Zoia Voitenko | Soil Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Soil Scientist

Prof. Zoia Voitenko | Soil Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

Zoia Voitenko | Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry of CNRS | France

Zoia Voitenko is a Research Engineer at the Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, CNRS, France, and Professor of Organic Chemistry at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her work spans heterocyclic chemistry, isoindoles, supramolecular and green chemistry, with applications in medicine and sustainable development. She has authored publications, supervised numerous PhD students, and led international collaborations, notably Franco-Ukrainian research initiatives. A recipient of the Order of Academic Palms (France), the Order of Princess Olga (Ukraine), and the Pierre Fermat Medal, she is also Doctor Honoris Causa of Paul Sabatier University and a member of the Academy of Sciences, Inscriptions and Belles-lettres of Toulouse.

Profile

Orcid 

Summary

Zoia Voitenko is an internationally recognized organic chemist with remarkable achievements in heterocyclic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and green chemistry. Her career is marked by scientific innovation, leadership, mentorship, and global collaboration. With her awards, publications, and impact on advancing knowledge and fostering international cooperation, she exemplifies the qualities of a world-class researcher.

Education

Zoia Voitenko pursued her studies in chemistry at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, specializing in organic chemistry. She earned a PhD in organic chemistry and later obtained her Doctor of Science (Habilitation), which enabled her to hold the position of full professor, the highest university academic rank.

Experience

She has held significant academic and leadership roles at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, serving as Professor of Organic Chemistry, Associate Dean of Science, and Vice-Dean for International Relations. She currently works as a Research Engineer at the Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry of CNRS in Toulouse, France, under multiple research and collaboration programs. Her career also includes visiting research positions in Poland and France, and she has coordinated several international academic initiatives, including Franco-Ukrainian research groups.

Research Focus

Her research focuses on the chemistry of heterocyclic compounds, isoindoles, tautomeric and atropo-isomeric compounds, cyanine dyes, and biologically active molecules. She has contributed to the discovery of new rearrangements in organic chemistry, the development of new classes of atropo-isomeric systems, and novel syntheses of cyanine dyes. Her work integrates Diels-Alder and Michael reactions, supramolecular chemistry, and green chemistry, with applications in medicine, materials science, and sustainable development.

Skills

Zoia Voitenko has expertise in organic synthesis, asymmetric synthesis, stereochemistry, supramolecular chemistry, catalysis, and green chemistry. She is also skilled in spectroscopic methods, quantum organic chemistry, and electron spectroscopy. Beyond her scientific expertise, she has strong leadership and international collaboration skills, along with experience in scientific writing and editing as editor-in-chief of the French–Ukrainian Journal of Chemistry.

Awards

She has received numerous distinctions including the Soros Associate Professor title, the Soros Prize, the Order of Academic Palms (France), the Order of Princess Olga (Ukraine), the Order of the Academic Council of Taras Shevchenko University, and the Pierre Fermat Medal. She is also a Doctor Honoris Causa of Paul Sabatier University and a member of the Academy of Sciences, Inscriptions and Belles-lettres of Toulouse.

Publications

Comparing the self-assembly processes of two redox-active exTTF-based regioisomer ligands
Maksym Dekhtiarenko, Magali Allain, Vincent Carré, Frédéric Aubriet, Zoia Voitenko, Marc Sallé, Sébastien Goeb
New Journal of Chemistry, 2021

A Diversity‐Oriented Approach to Large Libraries of Artificial Macrocycles
Serhii H. Kharchenko, Anna D. Iampolska, Dmytro S. Radchenko, Bohdan V. Vashchenko, Zoia Voitenko, Oleksandr O. Grygorenko
European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2021

Front Cover: A Diversity‐Oriented Approach to Large Libraries of Artificial Macrocycles
Serhii H. Kharchenko, Anna D. Iampolska, Dmytro S. Radchenko, Bohdan V. Vashchenko, Zoia Voitenko, Oleksandr O. Grygorenko
European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2021

Aliphatic α-Boryl-α-bromoketones: Synthesis and Reactivity
Y.M. Ivon, Y.O. Kuchkovska, Zoia V. Voitenko, O.O. Grygorenko
European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2020

Azido-tetrazole isomerism in 2,2-dimethyl-1-(1-methyl-1H-tetrazolo[5,1-a]isoindol-5-yl)propan-1-one
T.V. Yegorova, A.I. Kysil, V.V. Dyakonenko, I.V. Levkov, R.V. Karbovska, S.V. Shishkina, Zoia V. Voitenko
Journal of Molecular Structure, 2020

Enhanced performance of planar perovskite solar cells using dip-coated TiO₂ as electron transporting layer
A. El Haimeur, M. Makha, H. Bakkali, J.M. González-Leal, E. Blanco, M. Dominguez, Zoia V. Voitenko
Solar Energy, 2020

Conclusion

Zoia Voitenko is an exceptional candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her scientific accomplishments, leadership roles, and contributions to international cooperation strongly justify her nomination. While there is room to broaden interdisciplinary collaborations and global outreach, her research excellence, mentorship, and prestigious recognitions firmly establish her as a deserving recipient of this award.

