For the third time in a row, the public lecture series "Meet the Circular Economy" is taking place at RWTH Aachen University this summer semester, led by Prof. Dr. Sandra Venghaus and supported by the BioSC and others. At the kick-off event on April 15, Dr. Wulf Klöckner (Covestro) and Dr. Lisa Weigand (Mitsubishi Chemical Group) spoke about circular economy in the chemical industry.

More than one hundred BioSC members gathered for the tenth BioSC Forum, the BioSC's annual internal retreat, on March 12, 2024. In numerous project talks, poster presentations, panel discussions and round tables, there were many opportunities to exchange ideas about ongoing BioSC projects and activities and further developments. There was also an overview of BioSC initiatives in the field of education and early careers. This area also included the doctoral student competition, which was held for the first time and awarded doctoral students' ideas for networking with ongoing BioSC projects.

The 30th BioSC Lecture took place on March 11, 2024 at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Prof. Dr. Dirk Prüfer gave a comprehensive overview of the path from the discovery of the Russian dandelion to its industrial use as a rubber supplier.

Wood as an innovative resource and material was in the focus of the 9th BioSC Spotlight on March 5, 2024 at the NGP2 Center for Next Generation Processes and Products at RWTH Aachen University. In an auditorium of around 50 persons, scientists from the BioSC and external experts discussed current developments for a wood-based bioeconomy.

On February 29, the members of the Bioeconomy Council NRW received their certificates of appointment from Minister Neubauer. With Prof. Dr. Monika Hartmann, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schurr and Prof. Dr. Ralf Pude, three members of the BioSC have been appointed.

Photos: MWIKE NRW / A. Bowinkelmann

Professor Joachim von Braun, former member of the BioSC, has been appointed Ambassador for Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

Photo: IICA