Welcome to the website of the PhD program SusChemSys! On our homepage we provide up-to-date information about the latest activities of the PhD students in the network SusChemSys.
First industry visit to ALTANA AG
On September 27, the doctoral students of the SusChemSys network hat the opportunity to participate in the first industry visit to our partner ALTANA in Wesel. There they got exciting insights into the digital labs for high-throughput research and learned more about the sustainability perspective of ALTANA. Sebastian Weiß and Anna Rustler presented their work in BYK R&D and the Cross-Divisional Development Program Innovation, which the PhD students were really interested in. The highlight of the excursion was the tour to the BYK laboratories and production facilities. The tours provided the students with valuable insights.
Industry visit to Evonik in Wesseling
One week after the last PhD seminar, a SusChemSys industry visit to Evonik at the Wesseling site took place on June 24, 2024, in which 28 doctoral students took part. After a welcome by the site manager Dr. Arndt Selbach and a presentation on CREAVIS/Innovation Networks by Dr. Christoph Weckbecker, our Evonik representative at SusChemSys, the Evonik Fellowship was presented as an alternative to a management career. After lunch, the silica production was presented by various employees of the site. The highlight of the excursion was the final tour of the silica production plant, the technical center and the application technology.
PhD Seminar at RWTH Aachen University
On June 17, 2024, the next SusChemSys PhD seminar took place at RWTH Aachen University. As part of the diverse program, this time six doctoral students from five different research institutions held presentations on their PhD projects. Prof. Sonja Herres-Pawlis from RWTH Aachen University introduced herself to the network as a new PI with a presentation on the work of her group. In a guest lecture, Dr.-Ing. Mohammad Chehadé from the Center for Circular Economy (CCE) at RWTH Aachen University spoke about sustainability at RWTH and beyond. The program concluded with a panel discussion, moderated by Stefan Weber and Martin Bellof from chemstars, on the topic of start-ups in the chemical industry. With Prof. Dieter Vogt and Maximilian Spiekermann from TU Dortmund University on the panel, the perspectives of professors and founders were highlighted. A lively discussion ensued in which many questions from the doctoral students in the audience were addressed, particularly on the topics of IP and financing.
14th application round completed
The 14th application round for SusChemSys was called for in March 2024. In this round, eight new doctoral students from the participating research institutions and industry partners were accepted into the network. Currently, 40 doctoral students are part of the SusChemSys network.
PhD Workshop at TU Dortmund University
On November 22, 2023, the SusChemSys doctoral meeting took place at TU Dortmund University. At the symposium, five doctoral students presented their research projects to the audience. ALTANA AG, represented by Dr. Christian Schaumberg, gave its introductory presentation as a new partner in the network. In addition, Dr. Kai Baldenius gave a guest lecture on the role of biocatalysis in sustainable chemistry. Moreover, Janik Lammertz was elected as the new speaker of the doctoral students, replacing Hannah Bork, who will soon be completing her doctorate. The presentations led to a vivid exchange between the industry representatives, the doctoral students and professors, which continued during the networking breaks.
13th application round completed
In summer 2023, the 13th application round of SusChemSys was successfully completed. We can now welcome nine more PhD students from NRW to our network. The network currently comprises 41 PhD students.
PhD Workshop in Aachen
On May 16, 2023, the annual SusChemSys network meeting took place in Aachen at the Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC). Five PhD students presented their PhD projects to the audience. In addition, Dr. Susann Wiechers from Evonik Industries AG gave a guest presentation on the sustainability strategy at Evonik. Inspired by these presentations, many discussions and conversations were held between members of the various universities, working groups and companies, making the day very entertaining and enriching. The event was complemented by a tour to the laboratories of the start-up incubator QuinCAT for green chemistry, which are also located in the chemistry building.
