Press release ¤ Information de presse
The Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner Doctoral Prize 2026 of the German Catalysis Society (GeCatS) goes to Dr. Jeroen T. Vossen, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion.This award recognises his outstanding doctoral thesis in the field of catalysis on: “Selective carbon chain building from synthesis gas.” The Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner Doctoral Prize is endowed with 1,000 euros and is sponsored by Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG. It will be awarded during the 59. Jahrestreffen Deutscher Katalytiker (March 18 to 20, 2026) in Weimar/Germany.
During his doctoral studies, Jeroen Vossen researched in the field of molecular and multiphase catalysis under the supervision of Prof. Walter Leitner and Dr. Andreas Vorholt. He focused on catalytic carbon chain construction and developed processes for several catalytic reactions, including alcohol dehydration, olefin hydroformylation, and aldehyde hydrogenation. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis were central to his work. This enabled Dr. Vossen to establish new methods for sustainable catalyst reuse through various approaches such as distillation, multiphase catalysis, and immobilisation. His outstanding scientific achievements are reflected in 12 publications and one patent.
Jeroen Vossen studied chemistry at RWTH Aachen University and earned his doctorate at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion in the Department of Molecular Catalysis. His academic career includes several research internships and research stays in Germany and abroad, including Kyoto, Singapore, Leverkusen, and Aachen. Moreover, his outstanding academic and research achievements have been recognized through several prestigious scholarships and awards.
In addition to his scientific achievements, Dr. Vossen has participated in various volunteer and social initiatives. He is currently employed as Lead Technology Developer at tesa SE, where he contributes to the development of stimuli-responsive, removable adhesive tapes to increase the sustainability of adhesive tape systems.
The German Catalysis Society (GeCatS) awards for the first time a prize to support early-career scientists engaged in catalysis research.
The award acknowledges exceptional research work in catalysis conducted as part of a doctoral degree at a German university or research institution. Evaluation criteria include scientific originality, the quality of the doctoral research, and the resulting technical and scientific advancements.
The prize, is endowed with 1,000 euros and sponsored by Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG, a global family-owned technology company.
The German Catalysis Society (GeCatS) serves as the central platform for the German catalysis community in both research and application. With approximately 1,000 members from industry and academia, GeCatS fosters collaboration among industry, universities, research institutions, and policy organisations, and represents the community’s interests nationally and internationally. GeCatS is supported by DECHEMA, VDI-GVC, GDCh, DGMK, and DBG.
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