Johannesburg, South Africa – Dr Ifeanyi Smarte Anekwe, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand, has been awarded the prestigious DAAD German Academic Exchange Scholarship (DAAD) Research Grant for Young Researchers.
The scholarship will see Dr Anekwe, based at the Sustainable Fuels and Petrochemical Synthesis (SFPS) Research Lab under the mentorship of Professor Yusuf Isa, spend six months at the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) in Germany.
LIKAT, a leading European research institution specializing in applied catalysis, will host Dr Anekwe as he delves into regenerating and evaluating newly developed mesoporous HZSM-5 zeolite catalysts. The research is aimed at converting long-chain alcohols into valuable petrochemicals and fuels, a crucial step towards renewable energy production and the Just Energy Transition (JET).
This research aligns with the Wits Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment’s thematic focus and is expected to significantly advance Dr Anekwe’s expertise in catalysis. With over 30 publications since 2019, he is a rising star in the field, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
The University of the Witwatersrand has expressed pride in Dr Anekwe’s achievement and looks forward to the outcomes of his research in Germany.
