Innovating in science is a challenge! Tiara Puspasari, Ph.D. graduate at AMPM Center, knows it well. For five years she has been researching one of the most well-known polymers in the world: cellulose. She developed a new generation of cellulose membranes with many interesting properties and scalable for industry.
What makes a successful researcher? Hard work, inspiration, and creativity.
HARDWORK
“It was frustrating at the beginning to come up with something different and new but later on, it became challenging and interesting”, she notes. This study has opened up many great opportunities for cellulose to contribute to sustainable and economical membrane processes.
Tiara Puspasari successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation on April 25, 2018. Her thesis entitled “Versatile High-Performance Regenerated Cellulose Membranes prepared using Trimethylsilyl Cellulose as a Precursor" was well received by committee members Profs.
Klaus-Viktor Peinemann, (AMPM Center at KAUST),
Yu Han (AMPM Center at KAUST),
TorOve Leiknes (WDRC at KAUST) and
Sandra Kentish (Melbourne University, Australia).
“The membranes introduced in this thesis represent the first cellulose polymeric membranes ever reported for highly selective separation of similarly sized small organic molecules based on charge and size differences with outstanding fluxes”, she explains. “The membranes also demonstrate excellent air-dehumidification performance as compared to previously reported thin film composite membranes”, adds Tiara.
INSPIRATION
Both her supervisor, Prof. Klaus-Viktor Peinemann and her colleagues have been a source of inspiration and reference point to develop new ideas.
“Prof. Peinemann is a super nice and wise person, very inspiring to me. He gave me the highest degree of flexibility to do what I wanted in the lab, but at the same time, he shaped the way I think, the way we face problems. Once I find possible solutions, he gives valuable feedback and finally the journey ends up with good and interesting results.” she says.
CREATIVITY
When she is not working in the lab, Tiara likes cooking and playing with her kids. These activities stimulate the creativity that all researchers need.
“My passion is cooking and I like to try new recipes and come up with something delicious that people love. This is pretty similar to what I have been doing in the lab! Trial and error, mixing ingredients until you get something successful”.
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here to know more about her background.
Congratulations Dr. Tiara on your accomplishment!
AMPM Center faculty and staff wish you a career full of success.