Excursion to Bayer AG in Leverkusen and Dormagen
On May 9, 2023, another industry visit of the SusChemSys PhD students took place. The destination of the excursion was Bayer AG at the Leverkusen and Dormagen sites. Starting in Leverkusen, the focus was on sustainability at Bayer. Afterwards, employees from various departments presented their work in short pitch presentations. The presentation of the site in Dormagen was complemented with a tour of the site and speed dating with plant managers and CS colleagues. In the end, the plants were visited in small groups.
PhD Workshop in Mülheim
On November 16, 2022 a SusChemSys meeting took place at the Max Planch Institute in Mülheim. Here, five PhD students presented their PhD projects. In addition, two new PIs in the network presented the research area of their work. Based on this, many stimulating conversations and discussions were held. A guided tour through the laboratories at the MPI complemented the day.
Teambuilding-Workshop in Cologne
On August 01 and 02 a teambuilding workshop of the active SusChemSys PhD students took place in Cologne. With sessions on the common values of the network, target-oriented communication, good feedback culture and successful conflict management, new and experienced participants were united as one.
Twelfth application round completed
On August 01 and 02 a teambuilding workshop of the active SusChemSys PhD students took place in Cologne. With sessions on the common values of the network, target-oriented communication, good feedback culture and successful conflict management, new and experienced participants were united as one.
PhD Workshop in Aachen
On May 31, 2022, the SusChemSys 2.0 meeting took place in Aachen with the participation of PhD students, industry representatives and PIs. Here, three new PI in the network presented the research area of their working group. Furthermore, the meeting offered three PhD students the opportunity to present their research in short talks. The presentations provided important insights into current topics and led to a lively exchange. All participants were pleased to see familiar and new faces in attendance and enjoyed the opportunity to network.
Eleventh Application Round Completed
In the eleventh application round in spring 2022, nine candidates applied to the programme, whose documents were thoroughly reviewed by the members of the Management Board. Fortunately, all candidates were accepted, so that the network now comprises 37 doctoral candidates.
Online Workshop for PhD Students featuring guests from chemstars.NRW
On December 8, 2021, the now third virtual meeting took place with the participation of PhD students, industry representatives and PIs. This offered 5 PhD students the opportunity to present their research in short talks. Furthermore, a new PI in the network presented the research area of his working group. The presentations led to a lively exchange and offered all participants important insights into current topics. Finally, Stefan Weber and Martin Bellof from chemstars.NRW presented their initiative. Its task is to support startups in chemistry in NRW and is thus aimed in particular at doctoral students in chemistry and process engineering.
Excursion to Jowat SE in Detmold
In October 2021, the fifth industrial excursion of the SusChemSys 2.0 PhD students took place in compliance with a Corona-related safety concept. This time, the Jowat SE in Detmold was visited. To kick-off, the company and the visited site were presented. Afterwards, the participants were given a guided tour of the plant. The visit was rounded off by a panel discussion with four employees, with whom the doctoral students had a lively conversation about the working environment, career entry and possible areas of work.
Tenth Application Round Completed
In the tenth application round in summer 2021, six candidates were proposed for the program by the PIs, whose documents were thoroughly reviewed by the members of the Management Board. Five candidates were accepted, so that the network now comprises 35 PhD students.
Online Meeting “Sustainability Assesment”
The thematic focus of the SusChemSys 2.0 meeting on April 13, 2021 was on the area of sustainability assessment. With impulses from partner companies and an explanatory keynote lecture by Prof. Dr.-Ing. André Bardow from ETH Zürich, it was possible to gain very interesting insights into the topics of sustainability and evaluation methods. A pitch from all doctoral students rounded off the program. The enthusiasm for the relevance of the doctoral projects and their consideration of most diverse sustainability aspects were very high among all participants.
Ninth Application Round Completed
In the ninth round of applications in early 2021, five candidates were nominated for the program by the PIs, whose documents were thoroughly reviewed by the members of the Management Board. Fortunately, all candidates were accepted, so that the network now comprises 33 doctoral candidates.
