Piret Pikma

Piret Pikma is an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry and Director of the Institute of Chemistry at the University of Tartu, Estonia. She holds a PhD in Chemistry (2015) and a Master's in Entrepreneurship & Technology Management (2022). Her research focuses on interfacial electrochemistry, adsorption at electrode-electrolyte interfaces, and ionic liquid applications in energy storage devices. She leads the ESSource III project and chairs the University of Tartu's Sustainable Development Council.

• Education:
  • BSc Chemistry (2009), University of Tartu
  • MSc Physical & Electrochemistry (2011), University of Tartu
  • PhD in Chemistry (2015), University of Tartu
  • Master of Arts in Entrepreneurship (2022), University of Tartu

Research Interests: Electrochemical interfaces, adsorption of organic/inorganic species, ionic liquid electrolytes, energy materials, and sustainable electrochemical device development. Her work combines experimental (in situ STM, EIS) and computational methods to study interfacial phenomena.

Grants & Projects: Leads €2.6M project on ionic liquid-adsorption models and co-leads a €888K EU-funded neutron/X-ray research initiative. Active in EU Horizon projects and national grants focusing on energy materials and electrochemical systems.

Awards: 2024 ECS Best Poster Award, 2021 Lauri Kangro Scholarship, and recognition as Tartu Konverentsisaadik (2020).

Labs/Teams: Directs the Institute of Chemistry's research on electrochemical interfaces and leads a multidisciplinary team in energy storage R&D.