
DSc (Kharkiv State University)
Summary of major contributions and recognitions:
Prof. Ostrikov has gained worldwide recognition across the fields of plasma science, nanoscience, materials science, and related areas of plasma applications. He is an acknowledged pioneer and leader in the rapidly emerging applied research area of Plasma Nanoscience and has been fundamental to the development of the field’s large international collaborative research community. Prof Ostrikov’s fundamental insights into using plasmas to structure nanoscale matter have been applied to the development of new advanced functional materials, devices and processes, which have applications in diverse research and technological fields. His approaches for control of energy and matter at nanoscales have been translated into a range of thermal, chemical, radiation and other processes. Their likely applications span the materials, energy, health and other fields, potentially leading to energy-efficient, green technologies for a sustainable future. Of special mention are recent physical insights into plasma and plasma-made nanostructure-enabled conversion of energy and matter leading to solar-thermal water purification and microbial sterilization and other applications, discovery of ion-enabled atomic bond manipulation that turn brittle ceramic materials superplastic, and mechanisms for the open-air plasma activation of fragile molecular matter to perform as a stable catalyst for hydrogen production under industry-relevant conditions. Prof. Ostrikov’s prolific publications in top journals across about 10 discipline areas have attracted over 30,800 citations (Google Scholar, GS) and H-index of 83 (GS) / 76 (Web of Science). His preeminent international standing and impact beyond his primary field are further evidenced by over 150 plenary, keynote and other invited talks, multiple prestigious awards, honours, fellowships and professorial appointments in 6 countries.
Awards, Prizes, Honours, Fellowships, and Leadership Roles:
- Humbodt Prize (Humboldt Research Award), Germany (2021-2026). Highly-prestigious career award recognizing international preeminence in the field, supporting scientific interactions and collaborations over five years.
- Academician (Foreign Fellow) of the prestigious European Academy of Sciences (since 2019),which involves 44 Nobel Laureates. Special distinctions/achievements are required for the election as a Foreign Fellow.
- Fellow, Institute of Physics, UK (since 2019). For outstanding contributions and promotion of Physics discipline.
- NML Researcher Award (2018) for research excellence in the field of nano and micro science and continuing outstanding contributions to the development of science (Nano-Micro Letters and Nature Research Society).
- In Sep. 2015, elected Academician (Foreign Member) of the Academia Europaea (the Academy of Europe, AE). Amongst the AE’s members are >70 Nobel Laureates.
- “Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics” New South Wales (NSW) Science and Engineering Award (2014). Office of Chief Scientist & Engineer and Trade & Investment of NSW State Government. This award recognizes research excellence across the physical, chemical, and biological sciences.
- Walter Boas Medal, Australian Institute of Physics (2010). For original research that has made the most important contribution to physics in the last 5 years. One of the most prestigious awards in Physics in Australia.
- Pawsey Medal of the Australian Academy of Sciences (2008). For the most outstanding research in physics by an Australian scientist under the age of 40. One of the most prestigious awards in Physics in Australia.
- ARC Future Fellowship, Level 3, Full Professor (2011-2015). One of the most prestigious fellowships in Australia with no more than 30 fellowships of this level awarded nation-wide across all disciplines per year.
- CEO Science Leader Fellowship and Award, CSIRO (2008-2017). CSIRO’s most prestigious fellowship; prestige and level of support comparable to ARC Federation Fellowship.
- Australian Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Fellowship of the ARC (2004-2009). One of the most prestigious fellowships in Australia with no more than 15 QEII fellowships awarded nation-wide across all disciplines per year.
- Lee Kuan Yew Research Fellowship, Singapore (2002). Most prestigious and competitive mid-career research fellowship in Singapore, with only two fellowships awarded at that time annually, across all disciplines.
- CSIRO Chief’s Award for Science Excellence, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Australia (2011). For outstanding multidisciplinary research.
- National Top-End (short term) Visiting Professor Awards, China (2012-4, 2015-7). Highly-prestigious and competitive program to attract pre-eminent visiting professors who are internationally renowned in their fields.
- More than ten honorary, adjunct, and visiting full professor-level appointments in 5 countries, including the Prominent Researchers from Abroad Distinguished Visiting Professorship Award of the Ministry of Science of Slovenia (2008, 2012), the Foreign Visiting Professorship (FVP) of Peking University (PkU), Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tsinghua University, and Zhejiang University, China (since 2015-6).
- Promoted to CSIRO’s Chief Research Scientist in Plasma- and Nano- Technologies (2012).
- Distinguished Doctor of Sciences, Kharkiv National University, Ukraine (2009).
- Fellow, Australian Institute of Physics (since 2008).
- Alexander von Humboldt Researh (1997-1999)and Long-Term Cooperation (2002)Fellowships, Germany.
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Invitation Research Fellowship (2000-2001), Japan.
- Royal Society Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (1997), UK.
- Best Young Scientist of the Year Award, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1997).
- The youngest Doctor of Sciences (D.Sc.) and a full professor in Ukraine (aged 29), 1997.
Ground-breaking research.
Prof Ostrikov’s fundamental concepts, discoveries, new theories, insights into structuring nanoscale matter using plasmas, developed over last 17 years have had a significant impact on his primary discipline (physics of plasmas) and specialized field (physics and applications of low-temperature plasmas) and opened many new opportunities for expanding and applying the new knowledge and practical theoretical and experimental approaches for the development of new advanced functional materials, devices and processes for applications in several research and technological fields.
Pioneering and leading new field.
Prof Ostrikov’s world-leading research and international science leadership has created Plasma Nanoscience – a new and rapidly emerging research and technological field where he is regarded as an international pioneer and leader. Many researchers have followed his lead and engaged in the International Plasma Nanoscience Network that he created and leads. The iPlasmaNano conferences he has convened every year since 2009 set new directions and priorities in the field and are in high demand among researchers from diverse fields.
