First prize to Maaike Kroon of the Delft University of Technology
Dutch researcher Maaike Kroon won the first prize in the DSM Science &
Technology Awards (North) 2007. An international judging committee, chaired by
DSM Chief Technology Officer Dr Jos Put, selected Dr Kroon, who earned her
doctorate from the Delft University of Technology (Netherlands) for her PhD
thesis entitled ‘Combined reactions and separations using ionic liquids and
carbon dioxide’. Dr Kroon has succeeded in developing a novel, widely
applicable process set-up that makes it possible to produce fine chemicals and
pharmaceuticals in an economically attractive and environmentally benign way,
with less waste generation and lower energy consumption. Maaike Kroon was
presented with an award trophy and a certificate by Mr Jan Zuidam, deputy
chairman of DSM’s Managing Board. As the winner of the first prize she also
received a cash prize of EUR 7,500.
The winner of the second prize, Patricia Dankers of the Eindhoven University
of Technology (Netherlands), received a cash prize of EUR 5,000, and the
winner of the third prize, David Lesthaeghe of Ghent University (Belgium),
received a cash prize of EUR 2,500. The other six finalists each received a
cash prize of EUR 1,250.
In its report about the winner of the first prize, the judging committee said
it was impressed by the originality and broad multidisciplinary approach of Dr
Maaike Kroon’s research: “The judging committee expects that the outcome of
the research will prove useful for a broad range of processes in the
pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries, offering opportunities for
process intensification and improved economics combined with enhanced
sustainability.” The judging committee commended the high quality of the work
of all the other finalists.
