Pilar Ruiz Ramiro started at the Circular Chemical Engineering department of Maastricht University in September. As Principal Investigator, she will set up the new Chemical Recycling group and research lines. She will combine her work in Geleen with her work at the Sustainable Process Technology group, University of Twente. And is looking forward to working with her new colleagues at Brightsite to improve the recycling of plastics.
“The environment full of companies is very inspiring and I can’t wait to work with all parties on the challenges associated with plastic recycling.”
Pilar is trained as a chemical engineer in Spain and completed her PhD at the University of Zaragoza. After four years of research in the United States (University of Oklahoma) and five years at the Spanish company Abengoa, which applies innovative technological solutions for renewable energy, she ended up in the Netherlands in 2017. At the UT she started working in the Sustainable Process Technology group to develop processes for the thermochemical and catalytic conversion of biomass and plastic waste.
Her coming to Geleen feels like the logical next step for Pilar. Her first priority is to set up the Chemical Recycling research group. With that group she will focus on chemical recycling of ‘mixed plastic waste streams’, which remain after sorting all the plastics that can be mechanically recycled. It is important to develop processes that can convert those complex streams into valuable products to enhance circularity and reduce waste. We are happy to add Pilar to the Brightsite team.
“I have received an unexpectedly warm welcome here in Geleen. It’s nice to see that people want to get to know me and work together. The environment full of companies is very inspiring and I can’t wait to work with all parties on the challenges associated with plastic recycling. To improve circularity, advances in collection, separation, conversion and upgrading technologies are necessary, as well as focusing on design for recycling”, says Pilar.
Let’s connect
LinkedIn: @PilarRuizRamiro
Mail: pilar.ruizramiro@maastrichtuniversity.nl