The School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (HEIA-FR), a member institution of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland (HES-SO), offers bilingual study programs at the BA and MA levels. On behalf of its BioFactory Competence Center (BCC), the HEIA-FR invites applications to fill the position of: 

Director of the BioFactory Competence Center (BCC) and Full Professor UAS 

The BCC is active in the areas of bioprocesses, biochemistry and biotechnologies. It offers: 

  • A range of continuing education courses for which the BCC establishes contact with target audiences and manages the entire service 
  • Contributions to the Chemistry Department of the HEIA-FR in the form of laboratories, courses, and student projects in its areas of activity 
  • Services and aR&D projects in its areas of activity, in coordination with other institutes of the HEIA-FR 

Mission and Scope of Activities 

  • Management and planning of the BCC’s personnel, finances, infrastructure, contractual relations and communication, in subsidiarity with relevant services, departments and institutes of the HEIA-FR 
  • Development of the BCC’s education and research activities, including acquisition of participants and of training provision mandates from companies 
  • Contribution to the strategic planning of the BCC 
  • Leading role and active involvement in the implementation of practical and theoretical courses 
  • Acquisition, planning, execution and promotion of externally-funded applied research projects 
  • Teaching duties in the Chemistry Department of the HEIA-FR 

Your profile 

  • Doctoral degree with research experience in biotechnology or bioprocess engineering 
  • Experience in the market for custom training services in the life sciences and particularly in the field of bioprocesses 
  • A marked interest in teaching coupled with good pedagogical skills 
  • Experience in project and resource management 
  • Proficiency in French, German and English 

Additional information 

  • Activity rate: 80-100% 
  • The HEIA-FR is committed to an equal opportunity recruitment policy. 
  • For details, contact Patrick Favre-Perrod, Deputy Director in charge of aR&D, tel. 026 429 65 88 
  • Job starting date: immediately or to be agreed 
  • Application deadline : June 25, 2023 

Interested? Send in your complete application by clicking on the Apply («Postuler») button below via this link 
(https://www.heia-fr.ch/en/university/jobs/director-of-the-biofactory-competence-center-bcc-and-full-professor-uas/)

 

David Spichiger, SCS
06.12.2021

This IUPAC initiative showcases the transformative value of chemistry and is to inform the general public about the potential of chemical sciences to foster the well-being of Society and the sustainability of our planet. The 2022 finalists are (in alphabetical order):

- Aerogels
- Fibre batteries
- Film-based fluorescent sensors
- Liquid solar fuel synthesis
- Nanoparticle mega libraries
- Nanozymes
- Rational vaccines with SNA
- Sodium-ion batteries
- Textile displays
- VR-enable interactive modeling

Access full release and learn more about each technology.

David Spichiger, SCS
19.10.2022

190830 ILMAC19September 24-27, 2019, 
Messe Basel, part of ILMAC 2019,
https://scg.ch/ilmac
The Swiss Green & Sustainable Chemistry Days 2019 are organized by SCS, SusChem Switzerland and ILMAC

We are convinced that sustainable chemistry will inspire a change of pace and the new mind-set that society needs in order to become more sustainable, smart and inclusive. 

Swiss Green & Sustainable Chemistry Days 2019 will focus on sustainable solutions to society’s big challenges and the contributions that chemical sciences can and must provide.

ILMAC 2019 and its focus topic “Green & Sustainable Technology”, ensures a perfect framework to meet, discuss and define follow-up action. The program includes:

> Get your free ticket here!

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Basel in late September!

 

 

David Spichiger, SCS
30.08.2019

 

 

Introduction

Modern life is sustained by an unremitting stream of energy that is delivered to final users as fuels, electricity, and heat. Currently, over 80% of the world’s primary energy supply is provided by fossil fuels carbon sources (coal, oil, gas). For the last two centuries fossil fuels, generated from biomass over millions of years, have been extensively used in anthropic activities. When we burn fossil fuels, we liberate the solar energy stored millions of years earlier in chemical bonds, but we are also generating CO2 as waste. Over the last few decades it has become clear that the CO2 that is released in this way is affecting the climate stability of the biosphere. Therefore there is a need for an energy transition from fossil fuels to nonfossil-based energies. This transition has already started and must be completed during the present century. The sun gives us an opportunity to complete this energy revolution as it delivers the same energy to the Earth in about one hour as we currently use from fossil fuels, nuclear power and all renewable energy sources combined in a year. Yet, sunlight is a dilute form of energy. It needs to be converted into other forms of energy in order to be used in a profitable way, such as heat, electricity, or fuels.

