Marc Koper receives the Netherlands Catalysis and Chemistry Award
During the 20th anniversary meeting of the Netherlands' Catalysis and Chemistry Conference, Marc Koper received the Netherlands Catalysis and Chemistry Award. ‘The ultimate candidate for the prize’, it says in one of the recommendation letters.
Praise by the jury
The jury recognised that Koper has been exceptionally active and successful in the past ten years, visible from his publications and impact factor, as well as his presence and recognition in the national and international communities. According to the jury, he is very independent and has a clear and unique research profile in the field of catalysis. They stress the importance of this in the coming years. His impact in the field as well as on society at large is therefore only expected to increase, the jury states. ‘Marc is one of the most active electrochemists currently working in the field of physical electrochemistry and catalysis, and he is a recognized leader in the field’, one of persons who recommended Koper writes.
Pioneer
According to the jury, Koper has made significant contributions in the area of theory of electrochemical transfer and electrocatalysis. He has been a pioneer in the applications of first principle theory calculations to surface electrochemistry. A characteristic of Koper’s work is the combination of electrochemical measurements, typically on well-defined electrode surfaces, with theory and in situ techniques.
Renewable energy
Amongst others, Koper performs fundamental research on what exactly happens on the surface of electrodes, at an atomic level. His fundamental discoveries provide insights which are helpful for applications in the field of sustainable energy. For instance, his research makes it possible to design better catalysts for the conversion of carbon dioxide into fuels. Another example is the production of energy from electricity and water, for which the current techniques are still too expensive to be applied on a large scale.
Previous distinctions
Koper is well-recognised in the Netherlands, with funding grants including an NWO Vici and multiple NWO TOP grants. He was recently elected as member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Internationally he is highly respected and recognized, proven by for example the 2013 Carl Wagner Memorial Award (Electrochemistry Society USA), the 2016 Brian Conway Award (International Society of Electrochemistry) and the 2017 Faraday Award (Royal Society of Chemistry). In 2018, he was elected as president of the International Society for Electrochemistry.
This article is based on the DCS article
The award is sponsored jointly by the Netherlands Organization of Catalysis Industries (VIRAN) and the Dutch Catalysis Society (DCS), and the certificate is accompanied by 10,000 euros. The NCCA recognizes and encourages significant achievements of individuals in fundamental and practice of catalysis. Candidates are active researchers from academia, research institutes or industry located in The Netherlands or Belgium. The candidate may have carried out part of the research in other countries or is currently active abroad. The selection is based on accomplishments and contributions made within the last ten years. The previous winners are Bert Weckhuysen (2009) and Ben Feringa (2015).