Oliver Johannesen, M.Sc., doctoral candidate at the Institute of Chemistry, has been awarded the Kekulé doctoral scholarship from the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie (FCI). Oliver Johannesen, M.Sc. started and completed his Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes at the Institute of Chemistry after training as a chemical laboratory technician. For his Bachelor's thesis, he received an award from School V - School of Mathematics and Science for the best thesis in the Department of Chemistry. Since October 2025, Oliver Johannesen has been working on his doctorate in the junior research group Hybrid Catalysts (Head: Dr Lars Mohrhusen). The centre of his research is the development of a novel, scalable synthesis route of titanium nitride-based nanomaterials for the photocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide. The doctoral project is thus directly integrated into the "Su₂nCat-CO₂" project, which is investigating sustainable materials for the (photo)catalytic utilisation of CO₂ as a sustainable raw material and thus contributing to the development of climate-friendly chemical processes. This project is now also being funded by the Kekulé scholarship.

The Kekulé Scholarship is awarded to doctoral candidates in chemistry and chemistry-related subjects. The aim of awarding the scholarship is to promote highly talented young scientists. In addition to the subject-specific aspects, the scholarship holder programme also promotes personal development through meetings and exchange formats, among other things, which give the scholarship holders the opportunity to get to know each other and think outside the box.

The support for his doctorate through the Kekulé scholarship is therefore a recognition of Johannesen's previous credits and another opportunity to be able to organise and carry out his planned academic work more freely and individually.

More about the "Su₂nCat-CO₂" project of the SINATRA funding line; headed by Dr Lars Mohrhusen: NWG Mohrhusen

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