Devanshu Sajwan

PhD candidate
Utrecht University

Department

Chemistry

Contact information

Room
David de Wied, 4th floor study area

Email address
d.sajwan@uu.nl

Key expertises

Heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis, spectroscopy, material synthesis, and sustainable chemistry

About me

I was born in Uttarakhand, which is a small state in the Northern part of India. I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Chemistry from Doon University, Dehradun and Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, respectively. During my Bachelor’s period, I worked in the field of photocatalytic wastewater treatment, whereas my Master’s thesis was related to photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. As my hobbies, I like playing sports and listening to Indian music.

About my research

My Ph.D. project is a bilateral project between Utrecht University and BASF and lies in the framework of the ambitions of ARC CBBC. During this research, we will be focusing on the utilization of lignin-based biomass feedstock via catalytic fast pyrolysis for the selective production of aromatics. Our primary aim will be to establish a relationship between the catalyst structure, composition, and performance with a strong focus on fundamental insights. With a prior experience in catalysis for sustainable development, I am excited to work on this project and put my efforts in designing an efficient and stable catalytic system to convert renewable biomass into valuable aromatics.

Academic career

Position:

PhD candidate

Dec. 1, 2024 – Present: I joined as a Ph.D. candidate in the Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis Group led by Prof. Bert Weckhuysen at Utrecht University.

M.Sc. Chemistry

2022-2024 – I completed my Master’s thesis at Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, India in the VKN research group led by Prof. Venkata Krishnan.

B.Sc. Chemistry

2019-2022 – I carried out my Bachelor’s thesis under the supervision of Dr. Charu Dwivedi at Doon University Dehradun, India.

Awards and scientific honors

M.Sc. Chemistry – Institute Gold Medalist

B.Sc. Chemistry – Institute Gold Medalist