Seyed Ehsan Hadi, PhD
Materials Chemist / Scientist · Characterization Scientist · R&D
Materials chemist and characterization scientist with 8+ years of hands-on experimental R&D. Specializing in method development and process-structure-property relationships. PhD from Stockholm University, postdoc at KTH. Published 14 peer-reviewed papers; h-index 11; 310+ citations. ACS Certified Peer Reviewer with 50+ manuscript reviews. Technical depth across electron microscopy (TEM, SEM, cryo-SEM, FIB-SEM), synchrotron X-ray (SAXS/WAXS at ForMAX, DESY, ESRF), XPS, thermal analysis, mechanical testing, and nanoparticle synthesis.
Key Achievements
Peer-reviewed papers
h-index 11 · 310+ citations · Adv. Mater., Angew. Chem., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces
Scientific instruments hands-on
TEM & SEM at expert level. FIB-SEM, XPS, SAXS/WAXS, XRD, plus full thermal & mechanical suite.
Hands-on hardware design
3 custom builds: in-situ optical tensile rig (60 fps fracture imaging on Billerud samples), casting mould for material samples, 3D-printed NMR-tube holder for SAXS measurements.
International synchrotron facilities
Hands-on experiments at MAX IV (Sweden) and DESY (Germany); analyzed and co-published ESRF (France) datasets. Led WAXS/SAXS protocol on 10 wt% MFC gels at ForMAX.
Wet chemistry & cleanroom
3 published nanoparticle systems: Au core/shell with cucurbit[7]uril, Fe₃O₄ hybrid foams, lignin oleate. Wet chemical reduction, surface functionalization, host-guest assembly. Cleanroom-trained at UNAM (SCD + biological SEM).
Lab-adopted Python tools built
Python GUI tools for XRD, mechanical, and synchrotron data (in daily lab use; not yet open-sourced). Plus personal Chrome extensions for general workflows.
Core Competencies (each backed by evidence)
Project management & coordination
Co-coordinated multi-institution MAX IV synchrotron campaigns end-to-end (logistics, sample prep, cross-team data analysis). Lead shared-instrument scheduling, SOP rollout, and vendor coordination at KTH. Full ownership of industry characterization projects from spec to delivery (Billerud, Borregaard, and other partners).
Method development
Designed and built an in-situ optical tensile rig from available lab components. Established the WAXS/SAXS protocol for 10 wt% MFC gels at ForMAX (now group standard). Wrote characterization SOPs adopted across the group.
Process-structure-property analysis
PhD focused on closing the loop between processing, structure, and properties in cellulosic materials. Delivered magnetic nanocomposites at 95% of bulk magnetite performance and record specific compression strength foams.
Independent ownership & problem-solving
Full ownership of characterization at KTH from design through reporting. Solved measurement problems standard equipment couldn't handle. Wrote Python and AI workflows now adopted lab-wide.
Industry & cross-cultural collaboration
Direct on-site work with Billerud (Sweden), Borregaard (Norway), and other industry partners. Hands-on synchrotron at MAX IV (Sweden) and DESY (Germany); analyzed ESRF (France) datasets remotely with collaborators.
Teaching & mentoring
8+ years teaching across high school, undergraduate, master's, and PhD levels. 30+ trainees total. 3 yrs TA in General Chemistry (U. Tehran, Best TA award), 5 yrs tutoring, 19 SU high school outreach students, 2 KTH master's students, plus many PhD and postdoc instrument trainings.
Technical communication
14 international publications. 50+ manuscript peer reviews across ACS, Wiley, Elsevier, RSC, Springer. Trilingual: English (fluent), Persian (native), Swedish (basic).
Adaptability & resilience
Alva Labs: Logic 98th%, Diligence 98th%, Resilience & Innovation 93rd%. Demonstrated through full-ownership delivery, synchrotron beamtime execution, and adaptation across three academic systems.
Data-driven decision making
Built Python and AI pipelines for batch XRD, mechanical, and synchrotron data. Used multi-scale characterization to drive material design choices. Quantitative interpretation, not just measurement.
AI integration & automation
Advanced user and builder. Daily LLM workflows for research and code. Built lab-adopted Python tools, plus personal Chrome extensions. Hands-on with custom skills, API integration, and multi-step agent pipelines.
Professional Experience
Postdoctoral Research Associate
KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Full characterization ownership on fiber-based paper materials for mechanical performance.
