LPDP Jadwal Seleksi Beasiswa 2015 PDF

Alumni
2009-2012
2009-2011
Federal Minister of Education

and Research Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan,
patron of the Green Talents Forum
Greeting
How do we protect the basis of life for future generations?
stant increase in applications and participating countries. It is
How do we ensure a fair distribution of goods and resources?
significantly important to strengthen research networks par-
Germany is well aware of its responsibility to find answers to
ticularly between industrialised countries and emerging mar-
the pressing questions of our time. The Federal Government in-
kets and developing countries. They lay the foundations for
tensively supports sustainable development and green growth
long-standing cooperations between excellent young scientists
in order to successfully meet global challenges such as cli-
and renowned German institutions and researchers.
mate change, energy shortage, and environmental pollution.

In doing so, our country depends on international cooperation.
I would like to thank all those making their contribution year

after year to the success of the Green Talents competition for
This is why the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
their commitment. And I wish all researchers in the field of
(BMBF) annually invites excellent young scientists from all over
sustainability an inspiring exchange of ideas and many new
the world to apply to the Green Talents International Fo-
contacts.
rum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development. They are

given the opportunity to establish networks with distinguished
German institutions in the field of sustainability research. In
the year following the Forum, they can gather further experience and strengthen existing contacts during a research stay
in Germany lasting up to three months.
I am glad about the great response: since the start of the
Green Talents competition in 2009, we have noticed a con-
Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan, MdB

Federal Minister of Education and Research
2010, FONA - Research for Sustainability.
Foreword
What makes a Green Talent?
Over the past two decades the idea of sustainability has moved
In spite of their different cultural academic backgrounds they share
from the minds of a few scientists to the centre of the political and
a common goal: to care and to act for the world of tomorrow.
public discussion. But what is required to transform the idea into
This dedication as well as their scientific excellence makes them
a practical concept? Who could provide the crucial innovative-
GREEN TALENTS.
ness and creativity?

As no single discipline and no single country can offer the ultimate solution, it needs the cooperation of bright minds from
around the globe representing the whole scientific spectrum
of sustainability. To indentify and connect such high-potentials,
the BMBF created the Green Talents Competition. The initiative
supports these young scientists and links them to the German
research landscape - one of the most renowned in the field of
sustainability research.
These networks were even strengthened during the first Green
Talents-Alumni meeting 2012 in the context of the BMBF science
year Project EARTH: Our future. By now, many promising collaborations with German facilities were established and some
of the young scientists were offered positions in industry and
If you are interested in becoming a part of a network of

exceptional scientists and renowned institutions and to act
as an ambassador for the idea of sustainable development,
you are invited to apply for this prestigious competition.
www.greentalents.de
academia.
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Juliana ARISTIA DE LIMA (34, Brazil)

PhD in Chemistry
Research focus: Sustainable management in the chemical industry
The worlds love affair with plastics is starting to show its ugly side: Each year an
estimated 10 million tonnes of plastic waste finds its way into our rivers and oceans,
killing millions of land and marine animals and blanketing vast spans of ocean in increasingly toxic debris. Juliana Aristia de Lima from Brazil is applying her expertise
in polymers to mitigate this mounting trend by enhancing the degradability of polymer
nanocomposites.
Polymers are everywhere we look from toys and automobile interiors to clothing
and packaging, explains Aristia de Lima, who holds a PhD in Chemistry and is now
conducting postdoctoral research at the Federal University of ABC in Brazils southeastern state of So Paulo. That is why it is absolutely essential that we find a way for
them to degrade the way natural materials do, such as paper or food.
Aristia de Limas search for sustainable solutions to the worlds plastic problem not
only caught the attention of the Green Talents jury back in 2009 but also took her to
the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, in 2010, where
she explored the use of microemulsion to create biodegradable polymer blends
known as biopolymers.
Graduated: 2008, Universidade Estadual

de Campinas, Brazil
Research stay in Germany: 09/2010
12/2010 at: Max Planck Institute for Polymer
Research, Mainz
The contacts I made with scholars and industry experts in Germany enriched my
research in sustainable management practices, Aristia de Lima says. Thats why
Id like to return to Germany for a year of postdoctoral research.
Green Talents Alumni 2009
Applications total
156
Application countries
43
Winners
15
Akintunde BABATUNDE (33, Nigeria)

PhD in Civil Engineering
Research focus: Sustainable Water Engineering
Designed to mimic the natural filtration processes in natural wetlands, engineered

wetland systems are used to remove contaminants from all kinds of wastewater from
municipal and agricultural wastewater to airport run-off and landfill leachate. One of
the innovators in the field just happens to be 2009 Green Talents winner Akintunde
Babatunde.
What began as a series of experimental investigations as part of Babatundes PhD
work is now a recognised system for decentralised wastewater treatment. His technology, a novel tidal vertical-flow constructed wetland system that cleans water using
the widely available industrial by-product alum sludge, not only enhances the performance of engineered wetlands but does it in a way that is sustainable and costeffective.
Babatundes innovative system is now on demonstration in Ireland and has been the
focus of numerous collaborations and publications. It reduces energy consumption
and emissions, reuses valuable products from waste, decreases material inputs and is
inexpensive and clean, he explains. This makes it a promising technology for wastewater treatment and pollution control for developed and developing countries alike.
Currently a lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Cardiff University School of Engineering, Babatunde impressed the Green Talents jury with his wide range of scientific
activities and interests. His most recent honours include the prestigious IRCSET Marie
Curie Fellowship and in 2012, he was selected for Welsh Crucible.
Graduated: 2007, University
College Dublin, Ireland
Saumita BANERJEE (27, India)
PhD in Biotechnology
Research focus: Biotechnology for the use of biomass as a renewable energy source
In the search for renewable energies, many are turning to biofuels, seeing in them not
only an answer to the worlds rising energy needs and troubling fossil fuel dependency, but as a way to curb global warming. One of the more promising raw materials
for biofuel is lignocellulosic biomass. This multi-syllabic mouthful, which refers to plant
matter such as agricultural residues, wood residues and energy crops, is the current
research focus of biotechnologist and 2009 Green Talents winner Saumita Banerjee.
Banerjee, who has just finished extensive PhD research on the production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass at the National Environmental Engineering Research
Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur in central India, says she gained important insights into the
future trends in her field during her research stay at RWTH Aachen University.
I was able to apply what I learned in Germany about the newest technologies in
environmental engineering to my own research, Banerjee says. Whats exciting
about producing bioethanol from lignocellulosic resources is that the feedstock comes
in a variety of forms from switch grasses and weeds to municipal paper waste and
sawmill discards and is readily available at low cost. For Banerjee, biomass is not
only an answer to the worlds energy problem but a viable solution for waste disposal.
The Green Talents jury recognized Banerjee for her clear commitment to renewable
energies and the potential shown as an up-and-coming scientist in her field.
Graduated: 2012, National Environmental

Engineering Research Institute, India
09/2010 at: Aachener Verfahrens Technik at
RWTH Aachen University
Antonio Carlos CAETANO DE SOUZA (32, Brazil)

Master in Mechanical Engineering
Research focus: Fuel cells and the use of biomass as a renewable energy source
The production of biodiesel generates the by-product glycerol in huge quantities so

much of it, in fact, that its re-use and/or disposal is a major issue for the bio-fuels
industry. 2009 Green Talents winner and Mechanical Engineering professor Antonio
Carlos Caetano de Souza is researching ways to re-use this glycerol to generate an
even cleaner-burning fuel: hydrogen, the power source for fuel cells.
For my home country Brazil, being able to re-use the glycerol in this way would greatly increase the viability and sustainability of the bio-fuel industry, already a major
economic driver in Brazil, says de Souza. Currently we are determining how much
potential there is for generating fuels such as hydrogen, biogas and other bio-fuels.
Caetano de Souza and his students at the Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados
have also launched a detailed study of the use of unconventional sources for biodiesel
and glycerol production. Those sources include bio-oils from nuts and fruits commonly
found on the Brazilian savannah, along with residues from the livestock industry such
as swine, poultry and cattle greases.
In addition to his energy research, the jury was impressed with de Souzas work
teaching geography to disadvantaged young people and introducing them to issues
of international resource conflict and sustainability.
Graduated: 2005, So Paulo State

University at Guaratinguet (UNESP), Brazil
Nuwong CHOLLACOOP (35, Thailand)
PhD in Material Science and Engineering

Research focus: Biofuels, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Transportation
After earning his PhD in Material Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), 2009 Green Talents winner Nuwong Chollacoop turned his
attention to a major challenge facing his native Thailand: sustainable energy to fuel
the transportation boom.
I chose road transportation as my focus because approximately one-third of
Thailands energy consumption is in the transportation sector, explains Chollacoop,
and since diesel consumption in Thailand is approximately twice as high as that of
regular gasoline, I made biodiesel and other renewable fuel research my priority.
Today, Chollacoop heads the Bioenergy Laboratory at the National Metal and Materials Technology Center of Thailands Ministry of Science and Technology, where his
research includes environmentally friendly biodiesel processing, biodiesel test kits,
and engine testing, as well as various aspects on diesohol, ethanol for diesel engines,
and synthetic diesel.
In 2009, Chollacoop had already impressed the Green Talents jury with his participation in numerous top-class research projects in the Asia Pacific region. Since then
he has been recognized for his contributions to biofuel benchmarking and the harmonisation of EAS (East Asia Summit) biodiesel standards. His bioenergy laboratory
was chosen to represent Thailand in the 7th Framework Project (EU-FP7) BIOREMA
and, more recently, he was involved in the aviation biofuel initiative that helped Thai
Airways become the first airline in Thailand and South-East Asia to operate a flight
using bio jet fuels. Currently he is involved in a long-term bilateral bio-oil collaboration
between Japan and Thailand.
Graduated: 2004, Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
Research Stay in Germany: 06/2010
08/2010 at: RWTH Aachen University,
Institute of Combustion Engines (VKA)
Caetano DOREA (34, Brazil)
PhD in Environmental Engineering

Research focus: Water and Environmental Engineering
In 2009, Caetano Dorea impressed the Green Talents jury with his remarkable dedication to numerous water and sanitation projects in developing countries. Dorea,
a native of Brazil, is passionate about applying his engineering know-how in parts
of the world where water quality issues remain such a fundamental impediment to
progress.
Dorea is also a dedicated teacher. Currently, as an Assistant Professor at the Universit Laval in Qubec, he is working to expand the international research and
teaching activities of the universitys Water Engineering programme. I really value
my experience working with young scientists in Canada, the UK and other countries,
says Dorea. They are determined to make a difference and are intellectually curious,
so its a great way to combine development issues with innovative technologies.
His research group is developing and evaluating novel technologies for water and
sanitation applications in developing countries in addition to conventional water and
wastewater treatment.
One of these innovations is a sustainable urban drainage system, which seeks to
overcome the many problems associated with conventional drainage by moderating
flow and improving the quantity and quality of run-off from urban and suburban
developments. His team is also looking at novel applications for microbial fuel cells
bioelectrochemical devices that are capable of harvesting power directly from the
environment. There are so many exciting ways to use the power of nature to our
advantage, says Dorea.
Graduated: 2005, University of Surrey, UK
2010, FONA - Research for Sustainability
Natalia Konstantinovna FISHER (30, Russia)
PhD in Ecology
Research focus: Subsurface groundwater treatment. Surface water and groundwater quality.
Subsurface groundwater treatment is a money-saving, risk-reducing way to groundwater treatment for drinking purposes without having to pump the water above ground
for treatment. One of the components of such method is called biotransformation,
which takes advantage of bacterias natural ability to transform certain contaminants
into harmless substances.
2009 Green Talents winner Natalia Fisher currently works as a staff scientist for the
environmental biotechnology lab at the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Water and Ecological Problems in Khabarovsk in eastern Russia. Khabarovsk has very
real water supply concerns, since the current source of potable water is the highly
polluted Amur River. Groundwater from the Tungus water deposit offers an alternative
source, but this water contains high concentrations of iron and manganese. Fisher is
investigating ways to apply in-situ biotransformation to remove manganese from the
water inside the aquifer.
We can create aerobic conditions around each well to stimulate the activity of bacteria which oxidize the manganese, but unfavourable conditions in the Tungus groundwater mean that these bacteria grow very slowly, explains Fisher. I am currently
developing biotechnology using indigenous bacteria that should greatly reduce
the time required for the oxidation of manganese inside the aquifer.
Graduated: 2005, Far Eastern State
Transport University, Russia
02/2011 at: Groundwater Research Centre
(GWZ) Dresden
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The Green Talents jury was most impressed with Fishers consistent focus and commitment to water issues through the course of her undergraduate, doctoral and
professional work.
Kerem GNGR (36, Turkey)

PhD in Biological Systems Engineering
Research focus: Environmental Engineering
Phosphorous, an important dietary nutrient, is often fed in excess to livestock. As a

result, cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens around the world deliver huge amounts of it in
their manure. From there, it binds to soil particles and runs off into surrounding surface
waters causing algae to bloom, robbing lakes and rivers of oxygen. Its an essential
nutrient, but also a major pollutant and threat to aquatic life.
Kerem Gngr is an expert in the area of agricultural waste management, in particular the dynamics of phosphorous in the environment. After impressing the Green Talents jury with his extensive international research experience, Gngr was awarded
a grant by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey to research
the phosphorous budget of a eutrophic lake. Currently Assistant Professor in the Environmental Engineering Department at Abant Izzet Baysal University in Turkey and
Honorary Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, he has devoted nearly
all of his time and effort to this project since its launch in 2011.
We are identifying the various sources of the phosphorus load throughout the watershed of Lake Yenia a here in Turkey, he explains. This includes monitoring phosphorous in the lake water column and lake bottom as well as extensive watershed
soil sampling to determine erosion and runoff potential. Gngr will be creating a
new phosphorous index risk assessment tool, which will be instrumental for developing mitigation measures, and implementing best-management practices at the critical
source points.
Graduated: 2006, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, USA
MA Xingmao (Samuel) (37, USA)
PhD in Civil Engineering (with specialization in Environmental Engineering)

Research focus: Remediation in the context of bio and nanotechnology, environmental nanotechnology, and
plant-based remediation and ecosystem restoration
As with most engineered products or technologies, great benefits are often accompanied by unknown risks and negative side-effects. Nanotechnology is no different. As
the role of nanotechnology in industrial, consumer and medical products continues to
grow, scientists are now investigating the risks associated with these particles.
2009 Green Talents winner Xingmao Ma is working on both the potential applications and implications of nanotechnology in environmental cleanup efforts. Currently
an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at
Southern Illinois University, USA, Ma is also researching the uptake, transport and
accumulation of ENPs in various food crops as well as their long-term impacts on
plant health.
As in many fields, nanotechnology offers some exciting possibilities, but also many
challenges, in the area of environmental management, particularly soil and water remediation, so its important to understand the risks associated with their application,
says Ma. One of my goals is to understand the toxicity, accumulation and bioavailability of ENPs to human beings through the consumption of edible plant tissues.
Graduated: 2004, University of Missouri