Online Workshop for Doctoral Students
On November 13, 2020, the first digital SusChemSys 2.0 meeting took place. Five doctoral students seized the opportunity to present their projects and discuss them with the experts of the transdisciplinary network. Breakout sessions, in which the doctoral students were able to exchange ideas in small groups with representatives of industrial companies, for example on the company in general, sustainability aspects and career prospects, rounded off the day. A Management Board Meeting, also digital, accompanied the event.
Eighth Application Round Completed
In the eighth round of applications in autumn 2020, eight candidates were nominated for the program by the PIs, whose documents were thoroughly reviewed by the members of the Management Board. Fortunately, all candidates were accepted, so that the network now comprises 35 doctoral candidates.
Softskill Web-Seminar “Online Presentation”
On July 30, 2020, a soft skills seminar for the PhD students of SusChemSys 2.0 took place online for the first time. The seminar dealt with the topic “Online Presentations” and dealt with general topics such as lecture structure, reaching the target audience and dealing with stage fright as well as the special conditions in online events. Topics covered included online tools, technical equipment, adapted speech and body language.
Excursion to Evonik Industries AG in Essen
The fourth industrial excursion of the SusChemSys 2.0 PhD students took place on February 13, 2020. This time Evonik Industries AG was visited at the Goldschmidtstraße location in Essen. At the beginning, the host company and the visited site were presented. The main focus was on innovation and sustainability. Later on, the excursion participants had the opportunity to talk to Evonik employees to find out more about the working environment, career entry and possible career paths. The excursion was rounded off by a guided tour of the plant.
PhD Workshop in Bochum
On Wednesday, October 02, 2019, the SusChemSys 2.0 meeting took place at the Ruhr University Bochum. In addition to presentations by PhD students, the Ruhr-University Bochum, the research at the Chair of Technical Chemistry and the Cluster of Excellence RESOLV were presented. Another highlight was the presentation of the Adhesive Research division of Henkel AG. A guided tour through the laboratories of technical chemistry rounded off the day.
Workshop for PhD Students in Aachen
On March 25, 2019, a SusChemSys 2.0 meeting was held in Aachen, Germany. Five PhD students took the opportunity to present their projects and discuss them in the expert group of the transdisciplinary network. In addition, the company presentation of an industrial partner and the presentation of a SusChemSys 2.0-PI working group contributed to the successful day program. Furthermore, an insight into planned activities of the West German Catalysis Teaching Network WDKL was given.
Excursion to OXEA GmbH in Oberhausen
On Tuesday, February 5, the third company excursion of the SusChemSys 2.0 PhD students took place. They visited OXEA GmbH in Oberhausen, which produces oxo chemicals at this and other sites. The excursion started with a short presentation of the company and the site. This was followed by a guided tour of the plant site, which gave a comprehensive overview of the facilities. Later on, the excursion participants were given the opportunity to talk to young OXEA employees and a representative of the human resources department to learn more about starting a career and the working environment.
Workshop for Doctoral Students in Mülheim an der Ruhr
On October 19, 2018, the fifth major doctoral student workshop was held at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr. In addition to presentations by doctoral students, several working groups of participating professors were introduced. One highlight was the presentation of a former PhD student from the first phase of SusChemSys, who reported on her experiences after her doctorate.
The event was rounded off by a guided tour of the Mülheim campus. The premises and especially the laboratories of the MPI for Coal Research and the MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion were visited.
Soft Skill Workshop in Duisburg
On October 18, 2018 a Soft Skill Workshop was organized within the framework of SusChemSys 2.0. This workshop dealt with the topics networking and self-marketing and took place in the youth hostel Duisburg Sportpark. The workshop, which was conducted by two coaches, consisted of very varied teaching units and group work phases, in which the participants could gain many new impressions and ideas.
