Georgi Staikov received his MS in physical chemistry from Sofia University in 1968, and subsequently joined the Central Laboratory of Electrochemical Power Sources at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, ultimately becoming deputy director. In 1993 he transferred to the University of Karlsruhe to continue his research with Professor W. J. Lorenz on electrocrystallization and underpotential deposition of metals. He is currently a senior scientist at the Research Center Jülich and an assistant professor at the University of Düsseldorf. Dr. Staikov has over 100 publications to his name, and his current research focuses on the application of electrochemical phase formation processes for nanometer-scale structuring and modification of solid surfaces.