Top scientific talent, universities, and industry in the Netherlands unite for the chemistry of the future

Without chemistry, we would be without many consumer products. But chemistry is also well placed to tackle some of the world’s present-day challenges such as climate change and sustainability. Since 2016, the Advanced Research Center Chemical Building Blocks Consortium (ARC CBBC) has been bringing industry and academia together to lay the foundation for “clean and green” chemical processes for a circular economy. Scientific talent is central to the consortium’s research programs, which are led by Hans Kuipers (TU/e), Bert Weckhuysen, and Nobel prize winner Ben Feringa. On Thursday April 22nd, the ARC CBBC community comes together to showcase their work for an online symposium that is open for all to virtually attend. 

Within the ARC CBBC consortium, PhD researchers, universities and the business community are working together to provide the chemical “building blocks” for a sustainable industry that can meet key climate-change goals. The consortium partners share a common vision on sustainability and want to shape the chemical industry of the future, especially through catalysis.

On the occasion of its five-year anniversary, ARC CBBC is organizing an inspiring online symposium on Thursday April 22nd. During the symposium entitled 'Reinventing Chemistry Together’, prominent speakers from science, government and industry will take the stage together with PhD researchers. Drawing on examples from research projects within ARC CBBC, they will illustrate the way in which chemistry talents are realizing their ambition to jointly tackle climate change and sustainability challenges. Excellent science is being carried out thanks to the consortium’s unique infrastructure of multilateral cooperation.

TU/e researchers on the ARC CBBC stage
TU/e researchers from the department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry will be presenting during both parts of the symposium program. In the first part of the program, PhD researcher Morteza Hadian will present on the topic “Methane as chemical feedstock rather than fuel” along with Sander van Bavel from Shell. In the second part of the program Hans Kuipers, who is also Program Director for Energy Carriers (ARC CBBC), along with Nikolay Kosinov and Morteza Hadian will all take part in the session “From the laboratory to manufacturing plant” along with speakers from BASF, Shell, and Utrecht University.

Symposium details
The ‘Reinventing Chemistry Together’ symposium takes place on April 22 between 1:00 PM and 5:15 PM (CEST). It is broadcast online from the NBC Conference Center in Nieuwegein (near Utrecht, Netherlands). You can register for the symposium here.

More information on ARC CBBC
In ARC CBBC, the companies AkzoNobel, BASF, Nouryon and Shell work together with Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Groningen, and Utrecht University on solutions to reduce the ecological footprint of the chemical industry and create a sustainable society. They do this with the support of the Dutch government and scientists from other academic institutions, such as the University of Amsterdam and Wageningen University & Research. In terms of size and impact, ARC CBBC competes with other major international initiatives on sustainability and circularity. It provides a solid foundation for the development of a new generation of scientific talent who research materials, coatings and fuels with unprecedented properties. Together with the ARC CBBC partners, they work side by side in a unique set-up focusing on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the prevention of waste streams and the development of energy-efficient chemical processes.