Dorota Pikula | Soil | Soil Fertility Improvement Award

Published on by Soil Scientist

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dorota Pikula | Soil | Soil Fertility Improvement Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dorota Pikula, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Poland

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dorota Pikuła is a researcher at the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Poland, specializing in soil organic matter, humic substances, and soil fertility management. She holds a habilitation in agricultural sciences and a Ph.D. in agronomy from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. Her research focuses on soil carbon dynamics, fertilization effects, nitrogen fixation, and the environmental impact of agricultural practices. With extensive experience in scientific publishing, policy advisory, and long-term field experiments, she has received multiple awards from the Polish Ministry of Agriculture. She has authored over 500 publications and actively contributes to sustainable agriculture and soil conservation strategies.

Profile

Orcid

Summary:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dorota Pikuła is a highly qualified candidate for the Research for Soil Fertility Improvement Award, given her extensive contributions to soil organic matter studies, long-term field experiments, and sustainable fertilization practices. Her research has significantly impacted both scientific understanding and practical agricultural applications. She has also been recognized nationally for her work in soil fertility and nutrient management. However, to further strengthen her profile, she could focus on global-scale research collaborations, innovation-driven contributions, and leadership in large-scale international projects.

🎓 Education

Dorota Pikuła holds a habilitated doctorate in agricultural sciences with a specialization in agriculture and horticulture from the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation State Research Institute, awarded in 2019. Her postdoctoral research focused on the environmental and production effects of crop cultivation in rotations with varying organic matter inflow. She earned her master’s degree in engineering from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Biology, in 2000, specializing in Environmental Protection. Her master’s thesis investigated heavy metal fractions in soils fertilized with sewage sludge. She later obtained a Ph.D. in agricultural sciences in agronomy from the same university in 2006, where she studied the influence of selected physicochemical properties of soil on heavy metal content in fodder plants.

💼Experience

Dorota Pikuła has extensive professional experience in agricultural science, research, and publishing. She worked as an editor and agrotechnical advisor from 2002 to 2006 for agricultural publications such as Agro-Spółdzielca and Poradnik Rolniczy. In 2006, she joined the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation State Research Institute in Puławy as a senior research and technical specialist. Since 2016, she has been working as an adjunct researcher in the Department of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization. Throughout her career, she has participated in numerous research projects, including studies on soil organic matter quality, humic substances, nitrogen fixation, and the environmental impact of different agricultural practices.

🔬Research Focus

Dorota Pikuła specializes in soil organic matter, humic substances, and soil fertility management. Her research explores soil organic carbon dynamics, the impact of fertilization and crop rotation on soil quality, and the role of humic acids in improving soil fertility. She has conducted extensive work on nitrogen fixation, soil contamination with heavy metals, and the long-term effects of manure application on soil health. She has also contributed to the development of soil quality assessment methods and indicators.

🛠️Skills

Dorota Pikuła possesses expertise in soil science, agricultural chemistry, and environmental protection. She is skilled in analyzing soil organic matter composition, conducting long-term field experiments, and evaluating the environmental effects of different farming practices. Her proficiency extends to scientific publishing, training agricultural professionals, and contributing to policy development on sustainable agriculture. She is an active member of several scientific organizations and has authored over 500 popular science publications, demonstrating her ability to translate complex scientific findings into practical knowledge for farmers and policymakers.

🏆Awards

Dorota Pikuła has received several prestigious awards from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. In 2015, she was recognized for her contributions to rational fertilizer management. In 2023, she was awarded for her work on protecting water sources from phosphorus pollution caused by agricultural activities. In 2024, she received another award for developing and implementing a method for determining humic substance content in fertilizers and plant aids.

📚 Publications

  • The Composition of the Organic Matter Fractions of Loamy Sand after Long-Term FYM Application without Liming (2022) – Agronomy – Dorota Pikuła, O. Ciotucha
  • Changes in Relationships between Humic Substances and Soil Structure following Different Mineral Fertilization of Vitis vinifera L. in Slovakia (2022) – Agronomy – V. Šimanský, E. Wójcik‐Gront, J. Horváthová, Dorota Pikuła, T. Lošák, A. Parzych, M. Lukac, E. Aydın
  • Effect of the Degree of Soil Contamination with Heavy Metals on Their Mobility in the Soil Profile in a Microplot Experiment (2021) – Agronomy – Dorota Pikuła, W. Stępień
  • Materia organiczna istotnym elementem żyzności gleb (2020) – Studia i Raporty IUNG-PIB – Dorota Pikuła
  • Selected chemical properties of sandy soil after 36 years of differential fertilization with mineral nitrogen and manure without liming in two crop rotation (2020) – Soil Science Annual – Dorota Pikuła
  • Zbiór zaleceń dobrej praktyki rolniczej mający na celu ochronę wód przed zanieczyszczeniem azotanami pochodzącymi ze źródeł rolniczych (2019) – IUNG-PIB – Dorota Pikuła
  • Praktyki zapobiegające stratom węgla organicznego z gleby (2019) – Środowiskowe Aspekty Gospodarki Nawozowej – Dorota Pikuła
  • Soil properties and productivity in two long-term crop rotations differing with respect to organic matter management on an Albic Luvisol (2019) – Scientific Reports – Dorota Pikuła, S. Martyniuk, M. Kozieł

Conclusion:

Dr. Pikuła is a strong candidate for the Research for Soil Fertility Improvement Award due to her pioneering research on soil fertility, strong publication record, practical impact on agriculture, and policy contributions. While she already has an impressive portfolio, enhancing international collaboration, innovation, and leadership in large-scale initiatives would further strengthen her standing for this prestigious award.