Built an in-situ optical tensile rig from available lab components. Captures fracture at 60 fps in real time. Used on Billerud production samples to study failure modes.
Led the full WAXS/SAXS campaign at ForMAX (MAX IV) on 10 wt% MFC gels and paper. Measurement protocol now group standard for wet-state cellulose.
Wrote Python GUI tools for XRD processing, mechanical data analysis, and synchrotron data reduction (all lab-adopted, in daily use). Also built Chrome extensions for general personal workflow automation.
Collaborated with Billerud (Sweden), Borregaard (Norway), and other industry partners. Defined test objectives, characterized samples, documented findings.
Lab management: Oversee shared instrument scheduling, maintenance coordination, SOPs, and onboarding new users.
Trained 2 master's students in cryo-ultramicrotomy and SEM.
PhD Researcher
Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
PhD in Materials Chemistry on process-structure-property relationships in cellulosic materials. Wallenberg Wood Science Center Fellow.
Magnetic nanocomposites reaching 95% of bulk magnetite performance, reproducible across batches.
Nanolignocellulose foams with the highest specific compression strength reported for the material class.
Synchrotron experiments at DESY (Germany); analyzed and co-published ESRF datasets; co-coordinated MAX IV beamtime.
Officially lab responsible: appointed lab-responsible during PhD. LIMS scheduling, KLARA chemical inventory, SOPs that became group standards, onboarding and training new users on SEM, UV-Vis, rheometer, and freeze dryer. Safety oversight.
Trained many researchers on SEM, UV-Vis, rheometer, freeze dryer, and sample preparation. Supervised 19 high school students across two SU summer outreach courses.
12+ papers in Adv. Mater., Angew. Chem., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, Soft Matter.
Graduate Research Assistant (MSc)
Bilkent University / UNAM, Ankara, Turkey
Designed, synthesized, and fully characterized cucurbit[7]uril-capped core/shell gold/conjugated oligomer nanoparticles for photodynamic and photothermal therapy against bacterial targets (E. coli). Published.
Synthesis: wet chemical reduction of gold cores, surface functionalization, assembly with cucurbit[7]uril. Routine optimization of size, shape, and surface chemistry.
Characterization: TEM/SEM (morphology), UV-Vis (plasmon), DLS (size), zeta potential, TRF/QY/fluorescence spectroscopy, FT-IR.
Contributed to projects on photocatalytic hydrogen production and microfluidic capsule formation.
Cleanroom-trained at UNAM: supercritical drying and SEM imaging of biological samples.
Education
PhD in Materials Chemistry
2019 – 2024Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Focus: Process-structure-property relationships in cellulosic materials
Supervisors: Prof. Lennart Bergström, Prof. Aji Mathew · Wallenberg Wood Science Center Fellow
M.Sc. in Materials Science and Nanotechnology
2017 – 2019Bilkent University / UNAM, Ankara, Turkey
Focus: Core/shell gold/oligomer nanoparticles for photodynamic and photothermal therapy
Supervisor: Prof. Dönüş Tuncel · UNAM & Bilkent Fellow · TUBITAK Fellow
B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering
2012 – 2017University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Top 15% Graduate
Selected Publications
14 papers · h-index 11 · 310+ citations
- Hadi, S. E., et al. (2025). High-Performance Nanolignocellulose Foams for Sustainable Technologies. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng.
- Hadi, S. E., et al. (2024). Hierarchical Incorporation of rGO into Anisotropic CNF Foams. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces
- Hadi, S. E., et al. (2023). Magnetic hybrid foams from Fe3O4@TA and TOCN. RSC Adv.
- Munier, P.*, Hadi, S. E.*, et al. (2022). Shear-induced orientation of cellulose nanocrystals. Soft Matter
- Di, A., Schiele, C., Hadi, S. E., et al. (2023). Moisture-Resilient Aramid/Cellulose Foams. Adv. Mater.
- Moreno, A., Liu, J., Hadi, S. E., et al. (2021). Hydration barrier of lignin oleate nanoparticles. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.
- Özkan, M., Hadi, S. E., et al. (2020). CB[7]-capped hybrid AuNPs for PDT/PTT therapy. ACS Appl. Polym. Mater.
