Sibel Dikmen Kucuk | Materials Science | Best Researcher Award Published on 08/10/202508/10/2025 by Petroleum Engineering Dr. Sibel Dikmen Kucuk | Materials Science | Best Researcher Award Dr. Researcher at Düzce University | Turkey Dr. Sibel Dikmen Küçük is a Lecturer at Düzce University with extensive academic and industrial experience in cosmetic science and composite material technologies. She holds a Ph.D. in Composite Material Technologies (2024) and an M.Sc. in the same field (2018) from Düzce University, following a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Hacettepe University. Her doctoral research focused on developing natural nanoselulose-based hydrating and stain-removing composite facial masks, reflecting her commitment to integrating sustainable materials into cosmetic formulations. Before her academic appointment in 2017, she spent several years managing project quality for sealing profiles in the automotive sector, gaining solid expertise in polymer processing and industrial standards. Dr. Sibel Dikmen Küçük research centers on the formulation of biopolymer-based and nanocellulose-reinforced composites for cosmetic and engineering applications, with a special emphasis on natural preservatives, antioxidant-rich serums, and functional skin and hair care systems. She has led and contributed to numerous national research projects supported by TÜBİTAK and higher education institutions, including innovations in bio-based rubber, activated carbon production from agricultural waste, and new-generation liposomal cosmetic products. Her publications in international journals such as BioResources, South African Journal of Botany, and the Journal of Rubber Research highlight her contributions to biopolymer modification, UV stabilization, and green material integration. Additionally, she is the inventor and patent holder of a bacterial nanocellulose–based facial serum and actively teaches courses on cosmetic formulation design and quality control. Through continuous professional development and participation in advanced certification programs across Europe, she bridges chemical engineering and cosmetic technology, advancing sustainable innovation in personal care science. Her career reflects a dedication to transforming natural materials into high-performance cosmetic and polymeric systems that align with global sustainability goals. Profile: ORCID Featured Publications Dikmen Küçük, S. (2025). Development and characterization of Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber reinforced by green material lignin. Kucuk, S. D., Groso, A., Collet, G., Daniellou, R., & Caliskan, U. K. (2024). Effect of bacterial nanocellulose and plant-containing facial serum on hyperpigmentation in in-vitro conditions. Dikmen Küçük, S., & Uğraş, H. (2024). Chemical modification of carbon black for coloring. Kucuk, S. D., Arslan, R., Candan, Z., Tozluoglu, A., Karacay, E., & Ugras, H. İ. (2022, October 5). Kağıt endüstrisinde bor bileşiklerinin kullanımının araştırılması. Dikmen Küçük, S., Tozluoğlu, A., Güner, Y., Arslan, R., & Sertkaya, S. (2022). Nano-fibrillenmiş selüloz / EPDM kompozitlerin mekanik, reolojik ve yaşlanma özellikleri.