PhD Workshop in Aachen
On April 6, 2018, the fourth major PhD workshop took place at the ITMC of RWTH Aachen University. It was an extremely successful day, which again showed how all participants benefit from the network.
The program was designed by the doctoral students. In addition to scientific presentations, the main focus of the day this time was the presentation of the SusChemSys 2.0 Poster Award. All SusChemSys members present presented their projects in the form of a poster and a corresponding pitch (90 seconds per speaker). The best three posters were selected by a jury consisting of representatives of the industry partners and the VCI NRW.
The event was rounded off by a guided tour through the ITMC laboratories, the technical centre and the new building of the Aachen Process Engineering “NGP2“. Many discussions between members of different universities, working groups, companies etc. made the day very interactive, entertaining and scientifically and personally enriching.
Trip to Covestro and Bayer
The company excursion to Covestro and Bayer took place in Leverkusen on February 26, 2018. After a presentation of both host companies, the doctoral students had the opportunity to get to know employees from different areas of the companies to learn about the career start, the varied working environment and career opportunities. This was followed by a tour of Covestro’s polyurethane technical center. The excursion was rounded off by a workshop on sustainability in the chemical industry and a job application training.
Fourth Application Round Cmpleted
In the fourth application round in November 2017, six applicants were proposed for the programme by the PIs. Their documents were examined in detail by the members of the Management Board. Fortunately, all candidates were accepted, so that the network now comprises 35 doctoral candidates.
PhD Workshop in Dortmund
On August 25, 2017 a SusChemSys meeting was held at the TU Dortmund University. Six PhD students presented their projects. In addition, many stimulating talks and discussions were held. A tour of the laboratories of the Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering at the TU Dortmund University rounded off the day.
Excursion to the Jowat SE in Detmold
On Monday, July 10, the second company excursion of SusChemSys 2.0 PhD students took place. This time, they went to Jowat SE in Detmold, one of the world’s largest adhesives manufacturers. Due to the long distances, Sunday was already used for the journey to Detmold, where the Jowat SE kindly invited to a cosy dinner, which served to intensify the networking.
The excursion on Monday started with a short presentation unit, followed by a tour of the company with detailed insights into the production. Finally, the excursion participants could use a panel discussion to ask questions on various topics, to which five representatives of the Jowat SE answered their questions. This gave the PhD students the opportunity to get a concrete picture of the daily work routine, the job opportunities and the advantages of a medium-sized company. Equipped with a little sticky attention for the household, they then went back to the universities.
Teambuilding Workshop in Sauerland
From February 15 to 17, 2017, the large teambuilding workshop of the SusChemSys doctoral students took place. With two coaches, many learning units and creative exercise units (picture: Exercise to change perspective) the participants came together as a unit. The foundation for successful networking in SusChemSys 2.0 was thus laid.
PhD Workshop in Aachen
On November 21, 2016, the second major workshop for doctoral students took place in Aachen. The program consisted of
- Lectures by doctoral students who presented their projects,
- presentation of companies by the industrial partners and
- Presentation of two working groups of SusChemSys-PIs.
Excursion to Evonik Industries AG in Marl
On August 30, 2016 the SusChemSys doctoral candidates visited the industrial partner Evonik Industries AG in Marl. They visited Evonik Creavis GmbH, the strategic innovation unit of Evonik, took part in a tour of the Marl Chemical Park and listened to a presentation on the importance and application of catalysis in the Chemical Park. In the Performance Intermediates Business Unit they were guided through the laboratories and informed about the importance of atomic efficiency in this business unit. Overall, the doctoral students were able to gain many new impressions.
Workshop for Doctoral Students in Cologne
On April 22, 2016, the first official event for the PhD students of the new SusChemSys generation took place at the University of Cologne with the PhD workshop. Some industrial partners presented their companies. Furthermore, several PhD students already presented their projects. A guided tour through the chemical institutes of the University of Cologne rounded off the day.
