PhD Award of the GDCh Division of Chemistry & Energy

Since 2023, the GDCh Division of Chemistry & Energy) has awarded the Chemistry & Energy PhD Award in odd-numbered years for an outstanding dissertation that makes a significant contribution to linking the fields of chemistry and energy. The award includes a certificate and prize money of €1,000 donated by Heraeus Precious Metals. The prize is presented at the division's biennial Division conference. The awardee is invited to give a short presentation on their work. A prize committee appointed by the Division Board decides on the award. In exceptional cases, the prize may be shared.

Submission deadline: October 31, 2026

Objective
The GDCh Division of Chemistry & Energy awards a prize in odd-numbered years for an outstanding dissertation that makes an important contribution to linking the fields of chemistry and energy.

The price
The award includes a certificate and prize money of €1,000 donated by Heraeus Precious Metals. The prize will be awarded at the next Division conference in spring 2027. The winning work must be presented in a short lecture at this meeting. The Division will cover the costs of conference participation. A prize committee appointed by the Division Board will decide on the awarding of the prize. In exceptional cases, the prize may be shared.

Nomination/Application
Nominations by academic supervisors or independent applications are possible. The dissertation must have been completed at a German university or college between November 1, 2024, and October 31, 2026. All nominations must include the following documents (in German or English):

 

• Motivation letter from the doctoral candidate (max. 2 pages; font: Calibri; font size: 11 pt.): "What makes the topic of your dissertation particularly interesting? Explain the significance of the results in the interplay of chemistry and energy."
• A concise CV in tabular form, including contact details and a list of publications, patents, and conference contributions – created, for example, via https://europa.eu/europass/en
• dissertation
• 1. Letter of reference from the academic supervisor
• 1 letter of recommendation (e.g., cooperation partner, supervisor of master's or bachelor's thesis)

submission
Please send the complete documents electronically and summarized in one PDF file to the GDCh Office, addressed to Maike Fries.

The PhD Award donated by BASF SE was awarded to Dr. Kevinjeorjios Pellumbi on April 9, 2025, on the occasion of the Division conference 2025, Green Energy Transformation - GET It Done, in recognition of his outstanding dissertation entitled “Creating Holistic Pathways for the CO ₂ Electroreduction and Electrochemical Hydrogenations”, which he wrote under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ulf-Peter Apfel at the Ruhr University Bochum and the Fraunhofer UMSICHT.

"With great scientific commitment, Dr. Pellumbi made fundamental contributions to the electrification of the chemical industry and the sustainable use of _CO2. His work provides groundbreaking insights into electrochemical _CO2 reduction and hydrogenation and enables efficient, scalable technologies. By developing innovative catalyst systems and integrating them into electrolysis cells, he opened up new ways to convert greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals. His research is already influencing industrial pilot plants and contributing to the implementation of sustainable energy concepts.

Dr. Pellumbi's scientific vision combines fundamental principles with practical industrial applications. His exceptional commitment, creativity, and spirit of inquiry make him an outstanding figure in the field of sustainable chemical transformation processes.