Viktoryia's path into nanomaterials research began in the Department of Radiophysics and Computer Technologies at Belarusian State University, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees with honors. During this time, Viktoryia joined Laboratory for Materials and Device Structures of Micro- and Nano-Electronics with  Prof. Peter I. Gaiduk. This is when Viktoryia became deeply interested in light–matter interactions and conducted early research on plasmonic nanostructures for solar-energy applications where the theoretical work was supervised by Prof. Sergey V. Maly. She also developed a strong appreciation for electron microscopy, spending countless hours using transmission electron microscopes to visualize colloidal nanostructures and understand how their arrangements shaped the Raman spectroscopy signals she measured. 

Viktoryia earned her Ph.D. in physics from Imperial College London, where she studied ultrafast hot-carrier dynamics in graphene–plasmonic hybrid systems. Her doctoral work took place during a period of intense scientific excitement around graphene — a material known for its exceptional carrier mobility, broadband optical absorption, and potential for ultrafast electronics and photodetection. Early studies had shown that graphene’s photoresponse is governed not by conventional photovoltaic effects but by hot-carrier transport, where photogenerated carriers retain their energy instead of rapidly transferring it to the lattice. However, little was understood about how this mechanism behaved in graphene coupled to plasmonic nanostructures.

Working under the guidance of Prof. Stefan Maier, Prof. Rupert Oulton and Prof. Lesley Cohen, Viktoryia used ultrafast differential reflection (pump–probe) spectroscopy to probe hot-carrier populations in graphene with and without engineered energy barriers, hBN spacer layers. Her measurements revealed that the dominant photoresponse in these hybrid systems is still driven by intrinsic photoexcitation in graphene — a key result that clarified the physics of graphene–plasmonic coupling. Building on this insight, she designed a nanophotonic device architecture that enabled a new photodetection mechanism, demonstrating a plasmon-induced photothermoelectric effect in graphene. This work provided the first direct experimental measurement of electronic temperature generated by hot carriers and showed ultrafast response times relevant for next-generation, compact ultrafast photodetectors.

After completing her Ph.D., Viktoryia joined Prof. Jamie Warner’s group at the University of Oxford to expand her work into the broader family of 2D materials. During this time, she contributed to projects involving large-area CVD-grown 2D materials, including hBN, graphene, and TMDCs, and used these films to assemble van der Waals heterostructures with controlled stacking sequences. To improve the performance of vertical optoelectronic devices, she developed fabrication approaches that minimized processing-induced damage, enabling large-scale production of WS₂-based stacked LEDs with precise electrode alignment. She also collaborated on several 2D optoelectronic device studies and discovered a laser-induced phase transformation in PdSe₂, capturing one of the first STEM images of the resulting phase boundaries. Toward the end of her postdoc, she became increasingly interested in neural engineering and conceived the idea of flexible 2D-material LEDs for combined electrophysiology and optogenetics—an idea she later proposed in her Stanford Science Fellowship application.

As a Stanford Science Fellow, Viktoryia developed nanoscale optical devices for neural sensing and stimulation under the co-supervision of leading experts Prof. Mark Brongersma (nanophotonics), Prof. Nicholas Melosh (neuroengineering) and Prof. Bianxiao Cui (nanobioelectronics). During this work, she conducted a systematic study of graphene’s long-term structural stability in biological environments — a critical gap for reliable graphene-based neural and cardiac interfaces — using correlative SEM, Raman spectroscopy, electrical measurements and primary cell cultures. She also advanced large-area excitonic devices for label-free optical detection of bioelectric signals, demonstrating high sensitivity and long-term biocompatibility. Additionally, she designed multifunctional flexible neural probes that combined optical stimulation with electrophysiological recording, leading to multiple NIH grant submissions in collaboration with a leading cerebellum neuroscientist Prof. Jennifer Raymond. Working with her trainees, she also developed rapid assembly techniques and bioresorbable coatings for the flexible neural probes.

After completing her fellowship, Viktoryia remained at Stanford for an additional year as a joint postdoctoral researcher split between Prof. Tony Heinz’s and Prof. Daniel Palanker’s groups. In Heinz’s group, she investigated plasmon-enhanced localized excitonic states in 2D materials, deepening her work on nanoscale light–matter interactions and their relevance to hybrid quantum systems. In Palanker's group, she worked on developing biocompatible coatings for 3D retinal prosthetic devices, advancing technologies aimed at long-term, stable interfaces with the nervous system. This joint appointment allowed her to learn about advances in (i) fundamental excitonic physics and hybrid quantum systems and (ii) optical neural interfaces and translational neurotechnology development.

Viktoryia’s path into science began far from major research centers—she grew up in a small town in Belarus in a single-parent household, where resources were limited but curiosity was abundant. Viktoryia learned early what it means to work through constraints and pursue opportunities with determination. These experiences continue to shape how she mentors and leads: focusing on practical guidance, steady support and building confidence in her students. 

Viktoryia is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists. Her dedication to student success earned her the Faculty of Natural Sciences Prize for Excellence in Teaching and Associate Fellowship of the UK Higher Education Academy. She co-founded SkyLimit to provide students with tools in leadership, productivity, and well-being — and the program was recognized with a Social Enterprise Prize from the Oxford Hub. Viktoryia brings this same commitment into her lab, working closely with trainees to help them grow, build confidence, and reach the next stage of their careers. 

