Andreas Pfennig
Professor, University of Liège / Department of Chemical Engineering
I studied Chemical Engineering at RWTH Aachen, after Ph.D. and habilitation became professor there. Later moved to TU Graz, Austria, and University of Liége, Belgium, my current position. In my research I investigate thermal separation processes like distillation and extraction. To describe the activities, i usually say I deal with schnaps distillation and making coffee (extraction). Of course we actually deal with technical processes e.g. in chemical industry, which apply these technologies to a wide variety of products. More than 10 years ago, I wanted to know, what the future challenges in Chemical Engineering would be. I investigated that by setting up balances for global processes: What do we need to feed humanity, to supply sufficient fuel, etc. and what can we sustainably supply. Besides learning that bio-based chemistry is the future in chemistry, it became clear that it is not only technological development that is required, but also changes in behavior with respect to number of children and animal-based food are essential. Since then I have been continually updating and refining these balances. I developed written material, YouTube videos, a book, and a website, in which I present the methods applied as well as the consequences: www.vision3000.eu. I believe that especially, if behavioral changes are required, we have to be frankly explaining why. Otherwise these changes will not happen.

In a video conferencing call...

...I am happy to talk about my research.

...I am happy to answer questions about university and career-related questions.

...I am happy to moderate a discussion.

...I am happy to speak to others (e.g. to journalists, museums).


Related School Subjects
Chemie, Ethik, Geographie, Interdisziplinär
Keywords
S4F, systems view, sustainable-energy transition, climate change, undernourishment, food supply, raw-material change in chemical industry, biofuels, bio-based materials, CO2-economy, Energiewende, Systemsicht, Klimawandel, Welt-Hunger, Welt-Ernährung, Rohstoffwandel in der Chemischen Industrie, Bio-Kraftstoffe, biobasierte Materialien, CO2-Ökonomie, Extraktion, extraction, Phasentrennung, phase separation, Destillation, distillation, Thermodynamik, thermodynamics, Stofftransport, mass transfer
Languages
English, German
Website
ORCID