School of Chemistry researchers recognised at UCC Research & Innovation Awards 2026

28 May 2026

The School of Chemistry is delighted to congratulate Professor Justin Holmes and Dr Rupa Ranjani, who were both recognised at the UCC Research & Innovation Awards 2025. Professor Holmes received the Supervisor of the Year Award, while Dr Ranjani was named joint winner of the Research Image of the Year Award.

Together, the awards highlight the strength of research, mentorship and innovation within the School of Chemistry. Professor Holmes, Professor of Nanochemistry and Principal Investigator in the Sustainability Institute at UCC, leads an internationally recognised research group focused on nanostructured materials for environmental and energy applications. His recognition as Supervisor of the Year reflects his long-standing commitment to doctoral training, including his role in supervising or co-supervising 52 PhD students to completion, and his wider support for early-career researchers working across nanomaterials, semiconductor sensing and energy-related materials.

The connection between the two awards is particularly fitting, as Dr Ranjani completed her PhD under Professor Holmes’s supervision. Her recognition for Research Image of the Year reflects both her own research excellence and the wider culture of scientific creativity fostered within the group.

Dr Ranjani’s award-winning image, “Nickel Web: Hidden Architecture Powering Energy Technologies”, was captured using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. The image reveals the intricate three-dimensional network of nickel foam, a lightweight material used in energy technologies such as batteries. Its web-like structure supports efficient electrical transport and anchors the active materials that drive energy storage and conversion. By combining scientific insight with visual impact, the image highlights the hidden architectures that underpin modern energy technologies.

Congratulating both awardees, Professor Anita Maguire, Head of School of Chemistry, said, “It is wonderful to see both Rupa and Justin recognised through the UCC Research & Innovation Awards. Their inclusion in this year’s awards is particularly fitting in the context of Justin’s recognition as Supervisor of the Year, and reflects the strength of the research culture, mentorship and innovation within the School of Chemistry.”