Rolla (now Missouri University of Science &
Technology), USA
11/2010 at: Helmholtz Centre for
Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig
Ma has also investigated the role of plants in enhancing contaminant removal from
soil and groundwater and the use of plants to monitor underground contaminant
plumes and restore compromised ecosystems. The author of many published articles
(>25 by now) and recipient of numerous awards, Ma impressed the Green Talents
jury with his notably broad range of research activities.
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Carlos Alberto MARTNEZ-HUITLE (34, Mexico)

PhD in Chemical Sciences
Research focus: Wastewater treatment and electrochemistry for environment
Modern industry requires prodigious amounts of water and conventional biological
or liquid-chemical treatment systems have not always kept pace with the flood of
industrial wastewater. This has created demand for newer electrochemical treatment
methods, which are often cleaner, safer, more energy efficient, and more effective
when it comes to water recovery, recycling and re-use.
Carlos Alberto Martnez-Huitle, currently an associate professor at Brazils Federal
University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), has worked for several years on applications for electrochemical water treatment and soil remediation. He has collaborated
with the Brazilian petroleum industry to develop electrochemical oxidation processes
to remove organic pollutants from soil and water. His most recent research has led to
advances in the depuration of textile industrial effluents.
The results of our research over the last year have contributed to electrochemical
technology now being piloted at two real effluent points one in the textile industry
and the other at UFRNs own water treatment plant, reports Martnez-Huitle. These
applications were recognized by the International Society of Electrochemistry and
earned Martnez-Huitle the Oronzio and Niccol De Nora Foundation Prize on Environmental Electrochemistry in 2010.
Martnez-Huitle, who has studied and worked in Mexico, conducted research in Switzerland and both taught and researched in Italy and Brazil, impressed the Green
Talents jury with his extensive international experience.
Graduated: 2005, University of Ferrara,
Italy
Aluwani NEMUKULA (30, South Africa)

PhD in Biotechnology
Research focus: Use of microalgae as a renewable energy source
Unicellular and simple multi-cellular microorganisms a.k.a. microalgae are an

exciting alternative to oilseed crops for generating bio-fuels. The advantages of oil
productivity from microalgae are many: algae cultures grow rapidly and year-round,
they require less water and far less land than conventional crops, they can bind waste
CO2 and can be fed using agri-industry waste products. But as with most new technologies, there are still techno-economic challenges to making it commercially viable
on a large scale.
2009 Green Talents winner Aluwani Nemukula is intent on overcoming these last
hurdles. With a Masters degree in biochemistry and currently completing his PhD in
Biotechnology at the Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology at the Durban
University of Technology (DUT) in South Africa, Nemukula is working on ways to make
algae biomass more commercially viable as a renewable energy source, including the
extraction of high-value metabolites, as well as CO2 sequestration.
During my Green Talents research stay at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in
Germany, I investigated a specific type of South African microalgae with the goal of
developing an integrated process for sustainable and energy efficient production of
renewable metabolites, says Nemukula. Energy efficiency in the extraction process
is key to making this economically viable.
Graduated: 2012, Durban University of
Technology, South Africa
12/2010 at: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
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The Green Talents jury was impressed with Nemukulas entrepreneurialism and clear
orientation towards the commercial applications of his research work.
Nihar Ranjan SAMAL (37, India)
PhD in Engineering
Research focus: Hydrology, hydrodynamics and climate change modelling
New York City, known for its good quality drinking water, relies on 19 reservoirs to
supply it with 1 billion gallons of drinking water on a daily basis. Because climate
change may have a significant impact on these reservoirs, understanding how the
lakes will respond to new weather patterns becomes a much more pressing issue for
the 9 million people that depend on this water each day.
Fortunately there are experienced hydrologists, water engineers and numerical modellers ready to respond to the call. One of them is 2009 Green Talents winner Nihar
Samal, who has worked on water supply issues in his native India (particularly, ecotechnical restoration of urban and rural lakes for water supply, design and implementation of low-cost water treatment units in arsenic-affected areas in rural India)
for many years and is today conducting extensive modelling research on the impact
of climate change on New York Citys reservoirs in particular and on the interaction
between fluid transport and mixing processes with water quality in natural and engineered systems in general.
Samal is a post-doctoral Research Associate at the Institute for Sustainable Cities at
the City University of New York (CUNY-ISC) and is working together with the New
York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC-DEP). We are collaborating
with climate scientists to improve regional climate change projections and quantifying potential climate change impacts on the citys water systems, says Samal. Our
goal is to identify and implement any adjustments that need to be made to the water
systems.
Samal, who loves teaching and research, impressed the jury in particular with his
many academic awards and grants as well as his numerous publications in national
and international journals.
Graduated: 2006, School of Water

Resources Engineering, Jadavpur University,
India
Sharifah Rafidah Binti WAN ALWI (31, Malaysia)

PhD in Chemical Engineering
Research focus: System Analysis
An engineer, entrepreneur, educator, editor, author, consultant and ambassador for

her field, Assoc. Prof. Sharifah Wan Alwi is one of Southeast Asias outstanding
young scientists in the area of systems engineering and its applications to resources
(e.g. water and energy) conservation. She received her PhD from Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia (UTM) at the age of 26 making her one of the two youngest PhD holders
in Malaysia at that time and has since received numerous national and international
awards for her work. Today, in her role as Director of the Process Systems Engineering
Centre at UTM, Wan Alwi acts as an interface between science and the business of
resource conservation.
Process systems engineering is such a powerful tool for reducing resources such as
water and energy consumption, says Wan Alwi. So its natural that Im involved in
such a wide range of projects across academics, the public and private sectors. It
really is a huge field with still a great deal of growth potential.
While grounded in academics, Wan Alwis work focuses on practical and marketable environmental management solutions. She has participated in seven consultancy projects for various companies and government agencies, has trained engineers
from more than 50 companies in energy and water minimisation techniques and is a
certified Energy Manager Trainer and Energy Professional under Green Technology
Malaysia (GTM). She has also developed energy audit and resource integration software, which is now in the process of commercialisation.
Graduated: 2007, Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia
The jury was most impressed by the range and diversity of Wan Alwis work in the
environmental field.
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YANG Bo (36, China)

PhD in Environmental Science
Research focus: Water Technologies
The first of five special economic zones designated by the Chinese government in
1979, Shenzhen has rapidly grown to become an industrial and financial powerhouse and Chinas second largest port city behind Shanghai. If there was ever a need
for industrial wastewater treatment, its in this southern Chinese manufacturing centre.
As Associate Professor at Shenzhen Universitys Department of Environmental Science
and Technology, 2009 Green Talents winner Yang Bo is making an important contribution to minimizing the environmental impact of Chinas economic miracle. There
is obviously a great need for the work we are doing here, says Yang. The control
techniques that we are developing for organic pollutants in water, such as chemical
reduction, UV oxidation and electrochemical technology, can have a significant impact on the environmental quality and long-term success of this economic region.
Yang has been recognized by the Chinese government for his contributions so far,
receiving the National Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award Nomination from
the Ministry of Education in 2009 and the Beijing Distinguished Doctor Degree Dissertation award from Beijing Municipal Education Committee in 2008. He has also
published more than 40 papers in the environmental field.
The jury was impressed with Yangs broad range of interest in environmental technologies. Along with water issues, Yang is also interested in renewable energies, land
management for contaminated areas and environmental remediation.
Graduated: 2007, Tsinghua
University, China
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ZHOU Minghua (36, China)

Research focus: Water and environmental engineering
Todays energy crunch and concern over global warming have researchers in high
gear. One researcher at the green technologies forefront is environmental engineering
professor and Green Talents winner Minghua Zhou, whose focus is pollution control
technologies for water and wastewater.
An inordinate amount of energy goes into serving the water and wastewater industry, says Zhou, who devotes his work to optimising the degradation processes used
to remove contaminants, called advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Optimising these processes, such as photocatalysis and ozonation, can bring about water
resource savings. Zhous methods to enhance electrochemical treatment efficiency,
which also include microbial fuels cells (MFCs) that simultaneously generate electrical
energy, have done much to enrich current technologies and their use in environmental
remediation.
Zhou has established himself as a prolific voice in his field, having authored three
books and over 100 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. His work has been
cited over 1,300 times. Zhou also holds over 30 Chinese patents. As one might expect, Zhou has received both national and international recognition for his research,
including Chinas Natural Science Award of Chinese Universities and ISEs Oronzio
and Niccol De Nora Foundation Prize for Environmental Electrochemistry.
The fact that Zhou had established himself as a professor by the age of 34, together
with the excellent quality of his work, caught the attention of the 2009 Green Talents
jury.
Graduated: 2003, College of Environment

and Resource, Zhejiang University, China
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Winners
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Janana ACCORDI JUNKES (33, Brazil)

PhD in Materials Science and Engineering
Research focus: Waste management reuse of mineral waste
The growth of the recycling industry is as good an indication as any that sustainability
makes economic as well as environmental sense. In the manufacturing sector companies
are taking a closer look at the materials they have traditionally discarded and finding
value in them. Even sludge, it seems, is worth another look.
From her time as an undergraduate, 2010 Green Talents winner Janana Accordi
Junkes has been interested in the possibility of reusing mineral wastes from industrial
processes. Junkes sums up the logic of reuse rather succinctly: Some wastes are in
fact similar in composition to the original raw materials. When pursuing a PhD in
Materials Science and Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in her
native Brazil, Accordi Junkes has found that sludge from various industrial processes is
an attractive and renewable source of raw materials for ceramics. Reusing waste material in this way conserves resources, while also providing a solution to the problem of
waste disposal, says Accordi Junkes. Its the logic of sustainability in a nutshell: turning
problems into solutions, saving money and saving the environment at the same time.
After winning the Green Talents competition, Accordi Junkes joined the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, where she did her Post-doctoral developing advanced ceramic materials using fewer raw materials. Currently she conducts her second
post-doctoral back at the Federal University of Santa Catarina developing a ceramic
process to be more concerning in energy saving.
Graduated: 2011, Federal University of

Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil
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Accordi Junkes impressed the Green Talents jury with her extensive research work, her
numerous scientific publications and especially her work on water treatment sludge as
a source of raw materials for the ceramics industry. She devoted her research stay in
Germany to developing advanced ceramic materials.
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Tirthankar BANERJEE (30, India)

Research focus: Environmental modelling
Tirthankar Banerjee is presently affiliated as an assistant professor at the Institute of

Environment and Sustainable Development of the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India. Parallel to his teaching responsibilities, Banerjee continues to explore the
critical scientific issues related to sustainable development through guided research
and various outreach activities with NGOs.
Banerjee draws from a uniquely broad spectrum of scientific and academic expertise from atmospheric modelling to soil decontamination technologies for both his
classroom work and research. It is this breadth of expertise, along with his holistic
approach to the challenges of sustainability, that caught the attention of the Green
Talents jury back in 2010. My Masters focused on optimising a process for deriving
biodiesel from Jatropha curcas seeds. For my PhD I applied air pollution dispersion
models to map the spatial and temporal extent of environmental impacts and simultaneously involved in a project to assess ambient air quality, water quality, and regional
biodiversity, he says, reviewing his academic path, which also happens to include
a degree in environmental law. His current research interests include air pollution dispersion modelling; modelling meteorology-air pollutant interactions; characterization
of tropospheric aerosols; aerosol and atmospheric chemistry; regional air qualityclimate change interactions; climate change adaptation.
Banerjee has more than 11 publications in peer-reviewed journals and advises on
policy issues as an active member of the IUCNs Commission of Ecosystem Management.
Graduated: 2010, G.B. Pant University of
Agriculture & Technology, India
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Sukalyan BHADRA (28, India)
PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Research focus: Development of sustainable catalyst systems and investigation of waste-free organic
transformations
In 2009, organic chemist and 2010 Green Talents winner Sukalyan Bhadra had the
opportunity to talk shop with Nobel Laureates in his field at the 59th Lindau Nobel
Laureate Meeting. For Bhadra green chemistry is the stuff of shop talk and the
driving force behind his research work, both past and present.
A typical chemical process generates product and waste, Bhadra explains. I can
reduce and even prevent waste by designing and developing catalysts that are recyclable, creating environmentally and economically friendly reactions. The catalysts
developed by Bhadra during his PhD work at the Indian Association for the Cultivation
of Science in Kolkata, India are now being used to combat environmental pollution.
Bhadras search for innovative and greener alternatives to traditional protocols has
taken him to Germany, a country he considers the land of ideas in science and a
key location for the fundamental research in synthetic organic chemistry and its applications. As a postdoctoral research fellow at the Technische Universitt (TU) Kaiserslautern, Bhadra is currently exploring ways to replace the ecologically questionable
organyl halides with carboxylic acids, which are inexpensive, broadly available and
waste-free substrates for cross-coupling reactions.
The Green Talents jury was impressed by Bhadras clear expertise in using chemicalcatalytic processes to prevent environmental pollution, which is documented by an
imposing list of scientific publications, with articles ranging from pure research topics
to applied solutions.
Graduated: 2011, Indian Association for

the Cultivation of Science
07/2011 at: TU Kaiserslautern
Jeanne Yvonne DE WAAL (29, South Africa)

PhD Agric (Entomology)
Research focus: Sustainable Agriculture
2010 Green Talents winner Jeanne de Waal focuses on environmentally friendly

approaches to pest management in commercial agriculture. She investigates ways
in which cultural practices can be combined with biologically intensive pest control
methods and selective green chemistry to effectively manage pest insects in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. De Waals doctoral work focused on
entomopathogenic nematodes (roundworms that feed on insects) as a biological pest
management tool. This is a natural way for growers to control invasive insect pest
species and reduce their use of environmentally harmful insecticides, says de Waal.
The Green Talents jury was impressed by de Waals broad spectrum of entomological knowledge, her experience applying a wide range of analytical methods, as
well as the numerous research papers she has published in accredited peer-reviewed
journals.
De Waal has impressed many others as well, boasting a long list of honours and
awards. She was recipient of the LORAL/UNESCO Women in Science Sub-Saharan
Africa fellowship for 2011/2012 and named among the top ten Women in Science
in Sub-Saharan Africa. She is also winner of South Africas National Department of
Trade and Industrys Student Technology Award, Stellenbosch Golden Keys Chapter
Award for academic excellence and has received several scholarships to present her
work at conferences. Currently she is a Technical Sales Manager for Dow AgroSciences in South Africa, specializing in sustainable solutions related to pest management in
commercial vineyards and vegetable fields.
Stellenbosch, South Africa
18
Alexander GUSEV (28, Russia)

