RSA CE&C 2015-2021

5. Evidence and accomplishments 37 chemical industry, including AkzoNobel, BASF, Dow, DSM, Johnson Matthey, ENGIE, Nouryon, Philips, SABIC, Sekisui and Shell. The department obtains, on average, 40% of all external funding via contract research with industry and has a relatively large number of co-publications with industry (~15 %). TU/e is consistently at the top of the ranking of global universities that co-publish with industry. Alongside part-time professors from industry (Table 6 in Appendix A) originating from strong collaborations between the scientific staff in the department and Dow, Shell and AkzoNobel/Nobian/Nouryon, the researchers are highly entrepreneurial, with several patents submitted every year (Table 7 in Appendix B) and a highly successful portfolio of spin- off and start-up companies that make use of the know-how gained in the department. During the review period, nine spin-off companies started during the review period. Some examples of spin-off/start-up companies that originated in the department, that started in the past as a result of research and that are still active include: SymoChem (2000), SupraPolix (2003), PTG/e (2004), Hybrid Catalysis (2005), FLOWID (2008), Peer+ (2008, acquired by Merck), SolarExcel (2011, acquired by DSM) and SpinID (2012, now part of FLOWID). During the review period, the following new companies were started: Emultech (emultech.nl) , Ioniqa (ioniqa.com ), Tusti (tusti. nl), FreshStrips, Sponsh (sponsh.co) , Lusoco (lusoco.com) , ClimAd ( climadtechnology.com) , Vertoro (vertoro.com) and H2Site (h2site.eu ). The success of these spin-off efforts is evidenced by the fact that the Gouden Kiem for the best collaboration in chemistry between a start-up and a knowledge institution has been awarded to Tusti (2016), Fresh Strips (2017) and Sponsh (2018). The staff members of the department are very active in outreach to the public as well. They give presentations and interviews on TV and the radio, provide their opinions on current affairs in newspapers, give guest lectures at schools and are frequently consulted by different societal actors. An example of the appreciation for these effects is the Academic Society Award of the Dutch Royal Institute of Engineers received by Prof. Kitty Nijmeijer. The department has an extensive outreach program for primary and secondary schools that includes, among other things, open days, the ‘Experience Chemistry!’ master class, facilities for profile paper research by secondary school students, a work week for secondary school students, pre-study opportunities and experience days. The target audience is mainly secondary school students with an interest in science and chemistry and teachers at primary and secondary schools. As an example, the department organized experience days in 2018 and 2022 for 85 teachers at secondary schools, updating them with the latest knowledge in the field of sustainability alongside lectures from the department, including a lecture by TU/e alumna Marjan van Loon, President Director of Shell. 5.4. TEACHING-RESEARCH NEXUS An aspect of major importance, representing the societal impact of the department, is the quality and scope of its education. The scientists and engineers that we educate today carry the responsibility of solving major societal and technological challenges related to energy, circularity and health. The scientific staff in the department feel the strong responsibility to provide students and young researchers with a solid education addressing the fundamental questions related to these challenges and to equip them with a solid technological toolbox, including relevant soft skills allowing them to contribute to technological solutions. High-quality education and scientific and technological research are heavily intertwined in the department. All scientific staff members in the department contribute to teaching and also have their own distinct research lines. The scientific knowledge generated is integrated into the educational