A PhD graduate of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), Samuel D. Widijatmoko has become the Youngest Indonesian to obtain a doctoral degree from a higher education institution in China. Samuel completed his PhD programme and received a PhD in Chemical Engineering in November 2020, at the age of 24 years and ten months.
Before coming to UNNC, Samuel studied in Indonesia. Having noticed China’s significant economic and scientific progress over the past few years, he decided to choose UNNC, a unique university in China, for future study. Here at UNNC, he had enjoyed his time as an undergraduate. After graduation, Samuel was determined to remain in Ningbo to pursue a doctoral degree.
Samuel’s PhD research on “Recovery of Positive Electrode Active Materials from Spent Lithium-ion Batteries” mainly focuses on recovering cobalt from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIB) and reproducing new LIB from old. When speaking of the reason he chose this topic, Samuel remarked that battery recycling research is an important topic, especially concerning the current boom in electric vehicles.
“We are concerned that we will run out of fossil fuel. The rare earth metal is the same and even is potentially less abundant than fossil fuel. We may end up not having enough Ni and Co for future battery demands,” he said.
During Samuel’s PhD study, he spent 7 hours a day doing experiments, followed by 3 hours’ lab report writing. Due to his self-discipline and hard work, he completed his doctoral study in advance, under the supervision of Dr Philip Hall and Prof Michael W. George. He also received the “Best Presentation” award in Environmental Protection from the Institution of Chemical Engineers at the 30th Symposium of Malaysian Chemical Engineers in 2018.
“Samuel was a hard working student and I am really pleased that he has achieved this accolade. His research was very important in dealing with hazardous waste materials which are growing exponentially worldwide. His research showed a path to how all valuable resources in Lithium-Ion batteries can be recovered and reused in the Circular Economy,” said Dr Philip Hall, the leading supervisor for Samuel's research.
Samuel’s team has filed a patent and received external funds for large-scale development and future industrial use. He has also joined University of Nottingham UK as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to continue his scientific career.
Looking back on his experience in UNNC, Samuel believes that social skills and networking are very important part in university life. He hopes that all UNNC students can make full use of the rich international resources at UNNC, make more friends, and lead a better life.
Published on 12 May 2021