Academic biography

Assistant Professor in Physics, School of Physical Sciences, Dublin City University

Dr Ainur Zhussupbekova (Jusup) is a materials physicist specialising in thin-film synthesis and advanced characterisation of functional materials, with a particular focus on photoemission and electronic-structure methods (including XPS). Her research links bonding, interfaces, and defects to electronic behaviour in oxides, 2D materials, and hybrid systems, with applications in energy technologies and sensing.

She has published ~40 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals including Nature Communications, Nature Electronics,  ACS Chemistry of Materials and ACS Applied Materials&Interfaces, and collaborates widely with international partners in Europe, Asia and USA. Before joining DCU, she held an Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship and was a Senior Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin on the EU EIC Pathfinder project SULPHURREAL.

At DCU, she is running a Advanced Interfaces&Materials (AIM) Lab focusing on combining spectroscopy with controlled materials growth to enable predictive design of advanced materials and interfaces. She is also committed to inclusive mentoring and is a participant in Advance HE’s Aurora Women in Leadership programme.