Mariya Shamzhy: Discoveries of new materials affect the development of civilisation

Mariya Shamzhy is tackling one of the long-standing key challenges for materials scientists — understanding how heterogeneous catalysts facilitate chemical reactions at the atomic level. She works above all on the synthesis of new types of zeolites, their characterisation and the explanation of their catalytic properties, for which she received the Neuron Award 2022 for promising scientists in chemistry.

What has changed since last October, when she received the prestigious scientific award at the National Museum? What does she expect from the future?

"I expect science to go on looking for better and more harmonious ways of living. Thanks to its ability to predict and understand many aspects of problems, science should be able to show the impossibility of certain human goals while satisfying others," says Mariya Shamzhy.

You received the Neuron Award last October. How has your field moved on since then?

I focus on research into zeolites, which are widely used in producing fuels and chemicals. Thermal stability and high porosity are the key properties of these materials. This year our scientific community presented a revolutionary zeolite that is stable up to 1100 °C and shows exceptionally high porosity — properties we have been waiting for for more than 80 years. One gram of this material provides an area of 1,000 square metres, which corresponds to the area inside a football pitch. This discovery is expected to strengthen drug manufacture and enable the controlled release of substances.

What interesting things have happened to you personally since October?

I was invited to several events where I shared my experience as a foreign scientist trying to build a research career in the Czech Republic. There I met many interesting people and was surprised by the various paths scientists have taken and the problems they have had to overcome. The Neuron Award was a superb example of the gender and national equality I have been fortunate enough to observe in Czech research.

How can your field help society as a whole in 2023?

Discoveries of new materials affect the development of civilisation. Advances in materials science continue to influence our society and promise a revolution in manufacturing — what we make, how we make it and what we can actually make. I think materials will probably be the key to solving many of the problems we face. Europe and the rest of the world are working towards a greener future. In that context, zeolites and similar porous materials are ideal for addressing fundamental problems such as energy storage, the selective capture and use of carbon dioxide, and the purification of water and air.

What do you expect from science further into the future?

I expect science to go on looking for better and more harmonious ways of living. Thanks to its ability to predict and understand many aspects of problems, science should be able to show the impossibility of certain human goals while satisfying others. To do that, science has to study human beings as well as nature. From the point of view of materials science, three most pressing challenges need to be addressed: producing, storing and efficiently using energy.

And who should be the next Neuron Award laureate?

I am convinced it will be someone who deserves it. I have two reasons for that. First, because of the number of high-quality nominations Neuron receives thanks to its tireless work in popularising science and this prestigious award. Second, thanks to the trustworthy assessment of candidates by Neuron's scientific council."