Dr. Sibel Dikmen Küçük is a Lecturer at Düzce University with extensive academic and industrial experience in cosmetic science and composite material technologies. She holds a Ph.D. in Composite Material Technologies (2024) and an M.Sc. in the same field (2018) from Düzce University, following a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Hacettepe University. Her doctoral research focused on developing natural nanoselulose-based hydrating and stain-removing composite facial masks, reflecting her commitment to integrating sustainable materials into cosmetic formulations. Before her academic appointment in 2017, she spent several years managing project quality for sealing profiles in the automotive sector, gaining solid expertise in polymer processing and industrial standards. Dr. Sibel Dikmen Küçük research centers on the formulation of biopolymer-based and nanocellulose-reinforced composites for cosmetic and engineering applications, with a special emphasis on natural preservatives, antioxidant-rich serums, and functional skin and hair care systems. She has led and contributed to numerous national research projects supported by TÜBİTAK and higher education institutions, including innovations in bio-based rubber, activated carbon production from agricultural waste, and new-generation liposomal cosmetic products. Her publications in international journals such as BioResources, South African Journal of Botany, and the Journal of Rubber Research highlight her contributions to biopolymer modification, UV stabilization, and green material integration. Additionally, she is the inventor and patent holder of a bacterial nanocellulose–based facial serum and actively teaches courses on cosmetic formulation design and quality control. Through continuous professional development and participation in advanced certification programs across Europe, she bridges chemical engineering and cosmetic technology, advancing sustainable innovation in personal care science. Her career reflects a dedication to transforming natural materials into high-performance cosmetic and polymeric systems that align with global sustainability goals. Profile: ORCID Featured Publications Dikmen Küçük, S. (2025). Development and characterization of Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber reinforced by green material lignin. Kucuk, S. D., Groso, A., Collet, G., Daniellou, R., & Caliskan, U. K. (2024). Effect of bacterial nanocellulose and plant-containing facial serum on hyperpigmentation in in-vitro conditions. Dikmen Küçük, S., & Uğraş, H. (2024). Chemical modification of carbon black for coloring. Kucuk, S. D., Arslan, R., Candan, Z., Tozluoglu, A., Karacay, E., & Ugras, H. İ. (2022, October 5). Kağıt endüstrisinde bor bileşiklerinin kullanımının araştırılması. Dikmen Küçük, S., Tozluoğlu, A., Güner, Y., Arslan, R., & Sertkaya, S. (2022). Nano-fibrillenmiş selüloz / EPDM kompozitlerin mekanik, reolojik ve yaşlanma özellikleri.
Qi Yang | Sustainable Polymer | Best Academic Researcher Award Published on 03/10/2025 by Petroleum Engineering Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang | Sustainable Polymer | Best Academic Researcher Award Teacher at Qingdao University of Science and Technology | China Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang is a dedicated researcher and academic in the field of polymer science and engineering, currently serving as an Associate Professor at the School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer Materials and Engineering from Qingdao University of Science and Technology in 2014, followed by a Ph.D. in Material Science from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2019, where he conducted advanced research under the guidance of Prof. Xuequan Zhang. Since 2020, he has contributed significantly to teaching and research as a faculty member, while also expanding his international academic exposure through a postdoctoral fellowship at Tampere University from 2023 to 2025. His research interests center on developing eco-friendly synthetic pathways for diene rubbers, exploring novel structures and properties to enhance their industrial applications, and advancing functionalization methods to equip synthetic rubbers with innovative properties tailored for sectors including healthcare and electronics. He is also deeply engaged in creating stimuli-responsive rubber materials that react to light, heat, and magnetism, enabling their integration into soft robotics for intelligent, flexible actuation and adaptive deformation. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang scholarly contributions are evidenced by his publications in high-impact journals, covering topics such as selective polymerization of isoprene, novel copolymer designs for high-performance elastomers, light-responsive programmable materials, and sustainable thermoplastic elastomers. His work not only advances the understanding of polymer structures and properties but also bridges fundamental research with practical applications in advanced materials. With a strong foundation in material science and a focus on sustainable and intelligent polymer systems, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang continues to make meaningful contributions to the field, aiming to drive innovation in both academic research and industrial applications. Profile: ORCID Featured Publications Liu, X., Yang, Q., Zhang, C., Zhang, X., & Liu, H. (2024). 