Technical Skills
Electron Microscopy
- AC-TEM/STEM: FEI Themis Z (atomic resolution, EELS, EDX mapping)
- Cryo-TEM: JEOL JEM-2100F (beam-sensitive materials)
- Cryo-SEM: JEOL IT800 (low-temperature imaging)
- HR-SEM: Hitachi S-4800 (high-resolution morphology)
- ESEM/EDS/WDS: FEI Quanta 200 (compositional mapping)
- FIB-SEM: FEI Nova 600 (3D tomography, basic)
- Tabletop SEM: Hitachi TM-1000, TM-3000
X-ray & Synchrotron
- Synchrotron SAXS/WAXS: ForMAX (MAX IV), DESY, ESRF. Nanostructure analysis, crystallinity, orientation
- XPS: Thermo K-Alpha (surface chemistry, depth profiling)
- XRD: Panalytical (phase identification, crystallinity)
- XRF: Elemental composition analysis
Spectroscopy & Light Microscopy
- FT-IR: Bruker Alpha-II
- UV-Vis: Varian Cary
- Raman: Molecular vibrations, phase ID
- Fluorescence spectroscopy: TRF, QY
- Polarized light microscopy: Olympus BX53M
- Confocal & fluorescence microscopy
Thermal, Mechanical & Surface
- TGA: TA Discovery
- DSC: TA DSC250
- Rheometry: Anton Paar MCR 301, MCR 702e
- Hot Disk: Thermal conductivity
- Mechanical: Instron 6800 (tensile/compression)
- BET: Surface area, N2 adsorption
- DLS / Zeta potential: Malvern Zetasizer
- AFM: Basic operation
Sample Preparation
- Ultramicrotomy / Cryo-ultramicrotomy: Leica Artos 3D
- BIB / Cross-section polishing: JEOL IB-19520CCP
- SCD / CPD: Supercritical drying
- Sputter coating: Au/Pt/C
- Plasma cleaning: TEM grid preparation
- Embedding, freeze-drying, resin infiltration
Nanoparticle Synthesis & Materials Processing
- Nanoparticle synthesis: Wet chemical reduction of gold cores, surface functionalization, assembly with cucurbit[7]uril, core/shell architectures
- Colloidal processing: Dispersion stabilization, particle size control, rheology modification
- Structure-property analysis: Multi-scale characterization, property correlation
- Protocol development: SOPs, training materials, technical documentation
Programming & Data Analysis
- Python: NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, Matplotlib, PySide6/Qt, lmfit. GUI tools for XRD, mechanical, and synchrotron data (lab-adopted)
- Browser automation: Chrome extensions for general personal workflows (not lab-specific)
- Scientific software: OriginLab, MATLAB (basic), LaTeX
- Microscopy software: Digital Micrograph, ImageJ/Fiji
- Lab systems: LIMS, KLARA
- Development tools: Git/GitHub, VS Code, Linux/Unix
AI Tools & Agent Workflows (advanced user + builder)
- Build: Python tools, Chrome extensions, and characterization pipelines. Custom skills, multi-step agent workflows.
- Integrate: API calls, structured outputs, tool-calling, and prompt engineering for reproducible scientific workflows.
Teaching & Mentoring (8+ years)
- Teaching Assistant (3 years): General Chemistry I and II at University of Tehran. Discussion sessions, lectures, exam preparation. Awarded Best Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Engineering.
- Private tutoring (5 years): Chemistry and science coaching at Dr. Moein High School alongside undergraduate studies.
- High school outreach (Stockholm University): Supervised 19 high school students across two SU summer research courses (11 + 8) in experimental design, characterization, and data interpretation.
- Master's supervision (KTH): 2 master's students in experimental design, advanced instrumentation training (cryo-ultramicrotomy, SEM), and manuscript preparation.
- Instrument training: Trained many PhD researchers and postdocs on SEM, UV-Vis, rheometer, freeze dryer, and sample preparation (PhD era). Cryo-ultramicrotomy training added during postdoc at KTH. Wrote SOPs and verified competency before independent use.
Certified Peer Reviewer
Additional Information
Languages
English (Professional)
Persian (Native)
Swedish (Basic)
Grants and Awards
- Wallenberg Wood Science Center Fellowship (2019–2023)
- Stockholm University PhD Fellowship (2019–2024)
- UNAM & Bilkent University Scholarship (2017–2019)
- TÜBİTAK Fellowship (2018–2019)
- Best Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Engineering (University of Tehran)
Profile Indicators
Alva Labs: Logic 98th%, Diligence 98th%, Resilience & Innovation 93rd%
SDI 2.0: Red Core Motive (Assertive-Directing, Results-Oriented)
References
References from industry and academia available upon request.