Nature stores solar energy in carbon-based chemical compounds that mankind has long used as an energy source. In plants, algae and some types of bacteria, solar-driven systems are capable of converting carbon dioxide and water into C,H,O-containing compounds. Photosynthesis is a way to capture solar energy and store it in the form of chemical bonds. The compounds thus produced can be used as fuels, but also (bio-)materials or chemical feedstock. Developing artificial systems on an industrial scale that generate such compounds from the same sources (i.e. solar radiation, water, CO2) is a great challenge. Ideally, such man-made, ecologically friendly energy systems should be more efficient than their natural counterparts, to keep pace with our consumption while making our energy utilization sustainable.

Read the full paper:

 

The document is based on the presentations at a brainstorming workshop on “Solar-driven Chemistry” on October 9, 201 5 in Berlin, organized by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, represented by Georg Bechtold) and the European Association of Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS, represented by Ulrich Schubert, TU Wien). Participating experts were Nicola Armaroli (CNR Bologna), Vincent Artero (Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS and CEA), Gabriele Centi (University of Messina), Angela Dibenedetto (University of Bari), Leif Hammarström (University of Uppsala), Guido Mul (University of Twente), Christopher Pickett (University of East Anglia), Sven Rau (University of Ulm) and Joost N. H. Reek (University of Amsterdam). The first version of this document was written by Ina Helms. EuCheMS gratefully acknowledges financial and organizational support by DFG.

The White Paper was Published by EuCheMS
Nineta Hrastelj Majcen (EuCheMS General Secretary) Bruno Vilela (EuCheMS Public Affairs Officer)
For further information please contact
ISBN 978-2-9601 655-2-4

 

 

EuCheMS
September 2016 

 

In 2010, the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) has launched the European Sustainable Chemistry Award (ESCA). This has been encouraged by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and supported by the European Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) and the European Chemical Industry Association (CEFIC).

Deadline for nominations of the 2014 award is March 31. 2014.

Forms and more information are available on the EuCheMS website.

Rationale

The European Sustainable Chemistry Award is designed to:

  • recognise individuals or small research groups which make an outstanding contribution to sustainable development by applying green and sustainable chemistry;
  • promote innovation in chemistry and chemicals that will deliver clear improvements in the sustainable production and use of chemicals and chemical products;
  • demonstrate that chemistry and chemicals can play a central role in delivering society's needs, while minimizing and solving environmental problems.

Successful national green and sustainable chemistry award schemes have been in place for some years in several European countries and outside Europe and a recent study by the Economist Intelligence Unit points to the value of awards as demand side solutions as a key element in pushing the EU further up the global innovation rankings. The European Sustainable Chemistry Award is intended to be a prestigious scheme which will raise the profile of sustainable chemistry and be a spur to innovation and competitiveness.

Scientific focus

The Award covers innovations in the following scientific areas: 

  • the use of alternative synthetic pathways, that increase resource efficiency and selectivity e.g. with the help of catalysis or natural processes;
  • the use of alternative feedstocks which are safer and/or renewable e.g. based on biomass;
  • the use of alternative reactor design and reaction conditions, such as use of solvents which deliver health and environmental benefits, or increased yield and reduced waste and emissions;
  • the design and use of chemicals and chemical products that are, for example, less environmentally harmful than current alternatives, or inherently safer with regard to hazardous concerns.

Eligibility

The Award is open to individuals or teams of up to three persons. EuCheMS member societies, EuCheMS Divisions/Working Parties/EYCN and individuals (no self-nominations) are invited to submit nominations. The work cited in the nomination must have been carried out in an institution in a country where there is a EuCheMS member society.

An independent Evaluation Panel will be appointed to consider the nominations. A Steering Committee is overseeing the development of the nominations procedure.

David Spichiger, SCS
24.01.2014

 

  1. 1st European Conference and Exhibition on Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
  2. International Call for Proposals in Sustainable Chemistry
  3. Call for «The European Sustainable Chemistry Award»
  4. First Laureate of the Newly Launched European Sustainable Chemistry Award

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