3,4-Selective polymerization of isoprene by iron-based system: The key role of borate salts for enhancing catalytic activities and broadening 1,10-phenanthroline ligand scope. Liu, X., Zheng, H., Wang, X., Jiang, Z., Gu, J., Liu, H., Zhang, C., Yang, Q., & Zhang, X. (2023). Novel butadiene/isoprene copolymer with predominant 1,2/3,4-units: A tough thermoplastic elastomer material with superior dynamic mechanical properties. Yang, Q., Shahsavan, H., Deng, Z., Guo, H., Zhang, H., Liu, H., Zhang, C., Priimagi, A., Zhang, X., & Zeng, H. (2022). Semi‐crystalline rubber as a light‐responsive, programmable, resilient robotic material. Yang, Q., Zheng, W., Zhao, W., Peng, C., Ren, J., Yu, Q., Hu, Y., & Zhang, X. (2019). One-way and two-way shape memory effects of a high-strain cis-1,4-polybutadiene–polyethylene copolymer based dynamic network via self-complementary quadruple hydrogen bonding. Yang, Q., Peng, C., Ren, J., Zhao, W., Zheng, W., Zhang, C., Hu, Y., & Zhang, X. (2019). A near-infrared photoactuator based on shape memory semi-crystalline polymers toward light-fueled crane, grasper, and walker. Yang, Q., Wang, X., Wang, B., Liu, Y., Sun, Y., Na, L., Wang, F., Zhang, C., Liu, H., & Zhang, X. (2021). Toward sustainable and strong ABA-type thermoplastic elastomers with poly(ε-caprolactone-co-4-methyl-ε-caprolactone) soft midblock and polystyrene hard end blocks.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang is a dedicated researcher and academic in the field of polymer science and engineering, currently serving as an Associate Professor at the School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering in Polymer Materials and Engineering from Qingdao University of Science and Technology in 2014, followed by a Ph.D. in Material Science from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2019, where he conducted advanced research under the guidance of Prof. Xuequan Zhang. Since 2020, he has contributed significantly to teaching and research as a faculty member, while also expanding his international academic exposure through a postdoctoral fellowship at Tampere University from 2023 to 2025. His research interests center on developing eco-friendly synthetic pathways for diene rubbers, exploring novel structures and properties to enhance their industrial applications, and advancing functionalization methods to equip synthetic rubbers with innovative properties tailored for sectors including healthcare and electronics. He is also deeply engaged in creating stimuli-responsive rubber materials that react to light, heat, and magnetism, enabling their integration into soft robotics for intelligent, flexible actuation and adaptive deformation. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang scholarly contributions are evidenced by his publications in high-impact journals, covering topics such as selective polymerization of isoprene, novel copolymer designs for high-performance elastomers, light-responsive programmable materials, and sustainable thermoplastic elastomers. His work not only advances the understanding of polymer structures and properties but also bridges fundamental research with practical applications in advanced materials. With a strong foundation in material science and a focus on sustainable and intelligent polymer systems, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Qi Yang continues to make meaningful contributions to the field, aiming to drive innovation in both academic research and industrial applications. Profile: ORCID Featured Publications Liu, X., Yang, Q., Zhang, C., Zhang, X., & Liu, H. (2024). 3,4-Selective polymerization of isoprene by iron-based system: The key role of borate salts for enhancing catalytic activities and broadening 1,10-phenanthroline ligand scope. Liu, X., Zheng, H., Wang, X., Jiang, Z., Gu, J., Liu, H., Zhang, C., Yang, Q., & Zhang, X. (2023). Novel butadiene/isoprene copolymer with predominant 1,2/3,4-units: A tough thermoplastic elastomer material with superior dynamic mechanical properties. Yang, Q., Shahsavan, H., Deng, Z., Guo, H., Zhang, H., Liu, H., Zhang, C., Priimagi, A., Zhang, X., & Zeng, H. (2022). Semi‐crystalline rubber as a light‐responsive, programmable, resilient robotic material. Yang, Q., Zheng, W., Zhao, W., Peng, C., Ren, J., Yu, Q., Hu, Y., & Zhang, X. (2019). One-way and two-way shape memory effects of a high-strain cis-1,4-polybutadiene–polyethylene copolymer based dynamic network via self-complementary quadruple hydrogen bonding. Yang, Q., Peng, C., Ren, J., Zhao, W., Zheng, W., Zhang, C., Hu, Y., & Zhang, X. (2019). A near-infrared photoactuator based on shape memory semi-crystalline polymers toward light-fueled crane, grasper, and walker. Yang, Q., Wang, X., Wang, B., Liu, Y., Sun, Y., Na, L., Wang, F., Zhang, C., Liu, H., & Zhang, X. (2021). Toward sustainable and strong ABA-type thermoplastic elastomers with poly(ε-caprolactone-co-4-methyl-ε-caprolactone) soft midblock and polystyrene hard end blocks.