PhD in Political Science
Research focus: Energy policy
Alexander Gusev has long been investigating differences between energy policies
and attitudes in Russia and in the EU. In 2012, Alexander Gusev was awarded the
German Chancellor Fellowship from the Humboldt Foundation. He undertakes his
research at SWP. He aspires to consider the German-Russian cooperation on energy
efficiency and to analyse the strong and weak points of current pilot projects. His
research will include numerous interviews as well as field work. His most recent work
explores the impact of the Medvedev presidency on the Russian energy sector. For
Gusev, the changes under Medvedev including the termination of Russias participation in the European-initiated Energy Charter Treaty are examples of fundamental
differences that still exist between Russia and the EU.
But despite the differences, Gusev has found common ground between Russia and
Germany in the area of energy efficiency. Russia is interested in learning from
Germanys experience in developing requirements and programs designed to stimulate the development and implementation of energy efficient technologies, says Gusev, who points to collaborations between the German Energy Agency (DENA) and
the Russian-German Energy Agency (RUDEA) to implement energy efficiency projects
in Russia and promote the use of alternative energy sources.
Members of the jury noted Gusevs scientific work on the interaction between the
Russian Federation and Western European countries, the broad range of subjects he
has tackled and the stringency with which he compares different political systems.
According to the jury, Gusevs work lays an important foundation for international
dialogue on sustainability.
Graduated: 2009, Nizhny Novgorod State

Linguistic University, Russia
09/2011 at: German Institute for International
and Security Affairs (SWP), Berlin
Indumathi JEYACHANDRAN (31, India)

PhD in Water Resources Engineering
Research focus: Urban systems sustainability
2010 Green Talents winner Indumathi Jeyachandran is quick to point out the benefits
of green roofs in cities: They help reduce the urban heat island effect, regulate water runoff volume, improve the quality of runoff by filtering bacteria and fungi in water,
reduce the cost of summer air-conditioning, provide sound insulation and increase
evapotranspiration for an improved urban microclimate, she says.
Jeyachandrans field is urban systems sustainability, which seeks to mitigate the impact of urban centres on the surrounding environment, as well as improve energy
efficiency in buildings, urban air quality, and overall quality of life for urban dwellers.
The Green Talents jury was impressed by the broad spectrum of her work, which
ranges from ground-based analysis to the use of satellite information, as well as the
potential contribution of her work to creating lower-impact, higher-density sustainable
cities regarded by many experts as the key to a greener future.
Graduated: 2009, University of Utah, USA

09/2011 at: Institute for Energy Economics and
the Rational Use of Energy (IER), University of
Stuttgart
Born in India, Jeyachandran earned her PhD in Water Resources Engineering from the
University of Utah, USA and now works as a researcher in California, where she is
also a LEED Accredited Professional specializing in building design and construction.
As a Green Talents winner, she completed a research stay in 2011 at the Institute for
Energy Economics and the Rational Use of Energy (University of Stuttgart), where she
analyzed the impacts of land use change on energy demand and Green House Gas
(GHG) emissions.
19
2010, FONA - Research for Sustainability.
Paul William JORGENSEN (25, South Africa)
MSc in Environmental Science

Research focus: Linking ecosystem goods and services to sustainability risks and opportunities
A high GDP, which is a measure of a countrys economic activity, is generally considered a good thing. But as soon as we consider the negative impacts of economic
growth such as the depletion of natural resources, pollution and waste then an
increasing GDP loses its lustre as an indicator of a countrys well-being. Part of the
problem is that the direct and intrinsic value of natural resources like fresh air and
clean water has yet to be quantified in macro-economic policies.
2010 Green Talents winner Paul Jorgensen wants to help change this. We need
to find a way to give the environment a voice, so that developmental decisions are
based on environmental parameters not just economic ones, says Jorgensen, who
earned a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of
KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in 2012. Jorgensen is interested in the value of ecosystem goods and services (EGS), which include clean air and water, but also the aesthetic beauty of a landscape or the raw materials it provides. He is working on ways
enabling local governments to quantify EGS, quantify the risk that human economic
activity poses to EGS and quantify the resulting vulnerability of societies. Jorgensen
hopes that a clearer understanding of the risks of losing EGS and the opportunities of
enhancing EGS can result in improved environmental management, land use policy,
and ultimately lead to a more sustainable way of living.
Graduated: 2012, University of KwaZuluNatal, South Africa
01/2012 at: United Nations University
Institute of Environment and Human Security,
Bonn
20
Members of the jury were impressed with Jorgensens excellent academic credentials
and his strong focus and commitment to EGS, which they consider of great relevance
in the context of climate change.
Tonni KURNIAWAN (36, Indonesia)

PhD in Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
Research focus: Wastewater treatment/Water purification
An undisputed leader in the science of water remediation, 2010 Green Talents winner
Tonni Kurniawan has been identified by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) as
one of most cited scientists in the field of engineering. According to the ISI, five of
his articles have been cited over 100 times, including one published in the Journal of
Hazardous Materials (2003), which is the publications single most cited article since
its launch in 1975.
The fact that so many people are referring to Kurniawans work is not only a sign
of his scientific prowess, but also a sign that water remediation has become a very
important issue for very many people around the world. My work is inspired by the
urgency we face to tackle global water pollution problems and the need to create
sustainable solutions for water treatment using environmentally compatible materials,
says Kurniawan.
Graduated: 2008, Hong Kong Polytechnic

University, China
09/2011 at: Ravensburg-Weingarten University
of Applied Sciences
Kurniawan, who earned his PhD in Applied Biology and Chemical Technology from
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research as a Marie Curie Experienced Researcher in Finland, says that his contribution
to sustainability is in the materials that he uses. I apply materials that not only minimize the generation of secondary waste, but also reduce energy consumption while
improving the quality of treated effluents, he explains. The Green Talents jury noted
Kurniawans publishing success, his collaboration on numerous international projects
and his innovative use of nanomaterials.
Currently Kurniawan undertakes his research at the UNU (Japan) to promote integrated solid waste management at community level in the Southeast Asia region through
a Co-benefit Project initiated by the JapaneseMinistry of the Environment.
21
Adriana Patricia LPEZ VALENCIA (28, Colombia)

MRes in Urbanism
Research focus: Sustainability of human settlements
Architect, urban planner, environmentalist and 2010 Green Talents winner Adriana
Lpez Valencia first turned her attention to the challenges of sustainable development
as an undergraduate student of architecture in her native Colombia. I began to see
that urban problems are rooted in social, economic, environmental and political factors and that sustainable urban planning can only be based on a more complex view
of the urban landscape, says Lpez Valencia. We have to think holistically and be
willing to grapple with greater complexity.
With a Bachelors in Architecture and a Masters degree in Urbanism, Lpez Valencia
is currently pursuing a PhD in Environmental Science at the Universidad del Valle in
Colombia. Her work there involves the use of geographical information systems (GIS)
to develop spatial simulation models which can measure sustainability in urban areas
and propose eco-neighborhoods adapted to their contexts. Its a great tool to help
explore and understand the complexity of a territory, she explains. Members of the
Green Talents jury were impressed with Lpez Valencias innovative use of GIS and
her interdisciplinary approach, which they considered ideally suited for sustainable
urban planning in the future.
Lpez Valencia plans to expand her research to air flow patterns and the movement
of pollut-ants from fixed and mobile emission sources in industrial towns. She is very
interested in developing urban design solutions to mitigate pollutant dispersion and
deposition in urban areas.
Graduated: 2011, Universidad Nacional de

Colombia, Colombia
06/2012 at: United Nations University,
Institute of Environment and Human Security,
Bonn
Bee Ting LOW (29, Singapore)

Research focus: Membranes for CO2 capture
Along with the increased use of cleaner burning fuels, technologies that can capture
and sequester the CO2 emitted by fossil-burning power plants and industrial facilities
will play a big role in controlling global carbon emissions. Membrane gas separation
is one such technology. Chemical engineer and 2010 Green Talents winner Bee Ting
Low is passionate about environmental issues and has been focused on membrane
technology throughout her young academic and professional career. This is an energy-efficient, modular, scalable and easy-to-maintain technology that can be used for
pre- and post-combustion carbon capture at major emissions source points, explains
Low, so it provides a pretty big lever in the fight against global warming.
Low, who has co-authored 11 publications and presented her work at international
conferences in Asia, Europe and the United States, earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the National University of Singapore in 2010. The Green Talents jury
noted Lows impressive basic research in the field of polymeric membrane technologies and her numerous awards and contributions to the literature.
Since late 2010, Low has been Senior Research Engineer at Membrane Technology
and Research (MTR) in the US, where she has worked on developing energy-efficient
membrane systems for building applications. Currently she is working with MTRs
research teams on developing and optimizing membranes for oxygen enrichment,
natural gas purification and post-combustion carbon capture.
Graduated: 2010, National University of
Singapore, Singapore
Research stay in Germany:
10/2011 at: Forschungszentrum Jlich
22
Andrew MARCH (25, USA)
MSc in Pollution Chemistry and Environmental Risks

Research focus: Environmental hazards to urban centres
Modelling dynamic and steady state behaviour of a gas-cooled reactor, creating
algorithms for possible mechanical faults of aircraft systems, assessing the impact of
the use of solar cookers on the deforestation rate in Madagascar, identifying drivers
of greenhouse gas emissions in densely populated urban centres, performing a full
energy audit of three assembly lines for Honda France Manufacturing, conducting an
exhaustive study of the production, supply, and consumption of all energy sources in
all 27 European Union states.
Only 23 years of age at the time he received the 2010 Green Talents award, Andrew
March impressed the jury with his broad spectrum of scientific skills, ranging from
biochemical analysis to computer modelling. With a B.S. in Environmental Engineering, a Masters in Pollution Chemistry and Environmental Risks and international experience under his belt, March is interested in real-world solutions that respond to the
specific conditions in a given country or community. An intimate knowledge of the
culture will allow you to better predict a cultural response and implement your project
in accordance with peoples priorities, says March.
As a Green Talents winner, U.S. native March spent 3 months at Siemens AG in Berlin, where he performed a life cycle analysis of a solar power plant control system and
researched sustainability within Siemens corporate supply chain. Today, at 25, he is
employed full time at Siemens in Berlin.
Graduated: 2011, Universit dOrlans,
France
01/2012 at: Siemens AG, Berlin
Daniela MORAIS LEME (31, Brazil)

PhD in Biological Sciences
Research focus: Environmental impact of biodiesels
Biodiesel is largely considered a plus for the environment. In its pure form it is as
biodegradable as sugar and less toxic than table salt, but can still power a city bus. If
blended with regular fossil diesel its most common application it can help reduce
carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and particulate emissions. Too good to be true? Biologist and 2010 Green Talents winner Daniela Morais Leme wants to make sure its not
harming the environment in some unexpected way.
Very few studies have investigated the impact of biodiesel on living organisms,
says Morais Leme. While pursuing her PhD in Biological Sciences at the Universidade
Estadual Paulista in So Paulo, Brazil, Morais Lemes research indicated that biodiesel
when it contaminates water and soil can have adverse effects on living organisms.
This could very well be due to impurities in biodiesel feedstocks, she points out. But
one thing is certain: detecting and removing these impurities from market biodiesel
should be a governmental concern. The 2010 Green Talents jury felt that Morais
Lemes work has made a vital contribution to assessing the environmental impact of
diesel and biodiesel contamination in water and soil.
Graduated: 2005, Universidade Estadual

Paulista (UNESP), Brazil
12/2011 at: BASF The Chemical
Company / Experimental Toxicology &
Ecology, Ludwigshafen
Currently conducting postdoctoral research at the Faculdade de Cincias Farmacuticas de Ribeiro Preto in Brazil, Morais Leme is applying her knowledge of genotoxins
to the study of textile dyes and assessing their potential to induce DNA damage in
human skin.
23
Julia NIKITCHENKO (28, Ukraine)
MSc in Ecology
Research focus: Sustainable scrap tyres management; use of tyre-derived products in industry; effluents
treatment from carbon pyrolysis industries
Lets talk tyres: Once discarded, their most desired property durability makes their
disposal and reprocessing a huge challenge. To address this, ecologist and chemmotologist Julia Nikitchenko has focused on finding a sustainable solution to scrap
tyre management and waste conversion from life-cycle tracking and flow control to
optimising tyre treatment technologies for increased effectiveness and environmental
safety.
Ive been able to develop a model that maps the entire production-consumptionrecycling chain while accounting for regional socio-economic realities, says Nikitchenko, who is also the founder of the Scientific and Technical Association of Chemmotologists. Her model, which offers a system for centralised collection and treatment,
helps reduce the accumulation of tyre waste in the environment.
No stranger to laboratory research, Nikitchenko has also recommended various technological improvements to the pyrolytic reprocessing of tyres that not only prevent
process-related air pollution and improve process efficiencies, but ultimately improve
the quality of tyre-derived end products, such as pyrolysis oil, a cost-effective synthetic
alternative to petroleum. Her most recent research interest and topic of her PhD is
pyroil-based sulfonate surfactants, which are useful in extracting hard-to-access oil
reserves or cleaning up oil-polluted soil.
Julia Nikitchenko impressed the jury with her multi-disciplinary and sustainable approach to resource management and raw material recuperation.
Graduated: 2007, National Aviation University, Ukraine

Environmental Research (UFZ) / Dept. of
Environmental Biotechnology, Leipzig
Mike OTIENO (31, Kenya)
MSc in Civil Engineering

Research focus: Sustainable cement and concrete materials
Not often talked about in the context of resource-use and sustainability, concrete is a
relatively simple composite building material that has been around for a long time. It
is everywhere, literally forming the foundation of the worlds man-made environment.
After water, concrete is the most widely used material in the world.
2010 Green Talents winner Mike Otieno recognized early that concrete has a critical
role to play in the future success of sustainable development. Traditionally, only technical and economic aspects were considered in the design of concrete construction,
but construction projects are often energy intensive, environmentally destructive and
ignore societal demands, explains Otieno. I want to remedy this by creating clear
guidelines which take these factors into account and can then be used by design
engineers.
Currently a civil engineering PhD candidate in the Concrete Materials and Structural
Integrity Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, Otieno is developing a model that will help engineers predict the rate of corrosion-induced deterioration in reinforced concrete structures. This will allow them to develop effective and
sustainable maintenance and repair strategies, says Otieno.
Graduated: 2008, University of Cape Town,

South Africa
03/2012 at: RWTH Aachen University, Institute
for Building Materials Research (ibac)
24
The Green Talents jury noted the importance of Otienos research in the field of sustainable economics, since long-term usability and curbing the CO2 emissions associated
with the production of concrete are key to climate-friendly and sustainable resource
management.
PHAN Vu Xuan Hung (28, Vietnam)
MSc in Environmental Engineering

