Mohammad Khorsand from the Institute of NanoScale Science and Technology at College of Science and Engineering is one of the seven winners of the Best HDR Student Publication Award for 2019.

Mohammad Khorsand with his team at Flinders University have successfully fabricated and simulated a new generation of nanogenerators operating based on the physical contact between different materials. They presented an efficient device by choosing the highest positive and negative materials in triboelectrification process along with attributing proper characteristics to the working mechanism. The output of the proposed design is a breakthrough in the field.

We asked Mr Khorsand about his PhD journey and what winning this award means to him. “This work means a lot to me. We started exploring a hot topic in nanoscience and technology which is very demanding in today’s life.”, Mr Khorsand said. “More importantly, we worked together as a team. I was able to utilise ideas and recommendations from others and I have learnt how vital a collaborative environment is in achieving success. I would not have received this award without great support from the team.”

When asked why he chose to study PhD, Mr Khorsand said: “After completing a Master’s Degree in Engineering, I was looking for an opportunity to continue my studies towards PhD. I was very fortunate to meet Professor Youhong Tang, get to know his research and secure him as a principal supervisor for my PhD journey. The research group run by Professor Tang was actively working on nanoscience and technology and this was in line with my interests. From the very beginning of my study, based on my skills, Professor Tang directed my research towards a recently established topic in the field, which resulted in receiving this award.”

Mr Khorsand believes that a good supervisor is a long-sighted person who looks after future knowledge. “Professor Tang keeps himself up to date with the rapid pace of the knowledge generated in the world.”, he said.

Mr Khorsand stated that choosing a supervisor is the most critical step for PhD students. “A person who easily communicates with you, likes to learn, encourages you to work as a team and has excellent management skills is your best option.”, he added. He then continued: “Time flies during PhD studies and therefore effective time management is a key and will help students to take control of their time and meet deadlines.”

We also asked Mr Khorsand about his future research plans: “I have just begun a beautiful journey in this field. I really look forward to continuing my research and to contribute to the community by creating more innovative ideas and publications. Because the area of my research is novel, there is a big demand for more people to be engaged and more research to be done within this field.”

Finally, Mr Khorsand would like to thank all people who encouraged and supported him during his research.

To read Mr Khorsand’s full publication, please click here.