Dr. Mannix P. Balanay earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Kunsan National University in the Republic of Korea in 2012, where he studied the design, synthesis and fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells. During his Ph.D. studies, he learned various density functional theory methods for the theoretical design of dyes and polymers used in organic solar cells. He was also trained in the organic synthesis of the dyes and their fabrication into solar cells. After completing his PhD, he was hired as a research professor and invited professor at the same university, where he continued his research on third-generation solar cells. Before coming to Korea, he was an instructor at Siquijor State College and Silliman University. He holds two master's degrees in chemistry with specialization in computational chemistry (from Kunsan National University) and bioinorganic chemistry (from Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology, Republic of the Philippines). During his time in the Philippines, he has done a lot of work in environmental research, starting with his undergraduate thesis sponsored by the Philippine National Oil Company, where he studied the impact of the plant's exhaust on rain quality in the region. At Siquijor State College, he was not only a instructor but also a science research specialist in coastal resource management, where he learned underwater diving and earned his license as an advanced open water diver. At Silliman University, he was the Chemist of the Chemistry Department's Commercial Analysis Laboratory, where he supervised various chemical analyses, primarily of soil and water, for different sectors of the community. His specialization in bioinorganic chemistry allowed him to gain experience with bacterial cell culture and protein profiling. In 2014, he was appointed Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry of Nazarbayev University and promoted to Associate Professor in 2020. 

In 2019, he was awarded the “Balik (returning) Scientist Program” award of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD) of the Republic of the Philippines in coordination with the Chemistry Department of the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology. 

Dr. Balanay applies a comprehensive approach to study a range of functional materials critical to society's pressing needs, including energy, environment, and health. His research spans multiple disciplines of chemistry and includes computational chemistry, materials chemistry, and environmental chemistry. Currently, his research focuses on the following key areas: (a) Computational design, synthesis, and fabrication of organic/hybrid solar cells, with particular emphasis on dye-sensitized, polymer, and perovskite solar cells. Using advanced computational methods, Dr. Balanay aims to optimize the design and manufacturing processes of these solar cells to achieve higher efficiency and performance. (b) Synthesis of nanomaterials tailored for energy, environmental, and biomedical applications. Dr. Balanay is actively engaged in the synthesis of nanomaterials with specific properties to address challenges in areas such as energy generation, environmental remediation/catalysis, and biomedical advances. And (c) environmental analysis and monitoring. Dr. Balanay is developing environmental sensors to assess and monitor the impact of various substances on the environment. By developing novel analytical methods, he hopes to contribute to a better understanding of environmental pollutants and their potential impact on ecosystems and human health.

Through his diverse research interests and expertise, Dr. Balanay is committed to advancing research in functional materials and meeting societal needs in the areas of energy, environment and health.

For the full list of research grants, please click on this link.

For Dr. Balanay's current projects, please click on this link.