Research focus: Water and wastewater treatment desalination and photovoltaic
At the time of the 2010 Green Talents competition, Phan Hung had been working for
several years on seawater reverse osmosis desalination (SWRO) a major contributor to assuring a sustainable municipal and industrial water supply in some parts of
the world. The jury noted his scientific achievements in the development of a SWRO
process for boron removal, his combined use of chemical-analytical and model-based
approaches, and his interest in energy-efficiency in the desalination process.
After several years working on SWRO challenges such as boron removal and organic
fouling, Phan shifted his research focus towards solar energy. I realized that the high
energy requirement of SWRO in the form of electricity is one of the biggest obstacles to its widespread application, says Phan. This, together with my longstanding
interest in solar cells and the energy crisis in Vietnam, led me to pursue solar energy
research for my PhD work.
Currently Hung is a PhD candidate in Material Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California Santa Barbara (USA) under the
supervision of Prof. Quyen Nguyen, an expert in organic photovoltaics characterization. His present research focuses on characterizing the interface of inorganic and
organic materials and its effects on hybrid solar cells. I see a lot of opportunities to
cooperate with German scientists on this topic, says Phan, for instance with researchers from the University of Potsdam.
Graduated: 2009, Gwangju Institute of

Science and Technology (GIST), Korea
Binita SHAH (29, India)
MSc in Environmental Science

Research focus: Holistic sustainable development frameworks
Binita Shah is fascinated by the clash between economic and environmental concerns
around the world, particularly in India. Dismayed by what she calls apathy towards
the current environmental challenges and issues, Shah decided to become a change
agent and contribute whatever she can for the betterment of the environment.
After earning her M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences and completing a postgraduate
program in geographic information systems (GIS), Shah began work as an environmental consultant, gaining valuable experience with Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and green building certification. Her expertise in EIA and innovative use
of GIS was what most impressed the 2010 Green Talents jury.
Currently enrolled in the Doctoral Fellowship at the National Institute of Industrial Engineering in Mumbai, Shah says that current mechanisms such as EIA, green building
certification systems or carbon credit systems are too shallow in their definition of
sustainable development and therefore fundamentally flawed. In response, she is
developing her own more comprehensive sustainable development model, which she
has named the Holistic Sustainable Development Model (HSDM).
Graduated: 2005, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, India

12/2011 at: United Nations University, Institute
of Environment and Human Security, Bonn
Shahs HSDM seeks to integrate various environmental factors ranging from the micro
to the macro-level. Her goal is to develop a HSDM for the thermal power industry in
India, including a life-cycle model for electricity, which she believes can significantly
impact the quality of power produced in Indias thermal power industry.
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Mercedes VALDERRAMA-VERNAZA (30, Colombia)

Diploma in Biology
Research focus: Ecosystem research and sustainable land use
Mercedes Valderrama-Vernaza, both biologist and activist, is devoted to protecting

endangered species and the environment. And she is committed to doing her part
through scientific field research. The Green Talents jury was highly impressed with her
clarity and sense of purpose as a young scientist.
In Colombia, research in the area of species preservation has been focused mainly
on taxonomy, says Valderrama-Vernaza. I try to focus on ecology and habitat issues, and consider not only what is found in each region, but how a given species
interacts with the environment and with other species, including humans.
Valderrama-Vernaza is especially interested in interdisciplinary ecosystem research
and the relationship between human economic activities and endangered species. A
good example of this is her work investigating the conflict between the Andean Bear
and cattle ranchers in the Colombian mountains. For Valderrama-Vernaza, research
is the key to understanding and resolving the conflict. We still lack information on
habitat fragmentation and whether the Andean forests are providing the bear with the
food they need, she explains. Has the bear had a shift in diet or is it just opportunistically preying on these cattle? This is important to know.
The Green Talents Forum was a chance for Valderrama-Vernaza to investigate the
human impact on blackbird populations in Germany. A great example of humanwildlife interaction, she says, and a valuable experience for my work back home.
Graduated: 2007, Universidad Industrial de

Santander in Bucaramanga, Colombia
Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig
WANG Chao (32, China)
MSc in Mechanical Engineering

Research focus: Solid waste treatment methods
Few countries can match Chinas annual GDP growth. Not surprisingly, Chinas trash
production is growing roughly as fast as the economy between 8 and 10 percent
annually and presents a complex environmental and social challenge. 2010 Green
Talents winner Wang Chao sees it as an opportunity. The opportunity lies in the trash
itself, says Wang, since waste can also be a valuable source of raw materials if recycled efficiently. Wang is designing industrial processes to treat and recycle waste.
After receiving his Masters degree from Beijing Institute of Machinery, Wang has
worked as an assistant research fellow at the College of Mechanical and Electrical
Engineering, Beijing Union University since 2005. His research focuses on municipal
solid waste treatment methods as well as energy savings and emissions reduction
applications. Wang has published numerous papers on environmental and mechanical engineering and his work has resulted in ten patents issued by Chinas State
Intellectual Property Office. Wang was also among the award winners at the 2011
University Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Competition sponsored by Chinas
Ministry of Education.
The Green Talents jury was impressed with the success of Wangs research and its relevance to the environment in China. Indeed, establishing a waste treatment infrastructure is a major concern in China with its energy-saving and environmental protection
industries growing rapidly. In the right place at the right time, says Wang.
Graduated: 2005, Beijing Institute of

Machinery, China
26
ZHAO Dewei (31, China)
PhD in Electrical Engineering

Research focus: Organic electronics, especially on organic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology makes it possible to produce solar cells thin
enough to wrap around a human hair. This is exciting not only for novel applications
such as electronic textiles, synthetic skin and robotics but also because OPV cells,
which are lighter, more flexible and cheaper to produce than traditional silicon-based
solar cells, could open up a much wider range of applications.
2010 Green Talents winner Zhao Dewei researches nanotechnology for clean and
renewable energy conversion, with a focus on organic electronics such as organic
solar cells. There is no question that organic solar could play a key role in the future
of sustainable energy technology, says Zhao. But we still need to increase the efficiency of organic cells, since their efficiency remains lower than conventional inorganic solar cells.
Increasing the efficiency of organic solar cells is Zhaos main goal. Currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in the US, Zhao is working on organic
solar cells with tandem and inverted structures. The tandem design consists of two
layers of cells, explains Zhao. This makes it possible to collect a broader light spectrum, making the cells more efficient.
The Green Talents jury was impressed with Zhaos comprehensive expertise in organic
electronics and with the 25 scientific papers he has already published, several of them
in prestigious international peer-reviewed journals.
Graduated: 2011, Nanyang Technological

University, Singapore
06/2011 at: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology,
Light Technology Institute
HE Zhen (Jason) (35, China)

Research focus: Biological wastewater treatment
Bacteria have the God-given ability to convert organic compounds into carbon dioxide, water and energy. Microbial fuel cells are capable of harvesting a portion of this
microbial energy and generating electricity from almost any kind of organic matter,
which means they can run on things like wastewater.
A 2010 Green Talents winner, and currently Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering
& Mechanics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA, He Zhen has been researching bio-electrochemical systems for water and wastewater treatment and
bioenergy production for several years. The goal of his research is to recover useful
energy from waste, and to reduce energy requirements for water and wastewater
treatment. This principle can also be applied to the desalination process, explains
He, who talks about microbial desalination cells (MDCs) as an exciting alternative to
todays energy-intensive desalination technology.
The Green Talents jury was impressed with Hes numerous publications, patent applications and collaborations with academic and industry partners. He earned his
Bachelors Degree in China, Masters Degree in Denmark, PhD in Environmental Engineering in the US and spent two years as a postdoc in California, so his perspective
is international. And he understands that collaboration is the key to unlocking the
true potential of his work: We need to actively communicate and collaborate with
others in the field if we ever want to see the full scale application of the technology
developed in the lab.
Graduated: 2007, Washington University in
St. Louis, USA
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Ana Paula BORTOLETO (34, Brazil)

Research focus: Environmental behaviour and waste prevention policies
Ana Paula Bortoleto has had her eye on solid waste management issues for nearly a
decade now, studying the relationship between waste prevention behaviour and municipal waste management policies in a number of national and social contexts from
Brazilian waste management programmes that use former street pickers to promote
recycling to waste prevention behaviour in the British city of Sheffield.
A Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship took Bortoleto, who received her
PhD in Japan, to Sheffield in 2011. Bortoleto has devoted this stage of her postdoctoral research to comparing urban waste prevention behaviours in Sao Paolo
and Sheffield. Although I am an engineer by training, my goal is to get at the core
behaviours and motivators behind waste prevention, Bortoleto explains. Interdisciplinary research in this area is key to understanding peoples actions and ultimately
improving green policies.
Bortoletos dedication to her topic has taken her around the globe. She is now working with conservation researchers in both the UK and Germany who specialise in environmental psychology and consumption practices. These most recent collaborations
take Bortoleto into unchartered territory. Combining these two areas is not only a
promising but under-explored field of study, she says, excited to be part of the vanguard.
Graduated: 2009, University of Tokyo,
Japan
07/2012 at: Otto-von-Guericke University of
Magdeburg
28
The 2011 Green Talents jury was impressed by Bortoletos curiosity for new methodologies, her strong research background as well as her international and comparative
approach.
Applications total
331
58
Winners
20
Cristian Guillermo GEBHARDT (29, Argentina)
PhD in Engineering Sciences

Research focus: Numerical simulations of the aeroelastic behaviour of large-scale horizontal-axis wind turbines
Like many Green Talent winners Cristian Guillermo Gebhardt is applying his scientific
expertise towards developing clean and sustainable energy solutions. His renewable
energy of choice? Wind, presently touted as one of the most cost-effective green
opportunities.
Wind turbine technology is advancing quickly, spurred on by the growing demand for
wind energy and an ever-expanding wind market. Gebhardt, who recently joined the
Department of Simulation and Assessment of Wind Turbines at the Fraunhofer Institute
for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology in Bremerhaven, has positioned his
research at the cutting edge of wind turbine technology. Theres much about the aeroelastic behaviour of LHAWT that we do not understand, says Gebhardt. Simulations
will provide insights into non-linear phenomena, such as dynamic buckling and postcritical behaviour under different wind conditions.
With his numerical strategy, margins for instabilities such as flutter and divergence
can be determined and factored into new, higher-performing turbine design. My
methodology has already proven accurate and reliable, he says. I am now working
on expanding it so lighter, cheaper and more efficient turbines can be built.
The Green Talents jury was impressed by Gebhardts contributions to optimising
onshore and offshore wind technologies through modelling. Equally award-worthy is
his impressive number of publications and conference appearances in his field.
Crdoba, Argentina
29
GUAN Ting (25, China)
Bachelors in Urban Planning

Research focus: Environmental policy and governance
Watching her childhood playground disappear in the name of urban development
left a lasting impression on Chinese Green Talents winner Guan Ting. So much in fact,
that she set her young mind to designing eco-friendly cities. Soon after launching my
studies in Urban Planning I realised how easily eco-friendly ideas are foiled without
adequate backing from equally eco-friendly governance, recalls Guan, who is now
homing in on environmental and energy policy issues in China as part of her PhD
work at Zhejiang University.
Guan, who is determined not only to shape but to formulate an environmentally sustainable government policy for China, is a do-er. This fact was recognised not only
by the 2011 Green Talents Jury but most recently by the Global Governance 2022
(GG2022) steering committee, which has invited Guan to join 23 other GG2022 fellows from Germany, China and the US, to explore future energy governance scenarios in a series of international, high-profile and work-intensive dialogue events.
Guan will be bringing experience to the table. Zhejiang Province, which already
adopted one of Guans policy proposals, is now working with Guan through its Energy and Quality Supervision Bureau to establish an energy conservation measurement
standard. She is writing her dissertation Climate Change Governance in China: The
Case of Hangzhou in cooperation with Copenhagen University, Denmark.
The jury lauded Guans understanding of the transformation process in China a
process shes most likely to be a part of.
Graduated: 2010, Zhejiang University, China

07/2012 at: University of Duisburg-Essen
Owen HORWOOD (33, South Africa)

PhD in Geography and Environment
Research focus: Water policy and governance in South Africa
How can science contribute effectively to policy making? How is scientific data being
used and managed? Does the information empower some stakeholders while marginalizing others? Does the approach to research need to be different? For Owen
Horwood, these are some of the key questions that should be asked and addressed if
science wants to participate meaningfully in generating policy that truly solves problems.. Institutional mechanisms are what translate scientific knowledge into action
and determine how the scientists work is applied to policy, says Horwood. I want to
be a participant rather than a spectator and contribute to policymaking that reconciles
the often competing priorities of growth and sustainability.
A specialist in water governance, Horwood is focused on water sector reform in South
Africa with an emphasis on stakeholder participation and institutional functionality.
His PhD thesis addressed the challenges of implementing South Africas National Water Resource Strategy within the context of the new National Water Act. With a PhD
and two Masters degrees from Oxford University, Horwood has already received
international recognition for his work, including numerous scientific and interdisciplinary publications. He presented at the 2012 Planet Under Pressure conference in
London and is currently participating in the German-South African Year of Science.
The Green Talents jury highlighted Horwoods outstanding academic credentials and
his ability to address complex scientific problems with research focused on problemsolving.
Graduated: 2009, Oxford University, UK
08/2012 at: Heidelberg University
30
Ricardo Andrs IBEZ GUTIRREZ (32, Colombia)

Master in Architecture
Research focus: Eco-productive architecture
Ricardo Andrs Ibez Gutirrez believes strongly that we can not only reduce
the impact of cities on their environment, but design sustainable urban structures.
He envisions buildings that are not only energy efficient, but capable of delivering the kind of ecosystem services that we normally associate with nature.
By incorporating a wide range of eco-productive technologies such as biotectonics, photovoltaics and environmentally responsive materials, buildings can improve the environmental quality in urban areas by purifying air, managing water,
absorbing noise, regulating climate and even creating habitat for biodiversity,
says Ibez Gutirrez. The human-built environment can even be designed to
produce food and surplus energy from the sun.
Ibez Gutirrez is a pioneer in the area of vegetated architecture systems in
Colombia and Latin America, where he has conducted award-winning research
on living roof technology and served as a green building consultant for the public
and private sectors. Currently a PhD candidate in Architecture at the University of
Hong Kong, he is developing methods to assess buildings so that they can take
part in ecosystem services trade-off schemes.
The jury was impressed with Ibez Gutirrez broad scientific experience in ecoproductive architecture, an area with tremendous potential given the rapid rise
of megacities around the world. It also noted his numerous publications, awards
and extensive teaching experience.

