On April 16-17, approximately 140 scientists from across Europe convened in Rotterdam for the third edition of Catalysis Connected. Following successful previous gatherings in Utrecht (2019) and Veldhoven (2022), this year’s conference continued its mission of exploring catalysis as an enabling science while strengthening vital connections between academia, industry, and society.

The event was jointly organized by several research organizations/research consortia: ARC CBBC, CAPTURE, MCEC Research Center, ECUST-UU JRC for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and SUNER-C.

Under the theme “The Refinery of the Future,” participants addressed a crucial question: How can we gradually transition to producing fuels, chemicals, and materials from sustainable sources—biomass, plastic waste, and carbon dioxide?

The scientific program featured distinguished plenary speakers including Veronique Van Speybroeck, Beatriz Roldan Cuenya, Jeroen Van Bokhoven, Matthias Beller, and Katalin Barta. Additionally, attendees benefited from seven keynote lectures and eighteen track presentations delivered by PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and tenure-track professors.

A vibrant poster session facilitated informal discussions and networking opportunities. Avni Guruji from VITO (Belgium) was recognized with the best poster award.