Rabin Dahal has reached a significant milestone as the first PhD graduate produced by the Bastakoti Research Group, an achievement that reflects both his individual accomplishments and the growing research capacity of the laboratory. During his doctoral research, he worked extensively on catalyst fabrication and electrochemical CO₂ reduction, contributing to the development of advanced materials for sustainable energy applications. He also gained substantial experience in materials characterization techniques, including microscopic analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, Dahal played a key role in setting up the gas chromatography (GC) system in the lab and initiated product analysis, supporting the laboratory’s capability for advanced catalytic research.

Eden Argaw, a master’s student in Dr. Bastakoti’s research group at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, won 3rd place in the 2025 Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition held at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN). The competition featured 45 master’s and Ph.D. students from NC A&T, each presenting their research in just three minutes to a broad audience. In her presentation, Eden highlighted her work on developing layered double hydroxide (LDH) electrocatalysts to enhance the oxygen evolution reaction for sustainable hydrogen production. Her talk effectively communicated the importance of advanced catalyst design for clean energy technologies while demonstrating strong scientific communication skills. This recognition reflects the impactful research being carried out in Dr. Bastakoti’s group and its contribution to developing efficient materials for renewable energy applications.