Interview with Dr. Viviana Bressi—Winner of the Sustainable Chemistry 2023 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award
It is our great pleasure to introduce the winner of the Sustainable Chemistry Best Ph.D. Thesis Award for 2023—Dr. Viviana Bressi.
Dr. Bressi conducted her doctoral research within the Engineering Department at the University of Messina-UNIME (Italy) and simultaneously pursued a co-agreement thesis within the doctoral program of Fine Chemistry at the Department of Organic Chemistry of the University of Córdoba-UCO (Spain). Her research focuses on converting renewable biomass and waste into valuable chemicals, characterizing their textural and physicochemical properties, and exploring their behaviors in sensing and catalytic fields.
The following is a short interview with Dr. Viviana Bressi:
1. Have you always wanted to become a scientist and how do you find it now that you are one? What do you get up to outside of your scientific research?
Honestly, when I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a medical doctor to help and heal people. However, my passion for the world of research blossomed during my master’s thesis in pharmacy, when I realized that I could still wear a lab coat and contribute to society differently. Today, the laboratory feels like home, and if I were to close my eyes, I couldn’t imagine myself in any other role. Other passions outside the world of research? Playing chess, swimming, playing tennis, eating sushi, hiking in the mountains to forage for mushrooms, and spending time with my dogs and family.
2. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what motivated you to pursue a Ph.D. in your field?
As I mentioned earlier, my decision to pursue a Ph.D. came after a year of working on my thesis, during which my passion for research truly blossomed. The amusing part is that the field I dove into during my Ph.D. is quite different from my academic background—I’m a pharmacist, but I completed my Ph.D. within the engineering department. Looking back, I couldn’t have made a better choice. Working in such a different environment pushed me to study hard, roll up my sleeves, and really put in the effort. At the same time, it was an enriching experience that allowed me to enjoy myself and engage with colleagues who had entirely different expertise, broadening my horizons.
3. Please, tell us about the innovative green materials you harnessed as adsorbents for the removal of hazardous organic pollutants.
My thesis focused on the development of innovative materials derived from the valorization of waste, specifically green materials thermochemically converted into high-value products. Characterization of these materials revealed their potential in various environmental fields, such as the adsorption of pollutants. For example, the hydrochar obtained from invasive algae through HTC performed under mild conditions showed a surface area and chemical–physical functional groups compatible with the adsorption processes of organic pollutants. Additionally, nanomaterials derived from hydrochar of orange peels or beer brewing residues, which are soluble in water, were used to modify screen-printed sensors, achieving excellent performance in electrochemical applications, including the detection of heavy metals in seawater and biomolecule sensing. These materials open the door to numerous applications in many fields that are still under ongoing study.
4. How did you manage your workload whilst writing your thesis and what was the biggest challenge for you?
I experienced my thesis period with the same enthusiasm that has accompanied me throughout my journey. The biggest challenge was managing to complete all the tasks and wrap up the collaborations between the two universities where I carried out my thesis: UNIME (Messina) and UCO (Spain). However, I was always supported by my supervisors, whose help was instrumental in achieving this goal!
5. Do you have any advice to give to students starting to work on their theses?
The only advice I can give is not to let stress, discouragement, and laziness take over, but to try to organize and plan the work day by day. Even on the most difficult days, it's important not to lose sight of positivity, remembering that the Ph.D. experience is a journey that should be lived with enthusiasm and passion.
We would like to congratulate Dr. Viviana Bressi on winning the Sustainable Chemistry 2023 Best Ph.D. Thesis Award!