Listed below are some of the students and researchers who have worked with Viktoryia. She values the growth and achievements of her mentees and remains proud of their contributions. Prospective students and postdocs are welcome to contact them to learn more about her mentorship style and research approach.

Past Mentees:

• Summer 2025, Linh Vu, training for retinal implant project, now at Stanford, link

• Summer 2023 Albert Pham, MSc student, supervision, “Reactive accelerated aging of graphene FETs”, Stanford University, now Test Engineer at Precision Neuroscience, link

• 2022 – 2023 Edmundo Leiva, 3rd year undergraduate student, supervision, “Silk-based biocoatings as resorbable mechanical support for flexible neural probe insertion”, Stanford University, now Graduate Student at Princeton, link

• 2018 – 2019 Qianyang Zhang, graduate student, scientific training and mentorship, University of Oxford, now Higher Scientist at National Physical Laboratory, London, link

• 2018 – 2019 Linlin Hou, graduate student, scientific training and mentorship, University of Oxford, now Postdoc at University of
  Liverpool, link 

• 2020 Stanford Science fellowship, Stanford University Award ($285k). Topic: “Nanoenabled multifunctional probes for combined in vivio optical nueromodulation and electrical recording for minimally invasive brain machine interfaces” (accepted)

• 2020 Marie Curie Global fellowship, EU Award (€250k), California Institute of Technology (Prof. Atwater) and ETH-Zurich (Prof. Quidant). Topic: “2D Materials and their photonic nanostructures for optical levitation, propulsion and light sail applications” (declined)

• 2019 Social Enterprise Award for creating SkyLimit project, the project’s goal is to provide training in essential soft skills to help students from diverse backgrounds to reach their potential without burning out, Oxford Hub, Oxford, UK

• 2019 Rising WISE (Women in Science and Entrepreneurship), Oxford University, UK

• 2018 Enterprise Fellow Award, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division, Oxford University, UK

• 2017 Faculty of Natural Sciences Prize for Excellence in the Support of Teaching and Learning, Imperial College London, UK

• 2017 Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, British professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education, London, UK

• 2016 Patent Award “Photoelectric converter” (№19936, Belarus), light trapping nanostructures for light harvesting in solar cells.

• 2013 Presidential Award for Scientific Excellence, Belarus 

• 2013 Republican Scientific Award for MSc Thesis, Ministry of Education, Belarus 

 Aug 2024 – Aug 2025 Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, US, with Prof. Tony Heinz and Prof. Daniel Palanker

• Plasmon-enhanced localized excitonic states

• Biocompatible coatings for 3D retinal implants 

Dec 2020 – Aug 2024 Stanford Science Fellow, Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, US, with Prof. Mark Brongersma, Prof. Nicholas Melosh, Prof. Bianxiao Cui

• Flexible neural probes, designs of multifunctional neural probes and wafer-scale fabrication  

• Developing stable biointerfaces based on 2D materials with primary neural cell cultures and iPSCs-derived cardiomyocytes and investigating 2D material long-term stability using reactive accelerated aging 

• Optimizing 2D material devices for label-free optical recording of neural and cardiac cell activity and designing nanostructures for optical nongenetic stimulation of neural and cardiac cell activity

Jan 2018 – Dec 2019 Postdoctoral Researcher, Nanostructured Materials Group, Materials Department at University of Oxford, UK, with Prof. Jamie Warner

• Identified laser-induced material phase transformation in PdSe2, confirmed the effect using TEM measurements and developed laser-assisted on-demand fabrication for FET devices

• Designed and fabricated novel LED devices based on van der Waals heterostructures

Oct 2013 – Dec 2017 Graduate Researcher (PhD studies), Nanoplasmonics Group, Physics Department at Imperial College London, UK, with Prof. Stefan A. Maier, Prof. Rupert Oulton, Prof. Lesley F. Cohen

• Discovered novel plasmon-induced photothermoelectric effect in a graphene-based photodetector to facilitate direct measurements of hot carrier temperatures 

• Identified hot carrier generation mechanisms in graphene/plasmonic nanoparticle hybrids analyzing ultrafast hot carrier dynamics in the system

• Developed a novel transfer and encapsulation technique for CVD-grown graphene and hBN films

Sep 2011 – Aug 2013 Junior Researcher (undergraduate studies), Laboratory for Materials and Device Structures of Micro- and Nano-Electronics, Belarusian State University, Belarus, with Prof. Peter I. Gaiduk and Prof. Sergey V. Maly

• Identified influence of silver nanoparticle aggregates on surface enhanced Raman scattering, confirmed aggregation using TEM and analyzed numerically local electromagnetic enhancement

Technology Translation and Entrepreneurship

• Ignite, Graduate School of Business, Stanford

• Ideas to Impact, Said Business school, University of Oxford

• Scientific Entrepreneurship, MPLS Division, University of Oxford

• miniMBA, Graduate school, Imperial College London

• Apr 2020 – Aug 2020 Entrepreneur First (EF), Cohort Member, London, UK

  • • • EF is the world’s leading talent investor with 3% acceptance rate, backed by Founders Fund and Greylock Partners with Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel and Demis Hassabis on the board. Analyzing and developing deep tech ideas including wearable sweat sensors and flexible neural probes.

• Jan 2020 – July 2020 Intellectual Ventures, Business technology consultant, Seattle, US

  • • • Analyzing commercial viability of a new generation of solar cells