The Faculty of Science at Khon Kaen University (KKU) extends its warmest congratulations to three students from the Department of Physics who were honoured with the Best Oral Presentation Awards at the International Union of Materials Research Societies – International Conference on Electronic Materials 2026 (IUMRS-ICEM 2026). The international conference ran from 28 June to 1 July 2026 at The Empress Convention Centre in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Serving as a premier academic platform for materials science and electronic materials, the event gathered global researchers, academics, and experts to exchange pioneering insights and showcase cutting-edge research developments.
At the doctoral level, Miss Linda Kumalayanti, a Ph.D. student in the Materials Science and Nanotechnology programme, received the award under Symposium 3: Biosensors, Sensors, Flexible, and Wearable Electronics. Her presentation was entitled “Interface-Engineered Au Nanoclusters/Zinc Oxide–CQDs via Microwave-Assisted Synthesis for Ratiometric Fluorescence Sensing and Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics”. Her research was supervised by Asst. Prof. Navadecho Chankhunthod, a full-time faculty member of the Department of Physics.
For the master’s category, Miss Sulen Chann, a master’s degree student in the Materials Science and Nanotechnology programme, was awarded for her presentation under Symposium 4: Ferroelectric, Piezoelectric and Triboelectric Materials and Devices. Her paper was entitled “Synthesis of Carbon Dots Derived from Coffee Grounds for Enhancing the Performance of Triboelectric Nanogenerator”. She conducted her research under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Wiyada Harnchana, a full-time faculty member of the Department of Physics.
Representing the undergraduate category, Miss Awassada Buranet, a fourth-year student in the Battery and New Energy Science programme, won the award under Symposium 6: Batteries, Materials and Devices for Energy Storage. Her presentation focused on “Stabilizing P2-Type Na₀.₆₇Ni₀.₂₂Fe₀.₂₂Mn₀.₅₆O₂ Layered Oxide Cathodes via Calcium Doping for Sodium-Ion Batteries”. She was supervised by Dr. Panya Thanvisai, also of the Department of Physics.
Securing these three international accolades reflects the outstanding potential and academic calibre of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, alongside the dedicated faculty members of the Materials Science and Nanotechnology programme at the Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University. These awards underscore the university’s unwavering commitment to high-quality research that achieves international recognition. Furthermore, they reinforce KKU’s research excellence in advancing knowledge across materials science and nanotechnology, and in developing specialised components for electronic devices and energy storage systems that support real-world applications.
