From 27 to 29 May 2026, the D-Carbonize consortium gathered at Heidelberg University (Germany) for an Industry Workshop. The three-day event brought together all doctoral candidates (DCs), consortium partners and supervisors and were offered scientific presentations, training sessions and discussions focusing on industrial angles regarding sustainable carbon cycles, CO₂ valorization and circular chemistry.
The workshop opened on Wednesday with welcoming remarks from Stephen Hashmi (Heidelberg University) and the scientific coordinator Arjan Kleij (ICIQ), who highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration within the D-Carbonize network.
The first day was dedicated to presentations from the doctoral candidates, providing an opportunity to share recent research advances among all participants and receive feedback from all supervisors regarding the progress of their projects. A board meeting held at the end of the first day enabled the project partners to review the progress and discuss upcoming activities and actions.
The second and third day focused on training sessions designed to complement the scientific expertise of all DCs and strengthen their professional development. Participants engaged in dedicated sessions aiming at expansion of their technical knowledge and fostering interdisciplinary skills, while also continuing scientific discussions in a collaborative environment.
Among the invited speakers were Dr. Coralie Jehanno (Polykey Polymers), who discussed the transfer of sustainable technologies from the laboratory to the market; Prof. Dr. Sabine Chourbaji (Heidelberg University), who addressed the use of animal experiments in the testing of new chemicals, and the social acceptance aspects related to these activities; Dr. Andrea Ruiu (DOW), who presented recycling programs to turn waste into value; Dr. Christian Krueger (BASF) who shared perspectives on Life Cycle Assessment, and finally Dr. Jean-Pierre Lindner (BASF) discussed the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of renewable resources.
The D-Carbonize Industry Workshop once again demonstrated the project’s commitment to combine advanced research with interdisciplinary training, supporting the development of the next generation of researchers working toward sustainable chemistry, circular carbon technologies and lower-emission materials systems.
This project has received funding from the European Union (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101073223)