engineering. He is internationally recognized for pioneering the concept of ice-based hydrogen energy, developing a self-sustaining solid-state proton extraction cycle that enables hydrogen production directly from ice without the need for electrodes or electrolytes. His research explores the microstructural behavior of ice and firn, advancing understanding of hydrogen migration and storage within frozen matrices. By combining cryogenic materials science, climate adaptation engineering, and polar glaciology, he bridges fundamental research with practical solutions for sustainable energy and environmental resilience. His publications in high-impact journals such as Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, and Nature Communications reflect the global significance of his work. Dr. Li’s “Ice to Hydrogen” innovation presents a transformative approach for decentralized, low-cost hydrogen production in remote and extreme environments. His contributions to cryogenic material characterization, freeze–thaw energy conversion, and ice-mediated desalination establish new directions for renewable energy systems. He utilizes advanced imaging techniques like X-ray micro-CT and cryo-SEM to study ice microstructures with unprecedented precision. His interdisciplinary expertise spans physics, materials science, and environmental sustainability. Through invited talks at global conferences, he has influenced the scientific dialogue on ice as a renewable resource. His work embodies the fusion of physical science and engineering innovation. Dr. Yuan Li continues to shape the emerging frontier of cryogenic energy technology, promoting a sustainable hydrogen future grounded in the physics of ice.

Profiles : Scopus |  Orcid 

Featured Publications

Li, H.-Y., & Li, Y. (2025, November). Ice to hydrogen: A self-sustaining cycle for decentralized green energy. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 83, 104647.

Li, Y., Fu, C., & Li, H.-Y. (2025, September 13). Lessons from nature’s freeze crystallization—Perennial sea ice as a model for efficient salt rejection in desalination. Crystal Growth & Design.

Li, Y. (2025, June 24). Comments on linear-viscous flow of temperate ice [Preprint]. ESSOAr.

Li, Y. (2025, January). Hydrogen production via imperfective ice Ih. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 100, 727–735.

Li, Y., & Fu, C. (2024, December). Hydrogen storage—Learning from nature: The air clathrate hydrate in polar ice sheets. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 72, 104007.

Li, Y. (2024, September). The improvement of hydrogen storage capacity via bubbles nucleated in ice-like nanotubes. Materials Today Sustainability, 27, 100856.

Dr. Kalpana Panneerselvam | Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Kalpana Panneerselvam | Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Kalpana Panneerselvam | IIT Madras | India

Dr. Kalpana Panneerselvam is a distinguished researcher in Condensed Matter Physics, specializing in Nanomagnetism, Spintronics, Quantum Transport, and Thermoelectric Materials. Her research focuses on the theoretical understanding of diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS), 2D-Xenes, and quantum-confined nanostructures, integrating quantum physics with semiconductor modeling. She has made notable contributions to the study of impurity states, exciton magnetic polarons, magneto-optical phenomena, and spin-polarized transport in low-dimensional systems. Her work on strain-engineered thermoelectric performance and Rashba spin–orbit coupling effects has advanced knowledge in nanoscale electronic transport and spin control. Dr. Panneerselvam has also explored light–matter interactions in photonic crystal waveguide cavities, linking nanophotonics with quantum computation. She employs computational tools such as Kwant, MATLAB, and FDTD simulations to model electronic and optical properties of emerging materials. Her publications in leading journals like Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, European Physical Journal Plus, and Physica E highlight her innovative contributions. She has presented her work at major international forums, including the APS March Meeting and ICMAT, earning recognition for her clarity in theoretical modeling. A recipient of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Seal of Excellence, she has demonstrated exceptional academic excellence and research independence. Her doctoral work on impurity states in semimagnetic nanostructures was shortlisted among the best theses at the DAE Solid State Physics Symposium. With strong interdisciplinary expertise spanning quantum materials, spin-based electronics, and photonic devices, Dr. Panneerselvam continues to drive forward innovative approaches to understand and engineer next-generation quantum materials. She is an active member of the American Physical Society and Semiconductor Society of India, contributing meaningfully to global condensed matter and nanoscience research.

Profiles : Scopus |  Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Panneerselvam, K., & Muralidharan, B. (2024). Giant excitonic magneto-optical Faraday rotation in single semimagnetic CdTe/Cd₁₋ₓMnₓTe quantum ring. Physica E: Low-Dimensional Systems and Nanostructures, 157, 115876.

Panneerselvam, K., & Muralidharan, B. (2024, June 18). Correction: Exciton magnetic polaron in Cd₁₋ₓMnₓTe single semimagnetic quantum ring. The European Physical Journal Plus.

Panneerselvam, K., & Muralidharan, B. (2024, April 8). Exciton magnetic polaron in Cd₁₋ₓMnₓTe single semimagnetic quantum ring. The European Physical Journal Plus, 139, 319.

Vignesh, G., Balaji, A. S., Mahalakshmi, S. M., Panneerselvam, K., & Mohan, C. R. (2023). On the semiconductor to metal transition in a quantum wire: Influence of geometry and laser. Modern Physics Letters B, 37(34), 2342007.

Panneerselvam, K., & Muralidharan, B. (2022). Exciton magnetic polaron in CdTe/Cd₁₋ₓMnₓTe single semimagnetic quantum ring. arXiv.

Panneerselvam, K., & Muralidharan, B. (2022). Modeling of exciton localization in semimagnetic concentric double quantum ring by the magnetic field. In Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE International Conference on Emerging Electronics (ICEE 2022) (pp. 1–5). IEEE.

Kalpana, P., & Jayakumar, K. (2021). Impurity states in semimagnetic quantum well wire with anisotropic confinement along in-plane directions. Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, 130(2), 287–292.