Newsflash from our partner Maastricht University:
Since 20 September, Professor Kim Ragaert is joining FSE as the new Chair of Circular Plastics, she will focus on the mechanical recycling of plastics.
With a background in mechanical engineering and materials science, Kim has a lot of affection for structure-property-processing relationships in polymers as well as product design with plastics. Wanting to contribute to a sustainable role for plastics in our world, she applies all of this knowledge to help make this often controversial material truly circular.
Before joining Maastricht University, Kim was an associate professor at Ghent University in Sustainable Use and Recycling of Polymers. There she built up an internationally renowned research group and coordinated projects like C-PlaNeT, urging us to collaborate across the entire knowledge value-chain on the complex challenge of plastics sustainability. In 2020 she was awarded the prestigious European Plastics Recycling Ambassador title.
Kim is very much looking forward to collaborating with students, fellow academics and companies within the wonderfully synergistic biosphere that is Chemelot.
Want to get to know her a little already? Check out her TEDx talk: Plastics Rehab below, or read her most recent open access publication about the concept of Quality in Plastics Recycling.
Collaboration with Brightsite
Within Brightsite’s ‘Education and human capital’ program line, Maastricht University is developing new educational programs in the areas of circular engineering and sustainable manufacturing, of which the bachelor’s degree in Circular Engineering was the first launched. Brightsite and UM hope that this and future courses will help retain local talent and attract (international) talent from outside the region.
Faculty of Science and Engineering
The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) of Maastricht University consists of several progressive education and research departments. Students and scientists contribute to education programs at bachelor, master and PhD level and participate in innovative research in the fields of beta science, technology, engineering and mathematics.