Meet our 鈥淏ernalite鈥 Tara Ryan a PhD researcher in the actuate lab under the supervision of Bernal PI member Sarah Guerin in the Bernal Institute.
Tara works with piezoelectricity, the process by which certain materials generate electricity when they are stretched or compressed. These materials have a wide range of applications, but the most effective ones often contain lead, which poses environmental concerns. Tara and her team are working to develop eco-friendly alternatives that maintain performance without the harmful impact.
Tara explains that in certain chemical bonds, when they are stretched or compressed, it allows the flow of electricity due to charge distribution being dislocated. Such properties make these materials valuable for signal generation in technologies such as sensors, fire alarms, computer chips, and medical devices.
However, Tara notes that the most commonly used piezoelectric materials are made from PZT, which contain toxic lead oxide, posing serious risks to human health and the environment. Even with protective coatings, safe disposal remains a major concern. Her research focuses on developing environmentally friendly alternatives using amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. These organic compounds are abundant, sustainable, and easier to produce, offering a promising path toward greener piezoelectric materials.
Tara continues to explain the importance of her work and its value to society stating, 鈥淥ur research is really important for two main reasons. The first is the environmental impact. Our materials are much more sustainable in terms of how they are sourced, used, and disposed of at the end of their life. They are also much easier to recycle. The second reason relates to energy generation. We are always looking for new ways to produce clean energy, and if we can harness piezoelectricity effectively, we could install tiles around cities that generate electricity as people walk on them. We could even have systems in parks where you can run on a special treadmill for a few minutes and then use that energy to charge your phone. It鈥檚 an idea that could benefit both the environment and personal health.鈥
When asked about career success, Tara reflects on the achievements of her research team, including several published papers and collaborations with other universities, most notably a joint publication with the University of Ghent. She explains 鈥淭hat collaboration was incredible. The team at Ghent grew crystals that were nearly identical in structure, differing by just one slight variation. My role was to perform mechanical tests on these samples, and from the results we could see that this small change in the chemical bond led to very different properties. One crystal was much rigid, while the other was more flexible. I thought it was amazing that researchers in another country could synthesise these materials, and I could then help reveal how such subtle chemical differences affected their behaviour.鈥
As Tara continues to advance in her career, she expresses deep gratitude to her supervisor and Bernal PI member, Associate Professor Sarah Guerin from the Department of Chemical Sciences: 鈥淪arah Guerin is fantastic because she has such a clear vision for the entire project and for each person鈥檚 role within it. Not only does she have that clarity of vision, but she鈥檚 also incredible at encouraging all of us, recognising our strengths, building our confidence, and helping us develop valuable skills as researchers. She鈥檚 a truly great mentor.鈥
Tara鈥檚 appreciation also extends to Bernal commenting 鈥淚 think it is probably one of the best places I have ever worked, because both within my group and beyond it, I am so fortunate to collaborate with people who are not only extremely creative and intelligent but also genuinely kind. They are enthusiastic, generous with their time, and always willing to share their ideas and efforts.鈥