Impact beyond own field.
Prof Ostrikov’s research has had a marked impact on several fields, evidenced by the application of advanced nanomaterials for electronics, energy conversion and storage, environmental and biomedical sensing, catalysis, devices and processes for water purification, food processing, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, etc. Generic research methods and approaches for control of energy and matter at nanoscales developed through his fundamental research have been translated into a diverse range of thermal, chemical, radiation, and other processes of significant fundamental and applied interest across several fields, potentially leading to energy-efficient, green technologies for a sustainable future.
High-impact publications across disciplines.
His research made plasma research visible well beyond specialized journals in the fields, through high-profile publications in top journals across several fields, e.g. Nature Communications (cross-disciplinary), top journals in Physics (e.g., Rev. Mod. Phys., Adv. Phys., Phys. Rev. Lett., Phys. Repts.), Chemistry (Chem. Rev., Chem. Soc. Rev., J. Amer. Chem. Soc.), Nanotechnology (e.g., ACS Nano, Nanoscale Horizons), Materials Science (e.g., Adv. Mater., Adv. Energy Mater., Adv. Funct. Mater.) and many other high-impact journals in other fields including microbiology, industrial chemistry and chemical engineering, medical oncology and biomedical devices.
Mentoring future leaders.
Prof Ostrikov’s research, science and community leadership, and research capacity building has enabled training of >70 postdoctoral and higher-level researchers, and >100 graduate and undergraduate students, with many of them becoming leaders in academia, research, industry and government sectors working together to deliver societal and economic benefits.
Last five years: moving faster, aiming higher.
In last five years, Prof. Ostrikov’s research advances and career achievements are particularly astonishing. First, he was able to expand the applications of his generic approaches and methods into several new fields including ion-material interactions, nano-plasmas for high-energy-density physics and applications, new classes of 2D nanomaterials, plasma-assisted catalysis, chemical and sustainable engineering, biotechnology and microdevices, water purification, etc. Second, he was elected as an Academician (Foreign Member) of the very prestigious European Academy of Sciences which include, and won a coveted career award – the Humboldt Prize (Humbodt Researh Award). Third, since 2016, he has published more than 300 papers in top journals including Rev. Mod. Phys., Chem. Rev., Nature Comm., Phys. Reports, Adv. Mat., Adv. Energy Mat., Adv. Funct. Mat., ACS Nano, Nano Energy, Mater. Horiz., Appl. Catal. B Environ., ACS Nano, Matter, and many others. Fourth, since 2017, his papers have been cited over 17,750 times, corresponding to an H-index of 62 (GS). This extraordinary high rate of high-impact publications and citations in last five years (compared to both his previous career, and other leading researchers in the field) clearly evidence that his already distinguished career is experiencing a rapid upward surge.
Details are current as of April 2022
Additional information
International recognition from academia and industry.
Prof. Ostrikov’s work has been recognised by many awards, honours, fellowships, and invitations. Remarkably, he is the first recipient of the high-profile Building Future Award of Germany’s Ministry of Economics, Association of Electronic and Electrotechnical Industries, and the world’s largest Trade Fair Messe Frankfurt in recognition of outstanding achievements and innovations in scientific research that sets a landmark in sustainable development in our society. He won the three most prestigious general-field (physics) medals of National Academies of Science of Australia and Ukraine and the Australian Institute of Physics, 7 prestigious international fellowships and 10 full professor-level appointments in 6 countries, and delivered more than 150 plenary, keynote, and invited talks at leading international conferences.
- Ostrikov, K., (2005). Reactive plasmas as a versatile nanofabrication tool. Reviews of Modern Physics, 77(2), 489–511. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/74153
- Ostrikov, K., Neyts, E. & Meyyappan, M. (2013). Plasma nanoscience: from nano-solids in plasmas to nano-plasmas in solids. Advances in Physics, 62(2), 113–224. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/73531
- Lu, X., Naidis, G., Laroussi, M., Reuter, S., Graves, D. & Ostrikov, K. (2016). Reactive species in non-equilibrium atmospheric-pressure plasmas: Generation, transport, and biological effects. Physics Reports, 630, 1–84. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/105326
- Neyts, E., Ostrikov, K., Sunkara, M. & Bogaerts, A. (2015). Plasma catalysis: Synergistic effects at the nanoscale. Chemical Reviews, 115(24), 13408–13446. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/100836
- Lu, X., Naidis, G., Laroussi, M. & Ostrikov, K. (2014). Guided ionization waves: Theory and experiments. Physics Reports, 540(3), 123–166. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/73509
- Ostrikov, K., Beg, F. & Ng, A. (2016). Colloquium: Nanoplasmas generated by intense radiation. Reviews of Modern Physics, 88(1), 1–22. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/105332
- Chiang, W., Mariotti, D., Sankaran, R., Eden, J. & Ostrikov, K. (2020). Microplasmas for Advanced Materials and Devices. Advanced Materials, 32(18). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/198288
- Lovell, E., Scott, J., Bedford, N., Tan, T., Cullen, P., Ostrikov, K. & Amal, R. (2022). Two Steps Back, One Leap Forward: Synergistic Energy Conversion in Plasmonic and Plasma Catalysis. ACS Energy Letters, 7(1), 300–309. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/229375
- Ma, C., Nikiforov, A., De Geyter, N., Dai, X., Morent, R. & Ostrikov, K. (2021). Future antiviral polymers by plasma processing. Progress in Polymer Science, 118. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/229479
- Ostrikov, K. & Murphy, A. (2007). Plasma-aided nanofabrication: where is the cutting edge? Journal Physics D: Applied Physics, 40(8), 2223–2241. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/73952