Netherlands Catalysis Newsletter of October 2007
News & Announcements
Several VIDI grants in catalysis
In July, 83 VIDI grants were awarded by NWO. In catalysis, Wesley Browne (RUG), Emiel Hensen (TU/e) and Alex Yanson (UL) were amongst the successful applicants.
More information: NWO website
Zeolite symposium for the retirement of Koos Jansen
On October 19, DZA and Delft University of Technology are organising an International Symposium on Zeolites in honour of Koos Jansens contributions to this field. The programme and registration information can be found at: TU Delft website
A journey in green chemistry & catalysis
2007 marks the 65th birthday of Roger Sheldon and his retirement from the Chair of Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry at the Delft University of Technology that he has occupied since 1991. On December 6-7 2007, a farewell symposium will be organised in honour of Roger Sheldon and to commemorate his many contributions to biocatalysis, chemocatalysis and green chemistry. Roger Sheldon will conclude the symposium with his valedictory address.
More information: TU Delft website
Important dates for NCCC
Please be aware that the deadline for submission of abstracts for poster presentations at NCCC IX is set for December 15, 2007. For oral presentations, the deadline for submission of abstracts is October 15, 2007!
More information: NCCC website
Awards
BASF Catalysis Award 2007
Professor Dr. F. Dean Toste from the University of California at Berkeley received the BASF Catalysis Award 2007 worth EUR 10,000 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to catalytic processes for organic synthesis. The award was presented by Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, member of BASF's Board of Executive Directors and Research Executive Director, at the Heidelberg Forum of Molecular Catalysis, an international congress jointly organized by the University of Heidelberg, BASF Aktiengesellschaft and the long-term collaborative research project on molecular catalysts SFB 623.
More information: chemie.de
Dechema Preis for Bert Weckhuysen
UU Professor Bert Weckhuysen will receive the Dechema Preis der Max-Buchner-Forschungsstiftung for his contribution to the development of in-situ spectroscopic tools to study industrial relevant catalytic processes. The prize (EUR 20,000 and a gold medal) will be transferred on November 30 2007.
More information: Dechema website
Martijn Mies nominated for the Simon Stevin Gezel Award 2007
Since 2005 the Technology Foundation STW yearly grants the honorable title 'Simon Stevin Gezel' to very promising young researchers who defended their PhD thesis on an STW funded research project in the preceding year. Martijn Mies obtained his PhD in 2007 in the Chemical Reaction Engineering group at TU/e.
More information: STW website
AIChE Excellence in Process Development Research Award 2007
The Process Development Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has recently announced that TU/e's parttime professor Volker Hessel will receive the AIChE Excellence in Process Development Research Award 2007 at the AIChE Spring Meeting in New Orleans in 2008. Volker Hessel is part-time professor in the Chemical Reaction Engineering group of Jaap Schouten and Research Director at the Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz in Germany (IMM).
With this Award AIChE recognizes individuals who have made significant technical contributions to the advancement of process development within research, teaching, or regulatory activities. Volker Hessel obtained the award for his leading role in the development of microreactor technology.
More information: AIChE website / IMM website
R&D Highlights
UU articles in Top-50
Two articles of the group of Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis of the Utrecht University appeared on the list of most "Top-50 most cited articles" as published in Elsevier's Catalysis journals 2002-2006.
Impact of the structure and reactivity of nickel particles on the catalytic growth of carbon nanofibers; M.L. Toebes, J.H. Bitter, A.J. van Dillen, K.P. de Jong; Catalysis Today, Volume 76, Issue 1 (2002), Pages 33-42
Chemistry, spectroscopy and the role of supported vanadium oxide in heterogeneous catalysis
B.M. Weckhuysen, D.E. Keller; Catalysis Today, Volume 78, Issue 1-4 (2003), Pages 25-46
Recent 'Dutch' Patent Applications in Catalysis
On a regular base, we provide you with the latest Dutch patent applications in the field of catalysis. The overviews are published on our website: www.niok-society.nl.
Business news
Criterion Catalysts & Technologies announces new catalyst manufacturing facility
Criterion Catalysts & Technologies L.P. announce Port Allen, Louisiana as the location for its new, world-scale hydroprocessing catalyst manufacturing facility. Criterion also announces the purchase of the Port Allen alumina facility from Southern Ionics Incorporated effective June 1, 2006.
The acquisition is the first step in a multi year expansion whereby Criterion will expand the Port Allen facility to meet future needs for precipitated aluminas for hydrotreating catalysts. Concurrently, the new catalyst manufacturing facility will be built on this site.
This new construction is a key component of Criterion's plans to address the dramatic increase in
hydroprocessing catalyst requirements to produce clean fuels.
Engelhard De Meern BV is now BASF Nederland BV
Last year the business of Engelhard Corporation was taken over worldwide by
BASF. The new situation results in a change of name for Engelhard De Meern,
which is now trading under the name of BASF Nederland B.V. Consequently
both manufacturing and sales are now part of the Catalysts Division of
BASF. The R&D facility, in which catalysts are developed for the chemical
industry, is now part of the Process Catalysis Research division of BASF.
People on the move
Ed de Jong from WUR to Avantium
Starting the 1st of October 2007 Ed de Jong has accepted a new position as director catalytic biomass conversion at Avantium Technologies BV. Avantium is a leading company in the area of advanced high-throughput R&D operating in the energy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The company develops products and processes in the area of biofuels, bio-based chemicals and crystal forms of drugs by applying its proprietary, high-throughput R&D technology. Avantium is developing a next generation biofuels based upon so-called 'Furanics'. Furanics are products derived from carbohydrates such as sugars. The company is developing chemical, catalytic routes to produce furanics for a range of applications. Next to its application as a biofuel, furanics can also be used for the production of renewable polymers, bulk and specialty chemicals. Avantium has demonstrated the potential of this technology by providing R&D services and tools to more than 70 companies worldwide, including many of the world's largest energy, chemicals and pharmaceutical companies. Within his new job Ed will continue to be task leader of IEA Bioenergy Task 42on Biorefineries.
Isabel Arends full professor Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry at TU Delft
On 1 January 2007, Isabel Arends took up the post of professor of Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry in the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology. At the age of 22, Professor Arends graduated in physical organic chemistry from the University of Leiden, with distinction. Five years later, she obtained her doctorate at Leiden, once again with distinction, on the topic of 'thermolysis of arene derivatives with coal-type hydrogen donors'. She has been working at Delft University of Technology for the past 13 years, initially as a postdoc and a fellow of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and subsequently as a permanent staff member of the Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry section of the Biotechnology department. Organic chemistry forms the background to her work, which involves research into biotransformations using enzymes to achieve sustainable and clean processes for the fine chemicals industry. In the programmes IBOS en B-Basic she works on research into the oxidation of alcohols making use of oxidative enzymes. In the future the biocatalysis of renewable raw materials will also play an important role. In the coming years Professor Arends will focus on the development of new - tailor-made - enzymes. To this end a new molecular biological laboratory is being established, together with Professor Hagen's group, within the Department of Biotechnology.
Isabel Arends succeeds Professor Roger Sheldon, who retired in June this year.
More information: TU Delft website
Thesis defences
No information received...... Your schedule for Q1 2008 can be sent to our correspondents.
Conferences etc.
An overview of catalysis-related conferences and symposia can be found in the agenda of KNCV Catalysis.
Next Edition
The next edition of this Netherlands Catalysis Newsletter will be distributed in January 2008. Content can be supplied to and by our correspondents.
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