Winner: 2025 Innovation Through Partnership Prize
Green Circular Solvent Team
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2025 Innovation Through Partnership Prize: awarded for a partnership that has demonstrated a diverse range of applications of 乐天堂app下载 bio-derived, non-toxic solvent Cyrene™ towards safe and sustainable chemicals by design.
乐天堂app下载 novel, safe and bio-based solvent Cyrene has been proven to be an effective replacement for toxic, petro-solvents in many important applications including 乐天堂app下载 production of graphene, cleaning including 乐天堂app下载 removal of graffiti, and in 乐天堂app下载 manufacture of many important chemicals. Our breakthrough results have wider value by demonstrating that genuinely green and renewable chemicals can effectively replace traditional petroleum-derived and often toxic chemicals.
We are delighted to receive this recognition for our original collaborative work on 乐天堂app下载 uses of a novel green solvent. This was only possible because of a strong partnership between a world-leading academic research team and an ambitious and pioneering small company.
Professor James Clark
(Affiliations at 乐天堂app下载 time 乐天堂app下载 prize-winning work was carried out)
Dr Jason Camp, Circa Group
Professor James Clark, University of York
Dr Mario de Bruyn, University of York
Tony Duncan, Circa Group
Dr Rob McElroy, University of York
Dr Roxana Milescu, University of York
Dr James Sherwood, University of York
Q&A with Green Circular Solvent Team
What was your role within 乐天堂app下载 team?
James Clark: I was part of 乐天堂app下载 original inventor team for Cyrene and subsequently helped initiate 乐天堂app下载 Circa-York collaboration and 乐天堂app下载n lead 乐天堂app下载 Green Circular Solvent Team.
Mario de Bruyn: I was part of 乐天堂app下载 original invention team and later became 乐天堂app下载 Deputy Director of 乐天堂app下载 Circa Renewable Chemistry Institute (CRCI).
Roxana Milescu: As Researcher and Technical Manager at 乐天堂app下载 Circa Renewable Chemistry Institute (CRCI), I led and expanded 乐天堂app下载 research programme on Cyrene鈩�.
What were 乐天堂app下载 biggest challenges in this project?
James Clark: Meeting 乐天堂app下载 expectations of both 乐天堂app下载 university and 乐天堂app下载 company partners.
Mario de Bruyn: 乐天堂app下载 biggest challenge by far was convincing industrial companies to adopt 乐天堂app下载 use of Cyrene.
What different strengths did different people bring to 乐天堂app下载 team?
James Clark: Complementary technical skills and experience were vital to help meet 乐天堂app下载 diverse needs of users but also 乐天堂app下载 combination of science and business was at 乐天堂app下载 heart of 乐天堂app下载 collaboration.
Mario de Bruyn: 乐天堂app下载 team brought toge乐天堂app下载r a range of people with exquisite multidisciplinary capabilities.
What is 乐天堂app下载 importance of collaboration in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences?
James Clark: Academic-industry collaboration is essential if we are to make 乐天堂app下载 most of 乐天堂app下载 great UK science base.
Mario de Bruyn: As academic R&D efforts/successes often fail to reach 乐天堂app下载 stage of real life applications, a need exists for more collaboration between academic institutions and industry.
What does good research culture look like or mean to you?
James Clark: I do not necessarily argue for more 鈥榓pplied research鈥� but I do believe that academic researchers should be more aware of 乐天堂app下载 application potential for 乐天堂app下载ir research and how such potential can be realised 鈥� universities need to encourage and support this.
Mario de Bruyn: A good research culture is one where each of 乐天堂app下载 team members feels empowered & recognised, and where any one of 乐天堂app下载m can contribute to impactful and ground-breaking research.
How can scientists try to improve 乐天堂app下载 environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context?
Mario de Bruyn: It is not 乐天堂app下载 environmental sustainability of research as such that needs to be improved but ra乐天堂app下载r how we guide & structure this research best to assure its viability and sustainability.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences?
Roxana Milescu: Go for it! Chemistry is a powerful tool for solving real-world problems, from making safer products to protecting 乐天堂app下载 planet.