Colombia, Colombia
08/2012 at: Humboldt University, Department
of Agriculture and Urban Ecology, Berlin
Nnaemeka Chidiebere IKEGWUONU (29, Nigeria)
Master in Cooperation and Development

Research focus: Communication on sustainable development practices for rural Nigerian farmers
The most effective argument for sustainability is that it makes economic sense. For
multinational corporations or small rural farmers, applying sustainability principles
means improved efficiency, greater economy and a better bottom line over time. The
argument is sound and the benefits are real, but the challenge remains to communicate and educate.
2011 Green Talents winner Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu has hit upon an extremely effective
technology for communicating the benefits of sustainability to farmers in his native Nigeria: radio. Currently executive director of the Smallholders Foundation, Ikegwuonu
reaches 250,000 subsistence farmers each day across south-eastern Nigeria with
his daily radio programme. In the local Igbo language, he talks about issues such as
soil degradation, livestock density management, farm safety, rainwater harvesting
and techniques for increased crop production. The methods Ive introduced have
contributed to increased agricultural production of various crops, including maize,
cassava and yam, reports Ikegwuonu. Overall I have helped farmers improve their
household income from 1 dollar to 1.50 dollar per day. Identified as a Young Leader by the BMW Foundation in 2011, Ikegwuonu is providing a very strong example
of the connection between sustainability, economy and improved livelihoods.
The jury highlighted the gains Ikegwuonu has made in fighting poverty while protecting the environment, and noted the large number of people he is able to reach with
his educational radio programmes.
Graduated: 2009, University of Pavia, Italy
31
LI Yangfan (34, China)

Research focus: Urban ecology
Gradual environmental degradation can be difficult to track and often does not receive the attention of policy makers coping with more immediate crises. But once
a critical mass of toxicity, species invasion or other form of ecosystem disruption has
been reached, it becomes very difficult to turn the situation around. The problem becomes not only immediate, but very large and costly.
2011 Green Talents winner Yangfan Li, a lecturer and researcher at Nanjing
Universitys School of Environment, develops early warning and resilience systems to
mitigate the impact of urbanisation on coastal wetlands in his native China. The goal
is to inform authorities and policy makers when certain ecological thresholds have
been reached. The consequences of rapid industrialisation and urbanisation are far
reaching and are impacting local and regional ecological security, says Li. Early warning provides an opportunity to implement management decisions to prevent
more serious environmental harm from occurring.
With a PhD in Environmental Science, Li is currently a visiting fellow at Cornell University, where he is involved in a US-Sino wetland restoration project. He has published
more than 60 papers, two books and received numerous awards for outstanding
research. Along with these achievements, the jury lauded Lis innovative and interdisciplinary approach to sustainable urban development and the implementation of
climate change monitoring technologies.
Graduated: 2007, Nanjing University, China
02/2013 at: Department of Geography,
Humboldt University of Berlin
Rafael LUQUE (33, Spain)
PhD in Organic Chemistry

Research focus: Biofuels and Valorisation of Biomass and Waste
Rafael Luque is passionate about science, sustainability and green living. With a PhD
in Organic Chemistry and currently a Ramon y Cajal fellow at the University of Cordoba in Spain, he is an extremely active and vocal ambassador for green chemistry,
which applies the power of chemistry to improving material and resource efficiency,
developing alternative energy sources, and designing cleaner industrial processes.
Luque is focused on how to turn biomass residues and waste resources, such as food
waste, into valuable feedstocks for the production of materials, chemicals and energy.
He has also been actively involved in the area of advanced biofuels, designing ways
to process waste feedstocks, such as waste frying oils, into fuels. We need to change
the perception of our current society that sees waste as a problem rather than as a
resource, says Luque.
The author of more than 140 papers in peer-reviewed journals and several edited
books, Luque speaks regularly at conferences and institutions around the world on
various aspects of chemistry and sustainability. He is also co-founder of a UK-based
environmental solutions enterprise (Starbon Technologies Ltd.) as well as the company
Green Applied Solutions S.L. in Spain, which does R&D, consultancy and education
work in the areas of biomass valorisation and renewable energies.
Graduated: 2001, Universidad de
Cordoba, Spain
08/2012 at: Max Planck Institute of Colloids
and Interfaces, Berlin
32
The jury noted Luques invaluable contribution to the development of eco-friendly chemicals for material preparation, production and fuel use, as well his promotion of green
chemistry applications to waste management.
Liudmila NAZARKINA (29, Russia)
MSc in Strategic Management / MA in Management of Corporate Social Responsibility / PhD candidate in

Strategy and Management
Research focus: Scaling up entrepreneurship for sustainable living
For entrepreneurs in the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) industry, choosing the optimal way to grow is a must if they want to make a positive and lasting contribution. But how do you grow your company and how effective are these growth mechanisms to scale up positive social and environmental impacts? Liudmila Nazarkinas
research explores growth strategies for sustainability entrepreneurs. She wants to help
them grow, better scale their social innovations and contribute effectively to a more
sustainable world.
Its a complex landscape for sustainability entrepreneurs, says Nazarkina. When
considering various growth strategies, they also have to consider their appropriateness. As an example, some organisational stakeholders often view strategies such
as equity sale to multinational corporations as a departure from sustainability values.
Nazarkinas research has revealed striking differences in entrepreneurs business models and attitudes towards growth. Some companies put sustainability at the centre of
their business models, emphasising their role in the local economy and communitybuilding, she says, while others see sustainable lifestyles purely as a market opportunity.
The first results of Nazarkinas research have already been presented at international conferences. She is also engaged in coordinating academic projects focused on
developing high-quality teaching cases to bring sustainability to the classroom. A
fellow at the oikos Foundation for Economy and Ecology and editor of the oikos Case
Quarterly, Nazarkina impressed the jury with her all-around commitment to sustainable business growth.
Graduated: 2006, State University The

Higher School of Economics, Russia /
Universit Paris XII cole Suprieure des
Affaires, France
11/2012 at: UNEP/Wuppertal Institute
Collaborating Centre on Sustainable
Consumption and Production (CSCP) GmbH,
Wuppertal
Najwa OBEID (30, USA)
Master in Engineering
Research focus: Sustainable and Integrated Water Resource Management
Green stormwater infrastructure uses vegetation and soil to capture, store, drain and
clean rainwater where it falls. It functions as water management, flood control and
habitat and creates healthier cities, while reducing the environmental impact of cities
on their surroundings.
2011 Green Talents winner Najwa Obeid is working to advance the use of green
stormwater infrastructure in the worlds cities. Currently a PhD Candidate in Environmental Engineering and Sciences at the University of Illinois, USA, she understands
the need for a multidisciplinary approach to getting new technologies implemented.
I am working to quantify the financial, environmental and social benefits of green
roofs in a suburb of Chicago by applying economic theory to my findings, says
Obeid. Obeids work quantifying the hydrologic performance of green roofs has
already been incorporated into a watershed model for a suburb of Chicago. Benefit
transfer and economic theory of environmental policy will be used to maximize the
cost-effectiveness of green roof intervention in watershed performance.
Graduated: 2005, Massachusetts Institute of

Technology, USA
11/2012 at: United Nations University
Environment and Human Security, Bonn
The jury highlighted Obeids focus on green infrastructure and lauded her hydrologiceconomic model as a valuable contribution to making the financial, ecological and
social effects of development more measureable. Following her Green Talents internship at the UN University in Germany, she will gain additional policy experience in
Washington, D.C. as a National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss
Marine Policy Fellow in 2013.
33
Pham Van QUAN (33, Vietnam)
PhD in Urban Engineering

Research focus: Energy-saving techniques to mitigate climate change
Vietnam provides a good example of the environmental growing pains associated
with economic development in Asia. Its energy demand is expected to exceed supplies by 2015 and the government has already instituted rolling blackouts in rural
areas to help meet urban demand. In Hanoi, the groundwater is contaminated with
ammonium and arsenic, which means the city will have to rely more on the Hong
river already a source of hydroelectric power for its fresh water. But what will
be the impact of climate change on the river? Will extended dry periods force more
blackouts and exacerbate water shortages?
2011 Green Talents winner Pham Van Quan is applying his expertise in energy
efficiency and hydrology to develop integrated resource management strategies for
cities such as Hanoi with an eye towards current and future climate scenarios. With a
PhD in Urban Engineering, Quan is currently a lecturer in the Environmental Engineering Department at Hanoi Architectural University. He focuses on energy conservation
measures such as home solar energy and environmental-friendly architecture and
is also developing a balanced urban water use system for Hanoi, which considers the
availability of rainwater, groundwater and reclaimed water as well as surface waters.
Quan is also involved in a Sustainable Water Management project for the Huong
river and Hue City.
The jury was impressed with Quans approach to cities as comprehensive units and
his focus on the water-energy nexus.
Graduated: 2009, University of Tokyo,
Japan
34
Dyllon Garth RANDALL (28, South Africa)

Research focus: Crystallization and precipitation to treat wastewater
Zero waste could be natures motto and in the dawning age of sustainability, it is
also the goal of scientists and engineers striving towards truly sustainable solutions.
In 2011, chemical engineer and Green Talents winner Dyllon Randall published a
paper in the journal Desalination entitled A case study for treating a reverse osmosis
brine using Eutectic Freeze Crystallization - Approaching a zero waste process.
Later named Research Paper of the Year by the South African Institute of Chemical
Engineers, the paper was based on a groundbreaking brine treatment protocol that
Randall had developed as a solution for industrial and mining wastewater. The EFC
technology, which was also presented at the International Conference on Desalination and Environment, requires comparatively low energy input and can achieve near
100% separation, recovery and reuse of pure water and salts. Almost zero waste.
The generation of hypersaline brines emanating from industrial and mining operations poses a major environmental problem globally as the volumes of these brines
increase at an exponential rate, says Randall, who earned his PhD in Chemical
Engineering from the University of Cape Town. Combining water treatment and raw
product recovery in this way is an environmental solution with clear economic benefits
for industry as well.
The jury praised Randall for his highly promising work, given the growing importance of wastewater treatment and urgent need to increase water use efficiency
around the world.

South Africa
06/2012 at: TU Darmstadt
35
Alanna Jane REBELO (24, South Africa)

MSc in Restoration, Conservation Ecology and Hydrology
Research focus: Conservation Ecology
Ecosystem services is the term used to describe the vast palette of natures products
(such as water, food, fuel, biochemicals) and natures services (such as soil formation,
photosynthesis, air quality regulation and pollination) that enable and enhance life.
It is an emerging field that seeks to integrate these services into more conventional
value systems such as economics. Pioneering the field of ecosystem services is by
nature a multidisciplinary endeavour, which makes it a good match for 2011 Green
Talents winner Alanna Rebelo.
Currently a PhD candidate at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Rebelo has fashioned her graduate studies to span the fields of hydrology, ecology and sociology as
well as working collaboratively with economists. At 24, she already understands the
power of an interdisciplinary approach to making change happen. As part of her
work investigating the impact of land-use change on the flow of ecosystem goods and
services in her native South Africa, she made it a priority to organise a stakeholder
engagement project. I want to bring the farmers on board to close the gap between
science and practice, says Rebelo.
Rebelo was selected to present her research findings at the International Association
of Landscape Ecology Conference in Beijing in 2011 and invited to attend the Stockholm +40 conference in April 2012 to help develop a proposal for the Rio+20 in
June. She impressed the jury with her interdisciplinary approach to sustainability and
efforts to balance factors such as biodiversity and human agricultural development.
Graduated: 2012, Stellenbosch University,

South Africa
11/2012 at: German Aerospace Center
(DLR), Munich
Victor SIM SIANG TZE (28, Singapore)

PhD Candidate in Environmental and Water Resources
Research focus: Desalination and water re-use
Technologies that tap natures power of osmosis depend entirely on the quality,
strength and durability of the filtering membrane used. 2011 Green Talents winner
Victor Sim focuses on improving these membranes to make desalination, water purification and even energy generation more economically viable.
One of his focus areas is fouling, which is a major cause of performance loss in membranes. Fouling results in maintenance costs as well as higher energy costs, as more
pressure is required to force flow across blocked membranes. As a PhD candidate
in Environmental and Water Resources at the Nanyang Technological University, Sim
Siang Tze is developing innovative ultrasound technique to detect membrane biofouling non-invasively and in real time. He and his team filed a US provisional patent in
2011 based on this work.
Most recently Sim Siang Tze has won two awards, including the 2012 Singapore--Netherlands Sustainability Award for his idea to use Pressure Retarded Osmosis
(PRO) as a hybrid solution for desalination, water recycling and renewable energy
generation. Together with fellow researchers, he has also managed to resolve the
problem of membrane deformation, which has long been perceived as hindering the
commercialisation of PRO a promising renewable energy technology.
Singapore, Singapore
at: IWW Water Centre at the University of
Duisburg-Essen
36
The Green Talents jury was impressed with his sensor to monitor membrane fouling,
which it said could have a big impact on membrane technology and make seawater
desalination significantly more cost effective.
Rajeev Pratap SINGH (34, India)

PhD in Botany
Research focus: Land application of sewage sludge
India is projected to overtake China as the worlds most populous country by 2025
and reach roughly 1.6 billion by 2050. In Indias case, population growth may indeed drive economic growth, especially considering its young demographic profile.
But the prospect of a 30% increase in population also puts increased pressure on
policy makers, business leaders and scientists to find creative solutions to the countrys
long list of environmental challenges.
2011 Green Talents winner Rajeev Pratap Singh has devoted his career in science to
solutions for sustainable waste management, an environmental challenge closely tied
to Indias demographics. With eighteen publications in various international journals,
Singh has become one of his countrys experts in land application methods for sewage sludge and agro-industry waste, as well as in composting.
Trained as a botanist and currently Assistant Professor at the Institute of Environment
and Sustainable Development at Banaras Hindu University, Singh is interested in technologies that extract useful plant nutrients from waste as a way to restore soil quality. We are turning waste problems into agricultural solutions, says Singh. More
recently he has also turned his attention to waste-to-energy conversion technologies.
The jury noted Singhs important contribution to waste management, lauded his work
on sewage sludge for fields and composting of biomasses, as well as his work in a
wide variety of other sustainability-related areas.
Graduated: 2008, Banaras Hindu
University, India
Yatendra SINGH CHAUDHARY (33, India)

