Bert Weckhuysen

Prof. dr. ir. Bert Weckhuysen is an University Professor of Catalysis, Energy, and Sustainability at Utrecht University.

He received his Master and PhD degrees from Leuven University (Belgium) in 1991, and 1995, respectively, after which he has worked as a postdoc at Lehigh University (PA, USA) and Texas A&M University (TX, USA). His interests include the design, synthesis, characterization and application of solid catalysts for the manufacturing of our current and future transportation fuels, chemicals and materials. Recent research is devoted to the catalytic activation of CO₂ via thermal and electrocatalytic pathways and the photocatalytic and electrocatalytic splitting of H₂O into H₂ and O₂, as well as the chemical recycling of plastics and the upgrading of municipal and agricultural waste.

He has received many scientific prizes, including the Emmett Award, Bourke Award, Spinoza Award, Tanabe Prize, and Chemistry Europe Award.

He has been appointed Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion and is a member of a.o. the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and Arts, and European Academy of Science.

He serves on national and international boards, and directs several large-scale research initiatives, including ARC CBBC, MCEC, and SUNERGY. Weckhuysen is currently president of the European Federation of Catalysis Societies.