Dr. Muhammad Fahad Arshad

Advancing sustainable energy solutions through computational catalysis and hydrogen production research

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About me

"Advancing sustainable energy solutions through computational catalysis and hydrogen production research"

I am a computational catalysis researcher blending heterogeneous experimentation with high-performance modelling (DFT, MD, AI/ML) to design low-carbon hydrogen and CO₂ utilisation pathways. I deliver reactor innovations, cross-functional collaborations, and data-driven workflows that accelerate catalyst discovery from concept to pilot scale.

Currently serving as a Postdoctoral Researcher at University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) in Morocco, I steer multi-institutional hydrogen production and CO₂ valorisation programmes, building automated computational pipelines on HPC clusters and deploying machine learning tools to reduce experimental screening time by ~40%.

11+ Publications
5+ Researchers Mentored
35% Efficiency Gain
40% Time Reduction

Research Expertise

  • Computational Catalysis

    Computational Catalysis

    Density Functional Theory (DFT), Molecular Dynamics, and Microkinetic Modeling using Quantum ESPRESSO, VASP, Gaussian, LAMMPS, Cantera, and CHEMKIN.

  • Hydrogen Production

    Hydrogen Production

    Development of sustainable hydrogen production pathways through photocatalysis and thermochemical processes, with focus on catalyst design and reactor optimization.

  • Machine Learning in Chemistry

    Machine Learning in Chemistry

    Deploying ML and LLM tools for catalyst formulation screening, reducing experimental time and accelerating discovery of optimal materials for energy applications.

  • Experimental Catalysis

    Experimental Catalysis

    Expertise in XRD, XPS, Raman, BET, SEM/EDS characterization; Sol-gel and CVD synthesis; CO oxidation and photocatalysis testing.

Academic Achievements

  • Outstanding International Student

    UCAS, Beijing, China (2022)

  • CAS-TWAS Fellowship

    The World Academy of Sciences (2020-2024)

  • Belt and Road Fellowship

    UCAS, Beijing, China (2017-2020)

  • Top Crisis Manager

    UET Lahore, Pakistan (2016)

Research Interests

  • Hydrogen Production
  • CO₂ Valorization
  • Heterogeneous Catalysis
  • Photocatalysis
  • Machine Learning in Chemistry

Affiliations

  • University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
  • CAS–TWAS Fellowship
  • University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS)

Land & Context Acknowledgment

This research is conducted at University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, located in Ben Guerir, Morocco. We acknowledge the rich scientific heritage of this region and commit to advancing knowledge that benefits both local communities and the global pursuit of sustainable energy solutions.

Resume

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Education

  1. PhD, Engineering Thermophysics

    Aug 2017 — Aug 2023

    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China 🇨🇳
    Built coupled experimental–computational workflows for heterogeneous and photo-catalytic systems. Created bespoke photocatalytic reactors increasing quantum efficiency by 35%. Authored 8+ peer-reviewed articles through international collaborations.

  2. BSc, Mechanical Engineering (Fluid Dynamics)

    Aug 2012 — Aug 2016

    University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan 🇵🇰
    Graduated with specialization in fluid dynamics. Completed industry-sponsored design projects utilizing CAD/CAM, CFD, and experimental validation of thermal processes.

Professional Experience

  1. Postdoctoral Researcher, Chemical and Biochemical Sciences

    2025 — Present

    University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Morocco 🇲🇦
    Steering multi-institutional hydrogen production and CO₂ valorisation programmes. Building automated DFT, molecular dynamics, and micro-kinetic pipelines on HPC cluster. Deploying ML and LLM tools to reduce experimental screening time by ~40%.

  2. Postdoctoral Researcher

    2023 — 2024

    Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 🇨🇳
    Mentored 5+ international researchers, improving catalytic test repeatability by 25%. Co-led CO oxidation and methane activation campaigns, delivering three peer-reviewed papers and two invited talks.

  3. Intern Engineer

    2016 — 2017

    Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (PITAC), Lahore 🇵🇰
    Supported CAD/CAM workflows and produced fabrication drawings for bespoke tooling projects. Documented test procedures and implemented design refinements for thermal systems.

Technical Skills

  • Computational
    Expert

    Density Functional Theory (DFT), Quantum ESPRESSO, VASP, Gaussian; Molecular Dynamics (LAMMPS)

  • Microkinetic Modeling
    Expert

    Cantera, CHEMKIN, Reaction Mechanism Development

  • Programming & HPC
    Advanced

    Python, Bash (Shell), Git, High-Performance Computing, LaTeX

  • Experimental/Analytical
    Advanced

    XRD, XPS, Raman, BET, SEM/EDS; Sol-gel, CVD; CO Oxidation, Photocatalysis

  • Machine Learning
    Advanced

    ML for Catalyst Screening, LLM Tools, Data-driven Workflows

  • General/Technical
    Expert

    Technical Writing, Adobe Illustrator, CAD/CAM, Research Supervision

Languages

  • English
    Fluent
  • Urdu
    Native
  • Mandarin
    Conversational

Teaching Experience

  1. Graduate Teaching Assistant

    2020 — 2021

    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 🇨🇳
    Taught postgraduate students and assisted faculty with course delivery and curriculum development. Provided one-on-one mentoring on research methodologies; facilitated laboratory sessions in thermophysics and catalysis.

Leadership & Service

  1. Leader of International Staff and Students

    2021 — 2024

    Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS, Beijing 🇨🇳
    Organized weekly meetings to coordinate research activities and foster collaboration among international researchers. Served as liaison between international researchers and laboratory management.

  2. Student Guide and Translator

    2017 — 2023

    UCAS International Student Office, Beijing 🇨🇳
    Guided international students through orientation programmes. Provided Mandarin–English translation for academic and administrative purposes. Contributed to cross-cultural communication and integration.

Publications

11 peer-reviewed publications with focus on computational catalysis, hydrogen production, and sustainable energy solutions. Publications indexed in high-impact journals including ACS Omega, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, and Materials Research Bulletin.

11+

Publications

International

Collaborations

ORCID

0000-0003-1828-9458

Selected Publications

Selected Conference Presentations

  • 2021

    European Combustion Meeting

    Australia 🇦🇺

    Ab Initio Calculation of Surface Thermochemistry for Popular Solid Transition Metal-Based Species

  • 2020

    Chinese Combustion Symposium

    Tianjin, China 🇨🇳

    Insight into one-step synthesis of active amorphous La-Co thin films for catalytic oxidation of CO

Contact

Get In Touch

Address

University Mohammed VI Polytechnic
Ben Guerir, Morocco 🇲🇦

Professional Profiles

ORCID | GitHub | LinkedIn | Google Scholar

Research Collaboration & Opportunities

I am open to collaborations in computational catalysis, hydrogen production, and sustainable energy research. Feel free to reach out for potential research partnerships, consulting opportunities, or academic discussions.