PhD in Chemistry
Research focus: Solar-radiation-driven generation of solar fuels
The gap between global energy consumption, the use of solar energy to supply this
demand, and the enormous untapped potential of the sun is gaping. Researchers
like Green Talents winner Yatendra Singh Chaudhary are working to close this gap
by developing efficient systems for converting solar energy into chemical fuel, i.e.
hydrogen.
Hydrogen is a clean and renewable energy carrier that can be produced from water
at zero-emissions. The need to exploit and store solar energy is therefore an obvious
one, says Singh Chaudhary, who has responded to this need by developing sustainable photocatalytic water splitting systems for hydrogen fuel production. His most
recent research as a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Department of Chemistry
at the University of Oxford has led to the development of visible-light-active enzymesemiconductor-based bio-photocatalysts for solar fuel production.
Dr. Singh Chaudhary, a scientist at the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology
(CSIR) and Assistant Professor at the Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research,
honed his skills in Materials Chemistry as a postdoctoral fellow at Mumbais Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research. Here he developed, among other things, a method
for one-step assembly of noble metal nanoparticles on support surfaces.
The 2011 Green Talents jury lauded Singh Chaudharys interdisciplinary research
into functional hybrid nanostructures for photoelectrochemical water splitting and its
role in closing the gap on clean fuels.
Graduated: 2004, Dayalbagh Educational
Institute in Agra, India
37
XUE Bing (30, China)
PhD in Human Geography

Research focus: Regional industrial ecosystems
2011 Green Talents winner Xue Bing believes that man made systems and processes
can be redesigned to reflect the efficiency of regenerative, cyclic living systems
that natures circular economy can be applied to improve human economies. Xue is
applying this powerful idea to the gigantic task of cleaning up Chinas environment.
Xues think big approach is grounded in pragmatism. With a PhD in Human Geographyc and currently Associate Professor at the Institute of Applied Ecology at the
Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang City, China, he has been involved in
more than 20 planning projects to apply circular economy principles to the design of
industrial parks and provincial/municipal systems. This included a master plan for the
Gansu province approved by the Chinese government in December 2010 which
made Gansu the first national demonstration province in China for developing the
circular economy.
I consider Germany to be one of the leading locations in the world for the circular
economy, since it has made manufacturers responsible for the entire life cycle of a
product, from the moment its materials leave the ground to the time it is recycled,
says Xue. While in Germany, I want to analyze the material flow at different levels
and to seek the opinion of experts on developing the circular economy in China.
Xue, who has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers on circular economy,
impressed the jury with the very real contributions he has made so far to balancing
Chinas growth with sustainable development.
Graduated: 2009, Lanzhou University, China

02/2013 at: Institute of Applied Material Flow
Management, University of Applied Sciences
Trier, and Wuppertal Institute for Climate,
Environment and Energy
Sandra Patricia ZAPATA PORRAS (36, Colombia)

Diploma in Agroindustrial Engineering
Research focus: Bioprocessing of natural products, with emphasis on food colourants
The Choc region of Colombia with its unique ecosystems, untapped natural resources and tremendous biodiversity is an example of how great natural wealth and social poverty can exist side by side. And it points to one of the developing worlds most
vexing challenges: how to integrate poor people into value chains so that they can
share in the wealth generated by their countrys own natural resources?
2011 Green Talents winner Sandra Patricia Zapata Porras has a personal stake in
the issue. A native of the Choc region, she has often witnessed how the people in
her hometown lack the resources and technology to grow their economy and improve
their standard of living. But Zapata Porras is convinced that by harvesting and processing natural products in an environmentally and socially responsible way, she can
help create tangible and sustainable economic value out of Colombian biodiversity and improve lives.
An Agro-Industrial Production Engineer and currently pursuing a PhD in Engineering,
Zapata Porras and her team have already secured three international patents related
to the extraction and processing of natural rainforest products. One of these is for a
natural blue colorant derived from a rainforest fruit harvested by local communities.
Graduated: 1998, Universidad de La

Sabana, Colombia
11/2012 at: University of Hohenheim
38
Members of the jury were impressed with Zapata Porras application of science to
help the people of Colombia build their economy in a sustainable manner. They also
noted her three patents and her 2009 LOreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award.
Maribel ZAPATER PEREYRA (28, Peru)

MSc in Desert Studies
Research focus: Sustainable water sanitation
The more wetlands disappear, the more we appreciate their benefits. A huge host for
plants and microorganisms, they are extremely effective in filtering out both organic
and inorganic pollutants from water.
2011 Green Talents winner Maribel Zapater Pereyra is interested in sustainable water
sanitation and has chosen to focus her research on constructed wetlands. Man-made
versions of natures biofilters, constructed wetlands recreate the mechanisms that occur in natural wetlands for the purpose of wastewater treatment. This technology
could significantly increase the quantity and quality of available water resources and
be used for providing basic sanitation a human right that is often lacking in developing countries, says Zapater Pereyra. For a small community with limited funds
for expanding or updating wastewater treatment plants, constructed wetlands are an
attractive option.
Currently pursuing a PhD in Water Management, Zapater Pereyras goal after her studies is to combine her civil engineering interest with her expertise in water sanitation by
designing and building wastewater treatment systems for the private/public sector. I
want to construct proper and simple sustainable sanitation systems while, at the same
time, keep contributing to science with my work by transferring my knowledge and
expertise to researchers and by providing study sites with real-life applications for
their investigations, she says. The jury was impressed with Zapater Pereyras dedication to making sanitation more available around the world and considered her work
with constructed wetlands an important contribution to this end.
Graduated: 2009, Ben-Gurion University of
the Negev, Israel
ZHOU Jin (28, China)
MSc in Human Factor Engineering, ME and PhD in Environmental Engineering

Research focus: Life cycle sustainability assessment models
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for evaluating the environmental impact of a
product or industrial process. By analyzing all stages from cradle to grave it
broadens the perspective on environmental impact and goes hand in hand with more
sustainable approaches to management.
Zhou Jin is a big believer in the power of LCA, but also believes that it can be improved. With Masters degrees in Environmental Engineering and Human Factor Engineering, and currently pursuing a PhD at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
in Singapore, Zhou wants to expand the scope of LCAs to include environmental,
economic and social factors to create what she calls a comprehensive sustainability
assessment model.
One goal is to increase the feasibility of the LCA model by reducing the amount of
data required for analyses, says Zhou. Especially LCA practitioners in Asia struggle
to find databases that correspond to local geographical characteristics. As a Green
Talents winner, Zhou will devote her upcoming research stay at the University of Tuebingen in Germany to developing a cost-effective way to support location-specific
data needs. Emphasizing the local context can really improve the reliability of local
and regional studies, she says.

12/2012 at: University of Tuebingen
The jury was impressed with Zhous research work and publications, which illustrate
the possibility of using complex models even where limited input is available. The jury
also applauded Zhous work to implement the models locally and incorporate local
decision-making processes.
39
Applications total
403
69
Winners
25
Alina Mariana BALU (31, Romania)
PhD in Fine Chemistry

Research focus: Green chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis, biomass valorisation
Alina Mariana Balu grew up in rural Romania, where no-waste and sustainability
were not new trends, but ancient practice. Maximising available resources, minimising environmental impact and achieving more with less is, as a result, her natural
approach to work and life. Today, she combines her ingrained sense of sustainability
with a PhD in Fine Chemistry and an extremely strong academic record in analytical,
physical and organic chemistry. Her work focuses on alternative and greener methodologies in chemistry, including novel technologies for materials preparation, the
production of biofuels, and photocatalysis a greener alternative for the production
of chemicals and energy.
As part of her PhD thesis, Balu brought together three important disciplines nanomaterials, energy and environment and led a multidisciplinary team to develop more
sustainable processes for the preparation of supported nanoparticles. We prepared
and optimised green designer nanomaterials for various energy and environmental
applications, explains Balu. This included the production of advanced second generation biofuels and high added-value chemicals as well as biomass valorisation and
environmental remediation. Balu has edited a book on biomass energy production,
co-authored 27 scientific papers and presented at more than 30 international conferences.
Graduated: 2001, Universidad de
Cordoba, Spain
08/2012 at: Max Planck Institute of Colloids
and Interfaces, Berlin
40
The jury was impressed by Balus innovative work with designer nanomaterials for
greener production processes and emphasized the importance of green chemistry for
a more sustainable future.
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Daria Camilla BOFFITO (27, Italy)
MSc in Industrial Chemistry

Research focus: Heterogeneous catalysis; production of biodiesel from non-food biomass materials
Daria Camilla Boffitos mission is to increase the efficiency and sustainability of
the biofuels production process. A leader among Italys young scientists, Boffitos
notable scientific achievements so far are driven by her broader perspective on the
agricultural, energy harvesting and industrial manufacturing processes. This begins
with her commitment to non-food biomass resources and desire to achieve maximum
agricultural benefit from the crop selection, planting and harvesting phase.
In my work I have always tried to use non-food cultures with low water requirements
and green manure effects, and explored the possibility of adopting them for crop-rotation with food cultures, explains Boffito. In this way the land is not just used for energy harvesting purposes, but beneficial properties are also conferred to the ground.
Boffitos already impressive record of publications and international presentations is
based largely on her award-winning work developing efficient catalytic systems to
improve process efficiency. These catalysts are designed to respond to different kinds
of feedstocks and promote reactivity in environmentally friendly solvents, so as to
avoid the use of toxic materials. She has also performed groundbreaking work with
sonochemical techniques to enhance reactions efficiency.
The jury emphasized the importance of biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels and
Boffitos focus on non-food biomass materials, which is key to the sustainability of
biofuels in the future.
Graduated: 2009, University of Milan, Italy
41
Viktor BRUS (25, Ukraine)
MSc in Alternative Energy Sources

Research focus: Alternative energy sources, heterojunction solar cells
A PhD student in Electronics and Energy Engineering at the Frantsevich Institute in the
Ukraine, Viktor Brus is quick to point to Germany as the global leader in photovoltaic
(PV) applications: The German solar PV industry installed 5.9 GW and provided
about 3% of total electricity in 2011, says Brus. Some market analysts expect this
could reach 25% by 2050. The goal to transform the efficiency of PVs on this scale
is powering the growth of semiconductor materials science today and its a huge
motivator for Brus.
Brus has focused his research on heterojunction solar cells, which represent the next
generation of PV cells after single-material (homojunction) silicon PV cells. Heterojunction cells consist of different thin-film semiconductor materials, which form distinctive
top and bottom layers. They can absorb light better than silicon and better facilitate
the flow of electrons. Brus performs quantitative analysis of various solar cells and has
fabricated a number of new and previously not studied heterojunctions for use in PVs
and light emitting diodes.
Brus is one of the most productive and active publishing young scientists in Ukraine.
Since 2009 he has published more than 50 works including 15 articles in peer-review
international journals, 10 articles in national Ukrainian journals, 4 Ukrainian patents
and about 30 abstracts presented at Ukrainian and international conferences. The
Green Talents jury noted his excellent academic profile and his outstanding record of
publications.
Graduated: 2009, Chernivtsi National
University, Ukraine
Suraphon CHAIWONGSAR (34, Thailand)

PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology
Research focus: Eco-efficient farming
Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna is Thailands leading university in the

area of sustainable community development. Since joining the university faculty as
a lecturer and researcher, Suraphon Chaiwongsar has applied his background in
molecular biology, plant biotechnology and bioenergy to help improve the livelihoods
of farmers in Thailand by increasing agricultural productivity while conserving natural
resources and biodiversity. His extensive experience with life cycle assessment and
carbon footprint analysis has also helped his research group obtain international
funding for several research projects. These include the development of a low carbon
policy for the agriculture sector and the 2012 project funded by Grant Assistance for
Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), the government of Japan Harmonious
development of alternative energy system, agriculture practice system and clean environment system for a sustainable community.
Chaiwongsar believes strongly in combining technology with a people approach.
My strategy to ensure food security and sustainable development is to use systems
analysis and modelling approaches combined with farmer-focused experimentation
and resource assessment, he explains. This will ensure robust solutions for raising
the eco-efficiency of agricultural systems.
The jury highlighted Chaiwongsars broad scientific experience in eco-efficient farming, his tireless research and his contribution to addressing Thailands three key agricultural challenges: achieving economic sustainability in the face of low profitability,
falling farm-gate prices and low productivity.
Wisconsin-Madison, USA
42
Bernardo DEL CAMPO (30, Uruguay)
MSc in Biofuels
Research focus: Biochar as a soil additive and tool for carbon sequestration
Bernardo del Campo is a biofuels ambassador. After rebuilding his 30 year old Mercedes 300SD to run on biodiesel and cooking oil, he spearheaded the use of biodiesel to fuel Iowa State Universitys bus system and is heavily involved in the promotion
of biofuel technology among colleagues, community leaders and in the private sector.
Today a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering, del Campos goal is to draw
additional environmental benefits from the biofuel life-cycle.
Del Campos current research focuses on biochar, a high-carbon by-product from the
conversion of biomass to biofuels through a process called pyrolysis. Biochar can be
added to soil to improve water quality, increase crop yields and, most importantly,
sequester carbon in the soil for centuries. Biochar can improve soil properties with
profound impacts on greenhouse gas emission while providing several other environmental benefits. says del Campo. This kind of carbon-negative technology means
being able to produce biofuel with a net withdrawal of CO2 from the atmosphere.
Del Campo is currently conducting privately-funded research on fast pyrolysis biochars for carbon sequestration with the goal of marketing them for carbon credit and
large-scale field trials.
Del Campo impressed the jury with his innovative computer-automated tool for monitoring biomass decomposition, which makes it possible to assess the storage and shelf
life of agricultural biomasses. The jury particularly highlighted his current research
on biochar recalcitrance, overall GHG emission, and the overall mitigation profile
using this specially modified tool, which it described as a fascinating approach to
extending the overall environmental benefits of biofuels.
Graduated: 2010, Iowa State University,

