Tamara Miličić successfully defended her PhD thesis!
Research focused on a nonlinear frequency response method for performance identification and analysis of the forced periodic operation of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE)
Tamara Miličić began her research within the IMPRS program on July 1, 2020, and successfully defended her thesis on December 12, 2025. She highlighted the program’s organizational structure alongside its excellent research conditions, which she attributed to its emphasis on scientific exchange, professional development, and collaboration. Looking back, Tamara described her participation in the PhD program as both a privilege and a pleasure.
In her work, she focused on a nonlinear frequency response method for performance identification and analysis of the forced periodic operation of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). Her research was supervised by Dr. -Ing. habil. Tanja Vidakovic Koch.
PEMWE is a technology that utilizes electricity to split water into oxygen and hydrogen, making it a promising route for green hydrogen production when powered by renewable energy sources. To better asses its efficiency, Tamara developed an approach that allows the identification of different performance losses contributing to the overall PEMWE efficiency, both under steady-state and periodic (pulsed) operating conditions. The approach is termed the nonlinear frequency response method and has proven to be an advantage for fundamental research focused on uncovering the mechanisms and phenomena occurring in PEMWE, as well as for analysing it’s performance under realistic conditions.
One of the main goals of the IPMRS program is to prepare young researchers for the realities of academic research. When asked how well the program succeeded in doing this, Tamara pointed to the many opportunities it offered to connect with leading experts in the field, particularly through access to top-tier conferences and participation in IMPRS workshops. These events enabled her not only to present her work to a broader audience and engage directly with other researchers, including fellow PhD candidates, board members, and coordinators, but also to develop essential soft skills for a career in research. She also highlighted how a variety of courses, workshops, summer schools, collaborations and teaching activities allowed her to further build on this foundation.
Completing a PhD is a major personal achievement and reflects a high level of independent work and self-reliance. At the same time, science remains fundamentally collaborative. Tamara pointed out that alongside her, two other PhD candidates, namely Supriya Bhaskaran and Haashir Altaf, were working on the same project supervised by Prof. Tsotsas and Dr. Ing. Vidakovic-Koch. While they each approached the problem from their very own perspectives, she mentioned that their exchange not only resulted in them learning from each other, but also gave rise to unique ideas that she believes would not have emerged otherwise.
After finishing the PhD journey herself, Tamara offers her personal advice to future PhD students in our program: “Embrace both the challenges and opportunities with curiosity and resilience. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, make the most of every learning opportunity, and actively engage with your peers and colleagues. Most importantly, remember to enjoy the journey. It will shape you not only as a researcher, but also as a person.”
Tamara now plans to build on the strong foundation she established during her PhD by continuing her postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute. By doing that, she aims to apply her expertise to electrochemical energy technologies and further deepen her skills. That being said, she also mentioned that she is eager to pass on her knowledge to new generations of students herself.
