> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://once-upon-a-phd.gitbook.io/once-upon-a-phd/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://once-upon-a-phd.gitbook.io/once-upon-a-phd/en/acknowledgement.md).

# Acknowledgement

\[Gratitude]

**4** years later, being quarantined in **Brugg AG** and writing my PhD thesis, I was to remember that distant summer when I was joining the master program assembly on the top of the [**Mt. Rigi**](https://www.rigi.ch/) for the dissertation of my master degree. Exciting presentation, productive discussion, immersed in cheerful party, I did not know at all that I would come back to Switzerland and luckily started my journey towards PhD degree at [**ETH Zürich**](https://www.psi.ch/en) and research at A Swiss Federal Institute right before the Christmas of 2016.

**The entire journey** began with the gratefulness to my Professor Dr. TS, my super- visor Dr. EJ and Dr. BF for offering me this opportunity. For the progresses towards PhD dissertation, I would like to acknowledge Prof. Dr. MS for the acceptance as the co-referee of my thesis. Particularly, thanks to the constructive insights and guidance in broad visions during the PhD meetings shared by TS, I was able to rethink my research for contributing to a better academic community. I would like to acknowledge BF for the supportive spirits during every beamtime and persistent output of thoughtful advices, from which I have been benefiting a lot. Many thanks go to EJ for the careful guidance, timely supports and intrinsic passion that keeping me motivated through the long PhD journey.

It has been a great pleasure to work with Dr. FM and BM as my collaborators at TOMCAT beamline of the Swiss Light Source. Thank you FM for the productive discussion and great supports during the challenging campaigns and thank you BM for the great discussion and continuous help during my PhD studies, which greatly contribute to the successful collaboration in the framework of SNF project.

I would like to acknowledge SN, HN, KK from Toyota Motor Europe and YN from Toyota R\&D Labs for the productive collaboration of industrial campaigns on fuel cell research as well as discussion on manuscripts. This collaboration has contributed to the exploration of XTM setups with high magnification capabilities.

This work would be mentally lack of **inspiring sparks** without my colleagues. Warm thanks go to Thomas Gloor, Adrian Mularczyk, Christoph Csoklich, Arnaud Schuller, Michael Striednig, Ammann Martin and Dr. Salvatore De Angelis for their great and timely supports during beamtime campaigns, as well as Kinanti Aliyah Hantiyana, Cesar Weber Carl, Peter Christian and Margarita Athanasia Charalambous for nice discussion. In particular, thanks to my officemates Dr. Adrien Lamibrac, Dr. Jonathan Halter, Dr. Tobias Schuler, Yen-Chun Chen and Dr. Sabharwal Mayank for their joyfulness and spiritual supports. Thanks also go to Cordelia Gloor for her warm supports and administrative helps that made complicated processes much easier. I would like to thank Cristina Crețu specially for her contribution as an intern working with me at PSI.

I would like to also thank my colleagues from the Electrochemistry Laboratory at PSI. Warm thanks go to Dr. Pierre Boillat, Dr. Magali Cochet, Dr. Victoria Manzi-Orezzoli, Dr. Muriel Sieg- wart, Mateusz Zlobinski from Neutron Imaging Group, Dr. Lorenz Gubler, Steffen Garbe from the membrane Group, Dr. Emiliana Fabbri, Kathrin Ebner, Nataša Diklić, Adrian Heinritz from the Catalyst Group, and Dr. Mario El Kazzi, Marta Mirolo, Laura Höltschi, Dr. Daniela Leanza, Dr. Steven Lacey, Simon Schneider from the Batteries Group for nice discussion with them during conferences, group meetings and lunch time.

Finally, an **honorable** **mention** goes to my family, beloved one and dear friends. In particular, thanks to my father who taught me to be independent and brave, my mother who influenced me to be righteous and heart-warming, and my beloved one who has been constantly supportive and encouraging on whatever I wish to pursue. **Thank you all** for sharing the joy and sorrow along my PhD journey to discover “mountains”behind “mountains”among this **fabulous world**.<br>

**Helios Xu**

Altstadt, Brugg AG\
Autumn 2020