Category: Important!
Mali receives certification as holder of the prestigious TMS Starting Grant
TMS Starting Grant. Foto: Eivind Senneset, UiB
On the 1st of August 2022, Mali’s TMS Starting grant project, Recyclable Catalysts for Sustainable Polymers from CO2 and Bio-based Epoxides (ReCat4Polymer), officially started. On Friday the 23rd of September she officially received her TMS badge from the Trond Mohn Foundation. The event was the TMS alumni night at Tårnsalen at the University Museum. Our rector Margareth Hagen was also present to celebrate the three new grant holders, Mali from Chemistry, Suzette Flantua at the Department of Biological Sciences and Carina Strell at the Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO).
The aim of the generous funds from the Trond Mohn Foundation and the University of Bergen is to build up a research group to study recyclable catalysts for the production of sustainable plastics, where CO2 will be used as one of the raw materials.
TMS Starting Grant. Foto: Eivind Senneset, UiB
Mali will develop efficient and fully recyclable catalysts for the sustainable production of modern materials without the use of fossil raw materials. The project focuses specifically on the development of recyclable catalysts for the production of sustainable polymers, where CO2 and bio-based epoxides will be used as raw materials. This will be an important contribution to the UN’s 12th sustainability goal; «Responsible consumption and production». The key to obtaining suitable and recyclable catalysts lies in introducing polyoxometalates (POMs). POMs are a special class of inorganic compounds that is one of Mali’s specialties from her PhD at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. PhD student Leah Kristen Rai is already in place at the institute.
Welcome to our new Research Advisor and PhD Coordinator, Torill Andersen Eidsvaag!
Bergenser og UiB alumn. Jeg har en bachelor i fysikk fra UiB og en master i forskningsformidling fra University of the West of England i Bristol. Jeg har jobbet ved UiB i snart åtte år, først i studieseksjonen ved MN-fakultetet og de siste tre årene som koordinator for UiB sin havvindsatsning, Bergen Offshore Wind Centre (BOW). I studieseksjonen har jeg jobbet hovedsakelig med vitnemål og internasjonalisering. Ved BOW har jeg hatt mange roller og vært med på å bygge opp senteret sammen med faglig ledelse. Jeg brenner for å skape gode rammer og godt miljø rundt forskning og utdanning og jeg gleder meg veldig til å bli kjent med dere på Kjemisk institutt!
Bergenser and UiB alumnus. I have a bachelor’s in physics from UiB and a master’s in research communication from the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol. I have worked at UiB for almost eight years, first in the study section at the MN faculty and for the last three years as coordinator for UiB’s offshore wind initiative, Bergen Offshore Wind Center (BOW). In the study section, I have mainly worked with diplomas and internationalisation. At BOW, I have had many roles and helped to build up the center together with professional management. I am passionate about creating good frameworks and a good environment around research and education and I am very much looking forward to getting to know you at the Department of Chemistry!
Vennlig hilsen Torill
Krav om to sensorar — minst éin ekstern
Stortinget har behandla og i dag vedtatt ny Lov for universitet og høgskular. Trass i gode og vektige motargument, er følgjande endring innført: «Krav om to sensorer ved alle eksamener der vurderingsuttrykket er gradert med karakterskalaen A til F, samt lovfestet krav om uavhengighet til den utdanningen der vurderingen skjer, for minst en av de to sensorene.» For vår del vil dette bety vesentleg auka sensorkostnader og administrasjon, og vesentleg større påtrykk for at våre fagpersoner skal vere ekstern sensor ved andre institusjonar. Det vil vere naturleg at vi ser nøye på val av «vurderingsuttrykk», dvs. om vi i større grad kan bruke Greidd/Ikkje-greidd i staden for A-F. Sjå meir her.
Nathalie elected vice-chair of PRACE Scientific Steering Committee
Some of you will remember that about a year ago, professor Nathalie Reuter was appointed member of the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) of PRACE. Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe offers peer-review-based access to world class computing and data management resources and services to enable high-impact scientific discovery and engineering R&D across all disciplines. 
SSC is composed of European leading researchers, and it speaks volumes of Nathalie’s international standing that she has now been elected vice-chair of the SSC – a very prestigious appointment. We proudly congratulate both Nathalie and PRACE!
Nobel prize in Chemistry to Crispr/Cas9
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2020 to Emmanuelle Charpentier (Director of the Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens, Berlin) and Jennifer A. Doudna (Professor at the University of California, Berkeley) “for the development of a method for genome editing.” The method in question is CRISPR/Cas9, the importance of which can hardly be overestimated. 
Prior to 2020, 183 individuals had been awarded the Nobel prize in chemistry (counting Frederick Sanger once despite him being awarded twice). There were only five female laureates: Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Irène Joliot-Curie (1935), Dorothy Hodgkin (1964), Ada Yonath (2009) and Frances Arnold (2018). Approaching the end of a year where the chemical societies have seen the need to stress the importance of equality in the chemical sciences and work places, it is well worth drawing attention to the fact that this year’s Nobel prize is split between two eminent female scientists (both of whom are younger than the writer of this column).
Very welcome news: Funding for chemistry laboratories at RFB
The Norwegian government has allocated money to selected projects for upgrading physical infrastructure for eduction. In the words of the minister for research and higher education, Henrik Asheim, «studentene ønsker også mer undervisning der de deltar aktivt. Det krever at vi har auditorier, laboratorier, verksteder og andre undervisnings-lokaler som gir bedre mulighet for deltakelse.» UiB receives 25 MNOK for upgrading chemistry laboratories in the Science building, under the explicit condition that UiB allocates matching funds or more, to the same purpose.
Nathalie joins PRACE Scientific Steering Committee
Professor Nathalie Reuter, CBU and Dept. Chemistry, has been elected member of the PRACE Scientific Steering Committee! PRACE, short for Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe, is an organization set to enable high-impact scientific discovery and engineering research and development, by offering world class computing and data management resources and services through a peer review process.
Quoting a recent Sigma2 newsletter: The Scientific Steering Committee is composed of European leading researchers that are responsible for advice and guidance on all matters of a scientific and technical nature, which may influence the scientific work carried out by the use of the PRACE supercomputers. Nathalie Reuter (..) will through the Scientific Steering Committee advise PRACE on how best to exploit the PRACE facilities to maximize the benefits to European Science.
We congratulate Nathalie and PRACE!
Congrats Dr Sondre!
Today, Sondre Hilmar Hopen Eliasson successfully defended his PhD thesis Mechanistic insight for improved catalytic conversion of fatty acids to linear alpha-olefins. This is his contribution to the ongoing world-wide effort of developing chemical transformations for molecular resources of biological origin into modern commodity and platform chemicals. 
Sondre was first exposed to catalysis research in 2010 as part of the Nano100 experience, where he worked with Karl Törnroos to determine the structure of a Ru-based metathesis catalyst. After completing an MSc in nanoscience at the physics department he returned to chemistry and the Jensen laboratory, and today completed the circle by becoming Philosophiae Doctor. Congratulations!