USA
Alexandros GASPARATOS (33, Greece)
PhD in Ecological Economics

Research focus: Sustainability assessment and ecosystem service valuation
If you are looking for an all-rounder on sustainability issues, you might want to check
in with Green Talents winner Alexandros Gasparatos. Currently a postdoc at the
University of Oxfords Biodiversity Institute, Gasparatos conducts interdisciplinary research on ecosystem services and is developing mechanisms for measuring and valuating these services, which include everything from food and energy supply to carbon
sequestration, soil erosion protection, and freshwater purification.
Right now, Gasparatos is exploring how the ecosystem services approach can
be used to frame, assess and convey the direct and indirect impact of biofuel
production. His work, which includes case studies on jatropha landscapes in southern Africa, and sugarcane production in Sao Paolo State, has significant applied
components. My assessment tools could be used by the private sector to evaluate
biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides in different bioenergy landscapes
around the world, explains the ecological economist from Greece. Understanding
and conveying the multi-faceted role of biodiversity for human well-being is key in
facilitating green economic transitions.
The jury was impressed by Gasparatos exhaustive research in ecosystem services
and biodiversity, noting his application of the ecosystem service approach to his investigations of the social and economic impacts of energy crop cultivation. Gasparatos
also impressed with his strong academic career and extensive list of publications.
Graduated: 2009, University of Dundee, UK
43
Alexander GOLBERG (30, Israel)
PhD in Bioengineering
Research focus: Biotechnologies for the production of energy and materials from biomass (bio-refineries);
pulsed electric fields processing
The prospect of a 30 percent increase in global population by 2050, and the associated explosion of energy demand in developing countries, is for many a sobering
thought. But Alexander Golberg sees it as an opportunity to bring large-scale change
to the way the world generates things like fuel, chemicals, feed, and food. For Golberg, bio-refineries, which produce energy and value-added projects from biomass
rather than petroleum, could play a big role in the transformation. In countries like
India and China, the energy infrastructure is still in its infancy, so its an outstanding
opportunity to implement new bio-refinery systems, says Golberg.
For his part, Golberg is developing advanced biotechnologies and bioengineering
products to help make the concept of bio-refineries a reality. His PhD thesis a breakthrough in energy production from the electrolysis of biological matter received
worldwide media coverage and is the basis for technology currently developed in Sri
Lanka and Saudi Arabia. As a postdoc, he has developed a new energy efficient technology for food storage. Also hailed as a landmark breakthrough, this work demonstrates that pulsed electric fields can achieve a similar biological effect as refrigeration
for a fraction of the energy cost. The Green Talents jury was particularly impressed
with Golbergs concept for small-scale distributed bio-refineries based on macro-algae
and the impact his work is having on renewable energy research around the world.
Graduated: 2011, Hebrew University of

Jerusalem, Israel
GU Dongdong (32, China)
PhD in Material Science

Research focus: Green remanufacturing of metal components using laser technology
Metal components inevitably become worn, damaged and even non-functioning after
long-term industrial use. Current recycling practices involve the reclaiming of metal
materials through re-melting, a high-energy process with negative impacts on the environment, including groundwater contamination and air pollution.
Dongdong Gu, Professor of Laser Materials Processing at the Nanjing University of
Aeronautics and Astronautics, focuses on a greener, more cost-effective alternative
to re-melting: remanufacturing. His research, which combines laser technology, mechanical engineering, materials science and metallurgical engineering, is helping to
develop this increasingly favoured and comprehensive industrial process lauded as
the ultimate form of recycling.
Laser remanufacturing is not merely repair or maintenance, explains Gu. Sometimes the laser re-manufactured metal parts actually offer superior performance, reliability and lifetime. Gus so-called laser metal deposition (LMD) process is nonpolluting and is free of waste material, making it an all around green solution. And
according to Gu, the price is right, too, with remanufactured components just 40%
60% the cost of new ones.
Graduated: 2007, College of Materials

Science and Technology, Nanjing University of
Aeronautics and Astronautics, China
44
The jury praised Gu as a highly motivated and innovative young scientist making important contributions by developing processes that save in both energy and material
wastage. His extensive list of publications in the field of laser rapid re-/manufacturing
also earned Gu the jurys commendation.
Oswald JUMIRA (30, Zimbabwe)
MEng in Telecommunications
Research focus: Design and development of energy efficiency and energy harvesting (renewable energy)
techniques for embedded wireless communication systems
Communicating around the clock and around the globe requires more energy than we
might think. According to the SMART 2020 study, carbon emissions from information
communications technologies (ICTs) alone are increasing at a rate of 6% per year and
could represent 12% of worldwide emissions by 2020.
Oswald Jumira is developing new ways to achieve ecologically sustainable and cost
effective communications infrastructure. Jumira focuses on energy harvesting techniques, which allow wireless communication devices to draw the energy they need
from the immediate environment. These devices can tap into vibrational energy, thermal energy, outdoor solar energy or indoor lighting for their power needs, and reduce
or even eliminate their dependence on batteries.
In Africa the number of people with cell phones currently exceeds those with access
to grid-based electricity and this exponential growth of ICTs is being fed by electricity
from highly inefficient legacy power stations, says Jumira. We as researchers in the
ICT and engineering field have recognized the vital need for new approaches and
techniques to begin reducing Africas carbon footprint.
The jury felt that Jumiras work developing more sustainable and energy efficient ICT
systems could bring great ecological and economic benefits, especially to Africa.
They were particularly impressed with his breakthroughs in energy efficiency and
energy harvesting techniques for embedded wireless communication systems.
South Africa
Joni JUPESTA (35, Indonesia)
PhD in Management Science and Technology

Research focus: Transition to green growth in emerging economies with focus on Indonesia
One of the worlds major emerging economies, Indonesia changed its status from net
oil exporter to net oil importer in 2004 and was responsible for about 5% of global
greenhouse gas emissions by 2005. It boasts the worlds largest palm oil industry, but
faces massive deforestation and big questions about the sustainability of its growth.
As Indonesias transition to a low-carbon economy takes on increasing urgency, 2012
Green Talents winner Joni Jupesta is helping drive its green-growth evolution.
Currently a JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellow at the United Nations University, Jupesta
contributes to policy briefs on green economic growth, climate change governance,
and poverty alleviation in Indonesia, which draws on his multidisciplinary research
across the forestry, agriculture and energy sectors. While he is pushing to phase
out oil subsidies, accelerate the implementation of green technologies (biofuel, geothermal, etc.) or upgrade the skills and capabilities of workers, he emphasises the
importance of a broader perspective. In order for green growth to be inclusive and
equitable, development policies must integrate society, economy and environment,
says Jupesta. True sustainability will require institutional and social innovation as well
as technological innovation.
The jury was impressed with Jupestas applications-oriented research and work to
integrate international climate protection approaches into Indonesian national policy.
It highlighted his focus on low carbon society, sustainable palm oil production, and
reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) scheme as key
issues for the future of Indonesia.
Graduated: 2010, Tohoku University, Japan
45
Sabaa Ahmad KHAN (34, Canada)
LLM in International Law

Research focus: Public-private partnerships in asset recovery and e-waste management. Social and environmental responsibility in pyrometallurgy and metals supply to the IT sector.
Electronic waste, or e-waste, has become the fastest growing waste stream in the
21st century and perhaps the scariest. These end-of-life devices, built and marketed
for obsolescence, generate uncontrolled quantities of toxic waste.
If not in landfills, much of the worlds e-waste up to 50 million tonnes of it ends
up in Asia and Africa, which have come to be known as dumping grounds for
the developed worlds obsolete electronics. Environmental lawyer and Green Talents
winner Sabaa Ahmad Khan, currently completing her LL.D. on regional and national policies of e-waste management and asset recovery, is taking a close look at
emerging e-waste industries in India and Ghana, and their international linkages.
Unfortunately many electronic commodities that are sent to West Africa labelled as
second-hand equipment are actually waste, or very close to becoming waste, says
Khan. While providing access to technology is essential to human development, so
is enabling societies to safely manage technologies once they become obsolete. It is a
global environmental responsibility. The environmentally sound recycling of e-waste
is a critical component to reducing the overexploitation of natural resources, yet it
continues to be a significant challenge in developing countries.
Through her interdisciplinary investigations into the global e-waste dilemma, Khan
hopes to make an impact in the area of extended producer responsibility policymaking and lifecycle management.
The jury, impressed by Khans exhaustive research on the nexus of regulatory frameworks and technical considerations on the e-waste issue, noted the growing importance of governance-focused research like Khans in sustainable resource management practices.
Graduated: 2010, Universit de Montral,

Canada
Aung Ko Ko KYAW (33, Singapore)
PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Research focus: Design, architecture and fabrication of excitonic solar cells
Aung Ko Ko Kyaw is focused on the design, architecture and fabrication of excitonic
solar cells, which include organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) and dye-sensitized solar
cells (DSSCs). His achievements include the development of air-stable inverted structure OPVs and the groundbreaking development of low-cost DSSCs using transparent
and conductive carbon-based electrodes, which totally eliminates the need for expensive conventional electrodes. Kyaw envisions a future with solar panels on every roof,
and emphasizes the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to achieve the kind
of cost reductions that this will require. Working hand in hand with chemists and
material scientists, I believe it will be possible to reduce the cost of solar-generated
electricity for sustainable growth.
A PhD in Electrical Engineering, Kyaw has co-authored two chapters in the fields of
energy harvesting and green photonics and published 19 papers in international
peer-reviewed journals, which have been cited over 250 times. His prize-winning PhD
work led him to a postdoctoral fellowship under Nobel laureate Prof. Alan Heeger
at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he focused on morphologycontrolled bulk-heterojunction solar cells.
The jury was impressed with Kyaws ingenuity and tremendous enthusiasm for developing new materials and manufacturing techniques for solar cells, adding that this
kind of research is fundamental to the future economic viability and sustainability of
solar energy.
46
LI Yuan (29, China)
PhD in Physics
Research focus: Opto-electronic devices; 3D photovoltaics
A physicist with background in optics, Yuan Li is working on improving the efficiency
of solar cells and breaking new ground in the field of 3D photovoltaics. His focus is
on a new solar cell architecture known as optical confinement architecture, which
confines optical energy to make photons more accessible for exciting electrons within
the solar cell. Lis models demonstrate higher absorption, photocurrent density and
quantum efficiency compared to conventional planar cells, as well as improved performance at high light intensity.
A research scientist at the NANOTECH Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular
Materials at Wake Forest University, USA, Li is spearheading collaboration between
the USA and his native China in a field where technological advances will have a
significant impact on the competitiveness of solar technologies and energy consumption patterns around the world. The German Advisory Council on Global Change
predicts that solar power will account for over 60% of the total energy output around
the world by the end of this century, says Li. 3D solar cells have attracted tremendous interest from scientists and industry all around the world and have the potential
to dramatically improve efficiency and contribute to this kind of transformation.
Li most impressed the Green Talents jury with his passion for his work, his groundbreaking contributions to 3D photovoltaics, his extensive list of publications and his
leadership in forging international collaborative partnerships.
Graduated: 2012, Wake Forest University,

USA
Rachel MUIGAI (31, Kenya)
MSc in Durability of Reinforced Concrete Structures

Research focus: Design and construction solutions for more sustainable concrete infrastructure
Rachel Muigais approach to sustainability is to find practical design and construction
solutions that will lead to more sustainable concrete infrastructure. A civil engineer
and currently a PhD candidate at the University of Cape Town, Muigais basic goal
is to ensure that future concrete structures in South Africa have the lowest possible
carbon footprint and impact on the environment and society.
As part of her PhD work, Muigai is developing a model that optimizes the mix design
materials for concrete while minimizing life-cycle costs and energy consumption. She
is applying the model in the material design of concrete bridges and concrete-framed
buildings. The tool supports sustainable growth in that it motivates the practicing
engineer to use secondary and recycled materials that have low embodied energy,
says Muigai. The use of secondary materials in the concrete mix-design not only
promotes conservation of raw materials, but also creates jobs, as people are needed
to sort waste materials at demolition sites.
Emphasizing the importance of the building and construction sectors to sustainable
development, the jury pointed to Muigais innovative, award-winning work at the
Masters level and her current PhD work, which it says is making a significant contribution to more sustainable reinforced concrete structures in South Africa.

South Africa
47
Sarah Louise NASH (23, UK)

MA in German and Politics
Research focus: Climate-induced migration
Currently a Masters candidate in Human Rights and International Politics at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, Sarah Louise Nash is working at the crossroads of human rights, climate change and population displacement. Her current project focuses
on Somalia, where people are being displaced for a wide variety of reasons. This
provides an example which is theoretically very difficult to conceptualise, says Nash,
and which highlights the practical difficulties faced by the international community in
dealing with climate-induced displacement.
While the social consequences of climate change are not yet clearly understood,
Nash points out the very real political ramifications of environmental migration across
borders. The countries most affected by climate change displacement will increasingly look to other countries for support and perhaps also relocation possibilities, she
says. Addressing the issue will require international collaboration and new global
humanitarian policies and practices. Nash also believes that climate-induced displacement must be included in any discussions on sustainable development. Any
solution for sustainable development and green growth must consider those who have
been displaced because of climate change, she says.
One of the youngest researchers to take part in the 2012 Green Talents competition,
Nash impressed the jury with her long-term perspective and dedication to this complex and challenging issue.
Graduated: 2011, University of Edinburgh,

Scotland
Muhammad Farrakh NAWAZ (31, Pakistan)
PhD in Environmental Sciences

Research focus: Sustainable forestry management, phyto-remediation potential of native tree species, carbon
sequestration potential of agro-forests
Muhammad Farrakh Nawaz has always been drawn to forests for their aesthetic
beauty, recreational and inspirational value. An environmental scientist, he also
knows the value of the ecosystem services they provide: air and water quality management, erosion control, climate regulation, carbon sequestration and the recycling
of nutrients and wastes, to name a few.
Today Assistant Professor in the Department of Forestry, Range Management and Wildlife at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Nawaz is a champion of Pakistans
forests, investigating the impact of human economic activity on forest ecosystems and
ways to ensure forest health into the future. One example of this is his current work
monitoring the performance of trees in degraded and compacted soils. Nawaz also
sees forests as a huge resource for mitigating some of todays biggest man-made environmental threats. We have observed a big problem of heavy metal accumulation
in the soil here in Faisalabad, one of the countrys most industrialized cities, reports
Nawaz. I am investigating the phyto-remediation potential of native trees species for
treating soils contaminated with these metals. Nawaz is also researching the carbon
sequestration potential of Pakistans agro-forests work that could very well have an
impact beyond his countrys borders.
The jury recognized Nawazs work promoting sustainable forestry management in
Pakistan and was keen to support his further research into forestry related remediation
and climate change mitigation techniques.
Graduated: 2010, Universit Paul Czanne
(Aix Marseille III), France
48
Antonio Otavio de Toledo PATROCINIO (29, Brazil)

PhD in Chemistry
Research focus: Photo-induced molecular devices for solar energy conversion
Green Talents winner Antonio Otavio de Toledo Patrocinio has spent the last several
years investigating molecular approaches to solar energy conversion in hopes of
finding ways to boost the conversion efficiencies of devices such as dye-sensitised
solar cells and artificial photosynthetic devices. One important step is understanding
electron transfer processes and how the chemical and physical properties of various
materials affect their efficiencies.
Patrocinio took this step and immediately turned heads, winning the award for Brazils
best doctoral thesis in Chemistry in 2010. Ive synthesized and characterized photoactive ruthenium and rhenium complexes, he explains. I have also used molecules
from berry extracts and other Brazilian fruits as sensitizers in solar cells. This is
important to Patrocinio, now a Chemistry professor, who sees local solutions as a
keystone to green growth.
You also need to develop qualified human resources willing to take on the energy
issue, says Patrocinio, who sees this as one of his responsibilities. Himself a member
of a university-based R&D group devoted to developing new inorganic materials, Patrocinio encourages his students at all levels to creatively contribute to the development of green solutions.
Patrocinio was selected by the jury for his work in photoelectrochemistry and the
promise it holds in driving solar energy technologies forward. The jury also noted
Patricinios research in his field as most impressive.
Graduated: 2010, Universidade de So
Paulo, Brazil
Adam SCHRFEL (31, Czech Republic)
PhD in Material Science

