SUCCESS STORY – NEPHEWS Twinning Program – Yusuf Koçak, hosted on the SAMBA beamline from 25 to 28 November 2025
Senior researcher in the Department of Chemistry at Bilkent University (Türkiye), and member of the Ozensoy Research Group, Yusuf Koçak works on in situ electrochemistry and catalyst characterization. His research relies on advanced spectroscopic techniques, in particular X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Within the framework of the NEPHEWS Twinning Program, his stay at SOLEIL aimed at gaining hands-on training in operando XAS at the SAMBA beamline and at strengthening scientific collaborations between his group at Bilkent University and SOLEIL.
“My main motivation was to acquire practical experience with synchrotron techniques that are essential for my work on electrochemical reactions and catalytic materials, especially operando XAS,” explains Yusuf. “The NEPHEWS program also offers a unique opportunity to work closely with beamline scientists, establish long-term collaborations, and bring this expertise back to my research group and local community.”
During his stay at the SAMBA beamline, Yusuf was able to follow the complete workflow of an operando XAS experiment applied to an electrochemical system, from cell design and alignment to data collection and first data analysis. This full immersion allowed him to better understand the experimental requirements of such measurements and to gain confidence for future beamtime applications.
He also highlights the richness of the scientific exchanges within the beamline team: “I discovered many practical aspects of operando XAS on electrochemical cells, including experimental design and how to maintain stable and reliable setups. Discussions with the SAMBA team and the feedback on my research projects were particularly valuable.”
Yusuf particularly emphasizes the support he received throughout his stay, notably thanks to the expertise of Professor Mehtap Oezaslan and the attentive guidance of Francesco, postdoctoral researcher on the SAMBA beamline, as well as the support of the entire beamline team. He was especially impressed by the way the beamline scientists address experimental challenges, systematically analysing problems to arrive at practical solutions, an approach he now intends to incorporate into his own research.
This stay at SOLEIL was a highly enriching scientific and human experience for Yusuf, which he hopes will lead to future collaborations and new operando synchrotron projects.
Looking forward to our next collaboration at SOLEIL, Yusuf!