Dr. Nazia Hassan Kera is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Johannesburg under Prof. Suprakas Sinha Ray, currently based at the Centre for Nanostructures and Advanced Materials, DSI-CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). She obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2018 from the University of Johannesburg while working at the CSIR. Her current research interest is in cosmetics and focuses on nanostructured inorganic UV filters for application in topical sunscreen formulations for photoprotection.
Dr. Sreejarani Kesavan Pillai is a material scientist at the Centre for Nanostructures and Advanced Materials, DSI-CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa. She received her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Cochin University of Science and Technology, India, in 2003. She joined CSIR in 2007 as a senior researcher. She currently holds the position of Principal Research. Pillai’s current research focuses on advanced functional materials for topical applications. She has extensive research experience with nanomaterials such as cellulose nanofibres, nanoclay minerals, nanometal oxides, carbon nanomaterials, nanoparticles, nano/microemulsions, and various topical delivery systems. Her research initiatives have resulted in various industry collaborations, numerous publications in international peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, and product-based technology demonstrators.
Prof. Suprakas Sinha Ray is a chief research scientist and manager of the Centre for Nanostructures and Advanced Materials, DSI-CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa. He received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at the University of Calcutta, India, in 2001 and was a recipient of the “Sir P. C Ray Research Award” for the best Ph.D. work. Prof. Ray's current research focuses on the applications of advanced nanostructured and polymeric materials. He is one of the most active and highly cited authors in the field of polymer nanocomposite materials, and Thomson Reuters have recently rated him as being one of the Top 1% of most impactful and influential scientists and top 50 high-impact chemists.
Prof. Ray is the author of 9 books, co-author of 9 edited books, 76 book chapters on various aspects of nanostructured materials and their applications, and author and co-author of 465 articles in high-impact international journals and 30 articles in national and international conference proceedings. He also has 7 patents (registered and filled) and 25 new demonstrated technologies shared with colleagues, collaborators, and industrial partners. So far, his team has commercialized 19 different products. His honours and awards include South Africa’s most Prestigious 2016 National Science and Technology Award (NSTF), Prestigious 2014 CSIR-wide Leadership Award, Prestigious 2014 CSIR Human Capital Development award, Prestigious 2013 Morand Lambla Awardee (top award in the field of polymer processing worldwide), International Polymer Processing Society, USA. He was appointed as an Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria and a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Johannesburg.