Research focus: Biosynthesis of noble metal nanomaterials and nanoparticles by living organisms
When it comes to finding ways to protect the environment, Green Talents winner
Adam Schrfel takes his cue from nature itself. Nature gives us the clues we need,
says the biochemist, who is now applying his expertise in the life sciences to developing biosynthetic nanomaterials. Gaining a deeper understanding of structures of
biogenic materials and cellular energy production can lead to cleaner energy production, biodegradable materials and reduced soil and water contamination.
Schrfel, who helped build up the bionanotechnologies laboratory at VB-Technical
University in Ostrava, focuses on biosynthesis, employing nature-derived processes to
create nanomaterials. Unlike chemical approaches, it is low-cost, energy-efficient and
environmentally benign. His work has led to the synthesis of a functional nanomaterial
containing diatom silica shells that can be used in the catalytic removal of nitrate pollutants. It also has defence-related applications, such as the hydrolytic decomposition
of extremely dangerous nerve agents.
Going nano has opened up a huge realm of possibilities for his work. Next up?
Schrfel plans to use his material as an electrode catalyst in the hydrogen fuel cell.
The jury was impressed by Schrfels extensive research experience and excellent
scientific results, recognising his work on the biosynthesis of nanomaterials and nanoparticles as a sustainable alternative to the chemical and physical synthesis of
nanomaterials. By linking his work to higher contributions in sustainable development,
Schrfel addresses an important area of research activity.
Graduated: 2012, VB-Technical University,
Czech Republic
49
Raymond Siebrits (25, South Africa)

BSc in Environmental Management and Sustainability Sciences
Research focus: Water research sustainability
Most Green Talents winners are involved in the research of sustainability. Raymond
Siebrits is interested in the sustainability of research. He grapples with questions such
as: how can we facilitate research that is appropriate, relevant, efficient, objective
and free from negative influence? How can we make sure that research truly serves
the needs of society? How can we promote strategic research with impact and enable
this sustainably in a complex world?
Siebrits Masters thesis, entitled An analysis of water research in South Africa: knowledge and adaptive capacity, recently attracted the interest of the South Africas Water Research Commission, which is now funding a team of researchers to further
develop Siebrits work. This project, led by Siebrits, is focused on the scientometrics
and horizon scanning of water research in South Africa with the goal of promoting
research that is more inter-disciplinary, collaborative, relevant and efficient.
We want to enable sustainable research and growth in the water research environment to promote greater innovation, better problem-solving and improved policy,
says Siebrits. I feel this lies at the very core of sustainable development.
The jury highlighted the importance of sustainability research and Siebrits particular
focus on water research sustainability. It was also impressed by his engagement in
the International Water Associations Young Water Professionals initiative in South
Africa and his role as chair of the groups Western Cape branch.
South Africa
Anita SINGH (30, India)
PhD in Botany
Research focus: Irrigation water as a source of heavy metal contamination in vegetable crops; soil remediation
Heavy metals in the environment are permanent. Instead of decaying, like organic
pollutants, they bioaccumulate and are extremely toxic in high concentrations. As
it turns out, heavy metals can be introduced into the human food chain when farmers
irrigate their crops using treated industrial or municipal wastewater. An insidious
problem, this was the subject of Anita Singhs PhD dissertation work, several of her
first international publications, and an award-winning paper which assessed the risk
of heavy metal toxicity from contaminated vegetables and the implications for human
health.
Today a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Allahabad, India, Singh is now focusing her efforts on sustainable solutions to the problem. Because many conventional
soil remediation technologies have proven expensive and disruptive, Singh is developing cost-effective techniques for reducing the bioavailability of heavy metals and
mitigating their impact on plant physiology, plant yield and human health. My aim is
to apply biotechnology to achieve environmentally sound solutions to the global waste
crisis facing both developed and developing countries, says Singh. Improving agricultural productivity while removing toxic chemicals and heavy metal pollution from
the environment will be crucial to sustainable development.
The jury noted the tremendous impact of Singhs research in her field and was particularly impressed by her excellent record of publications and awards, including the
Alice J. Murphy Outstanding Award for excellence in Research and Education.
Graduated: 2009, Banaras Hindu University,
India
50
2010, FONA - Research for Sustainability
Javier Enrique SOLANO MARTNEZ (30, Colombia)

PhD in Energy and Electrical Engineering
Research focus: Energy management of hybrid electrical vehicles; train optimal control
With transportation representing more than 25% of the worlds energy consumption,
Green Talents winner Javier Enrique Solano Martnez is clear on his mission: My
work on sustainable transport systems is part of the effort to reduce this consumption
and its environmental impact.
Solano Martnez began chipping away at this task during his Masters, successfully
optimising a flywheel system capable of reduing the energy consumption in vehicles
by recovering the braking energy. For his PhD work, Solano Martnez turned his
attention to the unique challenge posed by hybrid electrical vehicles (HEVs). Unlike
conventional vehicles, hybrids have multiple energy sources, he explains. These
different sources need to be distributed in a way that not only meets power demands
but other requirements as well, such as comfort, reducing energy consumption and
minimising emissions. Using type 2 fuzzy logic control, Solano Martnez proposed
innovative energy management solutions for HEVs and has successfully validated these control laws in real-time on a full-scale heavy-duty hybrid vehicle.
Now a postdoctoral fellow, Solano Martnez has turned to even larger vehicles, working with Alstom Transport, the worlds first maker of high speed trains. His research
involves optimal control to reduce the energy consumption in trains.
Graduated: 2012, Universit de FrancheComt, France
The jury noted Solano Martnez commitment to increasing transportation system efficiencies with his work on energy management in hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. The jury was also impressed by the awards received for his PhD work, including
one for industrial innovation from the Conference for Young Researchers in Electrical
Engineering (JCGE 2011).
51
Supriya TIWARI (34, India)

PhD in Ecology/Environmental Science
Research focus: Impact of air pollution on plants
Green Talents winner Supriya Tiwari has an exacting eye on tropospheric ozone (O3),
a.k.a. bad ozone, and for good reason. Identified as one of the most major threats
to global food production due to its ruinous effect on plants, O3 levels are predicted
to increase by as much as 40% in the near future. If the emissions of ozone precursors
remain unchecked, South Asia will soon rank number one in O3 concentrations.
Tiwari, an Assistant Professor of Botany at S. S. S. V. S. Government Post Graduate
College, Chunar, Mirzapur, has been tracking the formation of O3 and its effects on
plant productivity in India for the past several years. The accumulation of O3 in the
suburban and rural agricultural areas has led to significant crop yield reductions,
explains Tiwari. What worries her is the damaging chain of effects. The economic
losses, estimated at $4 billion per annum for staple crops in South Asia, compel
farmers to migrate to other places. Serious setbacks in sustainable development are
the result.
Tiwari, a much-cited scientist, was the first in her field to document the successful use
of Open Top Chamber (OTC) experiments in Indias tropical context. Her evaluations
of ozone crop injury and O3-induced yield reductions are making a significant contribution in the planning of sustainable agriculture strategies, cultivation of O3 resistant
species, and use of nutrient amendments and CO2 fertilization.
She also aims at studying the role of ethylenediurea (EDU), an antiozonant in minimizing O3 injury in plants under ambient O3 concentrations in a tropical scenario.
The jury, impressed by the high quality of Tiwaris research and findings, emphasised
the significance of Tiwaris scientific research in addressing issues of food security in
suburban and rural areas.
Graduated: 2006, Banaras Hindu

University, India
Dhanya VIJAYAN (26, India)
MSc in Geography (Geoinformatics)

Research focus: Micro-level natural resources and environmental management
When it comes to natural resources management and sustainable development,
Green Talents winner Dhanya Vijayan is certain of her approach. Many of the environmental problems we face today are of societal origin, she says. An anthropocentric approach is needed to tackle them.
Vijayan sees an intrinsic link between environmental protection and the eradication
of poverty. Survival needs compel the poor to continue to exploit already degraded
ecosystems, she explains. Her most recent research project in Kerala State, which
involved environmental management planning at the micro level, has shown that participatory governance and stakeholder involvement at the lowest level are the most
effective tools for raising awareness, generating rural employment, and effecting sustainable resource conservation and utilisation.
Equally clear are her results, which include a long list of locally-driven achievements
from rainwater harvesting and pond restorations to modifying drainage systems.
Self-help groups are the key to meaningful environmental management programmes
and poverty reduction, says Vijayan, encouraged by the evidence of long-term environmental and socio-economic improvements.
The jury commends Vijayan for her research in the area of sustainable regional development and lauds her use of participative methods. The jury describes her strategy
of combining standard of living enhancement of local populations with eco-friendly
natural resource utilisation as effective and worthy of further exploration.
Graduated: 2008, Kannur University, India
52
Komalirani YENNETI (29, India)
Masters in Environmental Planning

Research focus: Socio-political dimensions of the implementation of renewable energy (solar) projects
Renewable energy (RE) technologies have the power to drive the transition towards
greener urban economies and provide technological solutions for un-electrified rural
areas around the world. But solutions for actually implementing such RE technologies
are not always obvious. As part of her doctoral research, Komalirani Yenneti is investigating the socio-political dimensions of renewable energy projects, including practices and processes involved in the implementation of solar power policies. Her thesis
Social justice implications and implementation of solar energy in India considers
issues such as social acceptance, equity, social justice and livelihood implications of
solar energy projects. My field work has uncovered some very real local challenges
to the implementation of large-scale RE in India, says Yenneti. The social factor is
significant for the diffusion of RE technologies.
Formerly she worked on energy efficiency and framing green building bye laws for
various Indian cities as a researcher at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI),
India, before commencing her PhD. She has widely published, including a book on
carbon financing and composting and in the 2nd edition of the Encyclopedia of
Global Warming and Climate Change.
The Green Talents jury highlighted Yennetis work at the interface between climate and
social issues as well as her keen understanding of factors necessary for technology
implementation. In addition to her academic record of scholarships, awards and international fellowship programmes, Yennetis professional experience includes several
public advocacy achievements and extensive involvement in community organisations
and grass roots initiatives. The jury was very impressed with her overall approach to
research and ability to draw on her broad experience to build international networks.

Birmingham, UK
ZHANG Zilong (30, China)
PhD in Human Geography

Research focus: Industrial ecology and circular economy; coupled relationships between economic and
environmental systems
Chinas rapid industrialisation has come at a high price resource depletion, environmental pollution and major ecosystem degradation. To turn this trend around, China
has launched a green growth initiative. Green Talents winner Zhang Zilong, a lecturer
in Circular Economy at Lanzhou University, is part of the process, helping Chinas
north-western Gansu Province establish a new paradigm for sustainable economic
growth and development.
The north-western reaches of China have been earmarked as a high-priority region
for circular economic growth, explains Zhang. Its a resource-rich area with fragile
ecosystems, a highly diverse cultural make-up and an underdeveloped economy. His
interdisciplinary research on circular economy implementation has won him not only
several academic awards but, as co-author of the Master Plan for Developing Circular
Economy in Gansu Province, made him the go-to man for transforming the conventional linear economy into an efficient, closed loop system where resources are reused
and recycled to sustain growth.
I analyse the material and energy metabolism of the local social-economic system in
order to understand the coupled mechanism between economic and environmental
systems, says Zhang. From there we can start building regional industrial symbiosis
systems based on waste recycling and begin developing targeted policies for sustainable development.
Graduated: 2012, Institute of Human

Geography, Lanzhou University, China
Zhang impressed the jury with his innovative, solution-oriented research into the relationship between economic and environmental systems in circular economic development in China.
53
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Alumni

Federal Minister of Education

stant increase in applications and participating countries. It is

How do we ensure a fair distribution of goods and resources?

significantly important to strengthen research networks par-

Germany is well aware of its responsibility to find answers to

ticularly between industrialised countries and emerging mar-

the pressing questions of our time. The Federal Government in-

kets and developing countries. They lay the foundations for

tensively supports sustainable development and green growth

long-standing cooperations between excellent young scientists

in order to successfully meet global challenges such as cli-

and renowned German institutions and researchers.

mate change, energy shortage, and environmental pollution.

I would like to thank all those making their contribution year

This is why the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

their commitment. And I wish all researchers in the field of

(BMBF) annually invites excellent young scientists from all over

sustainability an inspiring exchange of ideas and many new

the world to apply to the Green Talents International Fo-

rum for High Potentials in Sustainable Development. They are

Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan, MdB

2010, FONA - Research for Sustainability.

In spite of their different cultural academic backgrounds they share

a common goal: to care and to act for the world of tomorrow.

public discussion. But what is required to transform the idea into

This dedication as well as their scientific excellence makes them

a practical concept? Who could provide the crucial innovative-

ness and creativity?

If you are interested in becoming a part of a network of

Juliana ARISTIA DE LIMA (34, Brazil)

Graduated: 2008, Universidade Estadual

Green Talents Alumni 2009

Akintunde BABATUNDE (33, Nigeria)

Designed to mimic the natural filtration processes in natural wetlands, engineered

Saumita BANERJEE (27, India)

Graduated: 2012, National Environmental

Antonio Carlos CAETANO DE SOUZA (32, Brazil)

The production of biodiesel generates the by-product glycerol in huge quantities so

Graduated: 2005, So Paulo State

Green Talents Alumni 2009

Nuwong CHOLLACOOP (35, Thailand)

PhD in Material Science and Engineering

Graduated: 2004, Massachusetts

Caetano DOREA (34, Brazil)

PhD in Environmental Engineering

2010, FONA - Research for Sustainability

Natalia Konstantinovna FISHER (30, Russia)

Green Talents Alumni 2009

Kerem GNGR (36, Turkey)

Phosphorous, an important dietary nutrient, is often fed in excess to livestock. As a

MA Xingmao (Samuel) (37, USA)

PhD in Civil Engineering (with specialization in Environmental Engineering)

Graduated: 2004, University of Missouri

Carlos Alberto MARTNEZ-HUITLE (34, Mexico)

Aluwani NEMUKULA (30, South Africa)

Unicellular and simple multi-cellular microorganisms a.k.a. microalgae are an

Green Talents Alumni 2009

Nihar Ranjan SAMAL (37, India)

Graduated: 2006, School of Water

Sharifah Rafidah Binti WAN ALWI (31, Malaysia)

An engineer, entrepreneur, educator, editor, author, consultant and ambassador for