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Trainees from IMDEA Energy Institute MadridOver the past weeks Jennifer Cueto Naredo, Gemma Pérez Martín and Ainhoa Díaz García (all IMDEA Energy Institute Madrid) have been carrying out a research stay in the GreenCats research group .
During this stay, Ainhoa has been working on the catalytic study of hydrodenitrogenation reactions, while Gemma has been investigating the production of γ-valerolactone (GVL) from biomass-derived compounds using Ni- and Cu-based catalysts supported on nano- and dendritic ZSM-5 materials.
Beyond the scientific work, this visit has provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen the collaboration between both research groups, foster knowledge exchange, and explore future joint research activities.
8th Anatolian School of CatalysisOur leader David represented GreenCats at the 8th Anatolian School of Catalysis, where he spoke on the pivotal role of catalysis in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
IMATECProud to share that our university is part of the IMATEC Erasmus Mundus 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺, an international joint master’s in 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆. The program brings together three European universities — Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická v Praze, the Universidad de Oviedo (𝗢𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗱𝗼, 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻), and Åbo Akademi University (𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗸𝘂, 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱) — and offers students a truly international learning experience focused on three tracks: Technology, Policy & Management, and Science, all centered on the circular economy.
Over four semesters, the program offers Master’s-level courses covering chemical engineering, technologies, entrepreneurship, economics, management, and environmental policymaking, followed by specialized study and transferable skills development. The final semester is dedicated to the Master’s thesis, prepared in close collaboration across the three universities to ensure academic and industrial relevance.
After successfully completing the IMATEC program in 2025, Racheal Ariokot joined our GreenCats team for PhD studies and is now working on NiMo catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived phenolics. We are also currently hosting two IMATEC students, Raphael Chukwudi and Benedict Dale Porcalla, who chose UCT for their Master’s thesis research. Raphael is working on the catalytic upgrading of lignin model compounds into high-value alkylphenolics, gaining practical experience in heterogeneous catalyst synthesis and flow reactor testing. Benedict is focused on the quantification of phenolic hydroxyl groups in lignin, receiving hands-on training in characterization techniques such as NMR and TLC.
We are grateful to work with such talented international students at GreenCats and look forward to continued collaboration!
Trainee visitDuring March, we hosted a PhD student from Istanbul Technical University. Serhat is currently a PhD student and Research Assistant in the Chemical Engineering Department at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), working in Prof. Dr. Gülhayat Nasün Saygılı's lab. His PhD thesis generally focuses on the synthesis and development of Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH)-based systems and various heterogeneous photocatalysts. He works on designing innovative, high-performance hybrid materials for removing organic pollutants from wastewater to contribute to environmental sustainability. To further optimize their activity, he also explores different metal oxide nanocomposites and supported semiconductor structures, aiming to create materials that show excellent performance even under visible light.
In March 2026, he spent a month with us. His work there centered on synthesizing heterogeneous catalysts for photocatalytic applications specifically, SiO₂-supported TiOx-based catalysts with varying TiO₂ loadings. To see how thermal treatment affected the catalyst properties, he optimized the calcination procedure and analyzed their structures using characterization techniques like XRD and ATR-IR spectroscopy. It was a short but intensive month during which he got new practical lab skills in catalyst synthesis and gave him great experience collaborating with an international research team.
Babar defended his doctoral ThesisWe warmly congratulate Babar Amin on the successful defense of his PhD thesis focused on the valorization of biomass-derived HMF using Ru/TiO₂ catalysts.
It was a pleasure to have Babar as part of our group for the past 4.5 years. We sincerely thank him for his dedication and contributions and wish him all the best and great success in his new postdoctoral position.
International Doctoral Conference on Advances in ChemistryOur PhD students recently took part in the 2nd International Doctoral Conference on Advances in Chemistry (IDCAC) held at the University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT), Prague, on November 7th to 8th. This yearly event is organized by PhD students for PhD students. It is a great chance for our researchers to share their latest work with international peers. Babar, Snehasis, Sharmistha, Evgeniya, Keren, and Racheal gave talks at the Chemical Engineering and Environmental Chemistry sessions.
We are delighted to share two major accomplishments: Racheal received recognition for delivering the best presentation in the Environmental Chemistry session, and Snehasis was honored for his contribution in chairing discussions and managing the schedule in one of the sessions.
XRD and MSWe are happy to use now new equipments to get closer to the analysis of materials and processes under real operating conditions
Rigaku Miniflex 600 benchtop X-ray diffractometer
This instrument will be used mainly for phase analysis of catalysts . The instrument is equipped with an automatic sample holder for 8 positions, an in situ temperature cell BTS500 for studying materials up to 500°C.
OMNISTAR mass spectrometer
The instrument serves as a flexible gas phase analyzer and can be used, for example, for connection with TGA, for in situ FTIR analyses or for gas phase analysis at the outlet of reactors.
We are looking for a PhD studentsThe GreenCats research group is currently accepting applications for PhD positions. We offer exciting research topics focused on green chemistry, catalysis, and sustainable technologies.
A full list of available PhD topics can be found on our website: https://greencats.vscht.cz/student/phd
Talented and motivated students with a background in chemistry, chemical engineering, or related fields are warmly encouraged to apply. Contact us till January 31st 2026 at greencats@vscht.cz
Week in CaenOur colleague Jaroslav Aubrecht spent a week at the French university ENSICaen in Normandy, where he focused on the application of in situ FTIR to study the surface of catalysts. This is an advanced method that allows you to monitor catalyst structure directly under specific reaction conditions. During his stay, he focused on the adsorption of carbon monoxide, CO, with which he described the chemical state of active sites on copper catalysts.
This research stay not only brought a valuable scientific contribution to the currently addressed issue, but also opened up new opportunities for international cooperation - for example, student exchange between the two institutions.
50 years of Instituto de Catálisis y PetroleoquímicaDavid Kubička was invited to celebrate 50 years of history of Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica. He participated on the round table on the Institute's international role. This was an honor to be part of this event.
