Considerans Gouden medaille 2021
Timothy has made his mark in the new field of “flow chemistry”. He combines organic synthesis, catalysis, photochemistry, electrochemistry, and process engineering, all inside microfluidic devices. He does this in a way that is unique to The Netherlands, and this approach makes him a pioneer worldwide. The colorful leaf-like devices that have come out of his lab, have conquered the world and feature on many journal cover and news item. These leaves are a key example of his drive to combine science and outreach, but also underline his scientific values of sustainability.
Timothy studied chemistry at the University of Ghent, Belgium, where he obtained his PhD with Johan Van der Eycken in 2009 on a project dealing with organic synthesis and asymmetric catalysis. After his PhD he obtained a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to become a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the group of Stephen Buchwald. There, he got acquainted with flow chemistry and its prospects for pharmaceutical industry. He made this into his own spearhead subject when starting his own independent academic career at the Eindhoven University of Technology in 2012. Since 2020 he is the Chair of the Flow Chemistry group at the Van ’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences at the University of Amsterdam.
From the technological developments achieved early on, a broad field was uncovered that is at the intersection of fundamental preparative organic chemistry and industrial chemistry. It led to practical solutions to safely handle difficult reagents or toxic gases, and to the implementation of various ways to introduce external triggers, such as light and electrical current, into the microfluidic devices. Thereby it is by no means a surprise that the work of Timothy has a large potential for the sustainability issues encountered currently in chemical industry and beyond. As a result he collaborates with many industrial companies, both large and small.
Timothy’s work is very recognizable nationally and internationally. This visibility is evident from his strong publication list and international lectures, as well as the many personal and collaborative grants he has obtained. He has won various awards and prizes, including a Vidi grant in 2015, the DECHEMA award 2017, and the Hoogewerff Jongerenprijs in 2019. He is also the main editor of the Journal of Flow Chemistry.
Timothy is seen as an inspirational group leader and teacher. He has contributed to educational developments in chemistry education at university and secondary school levels. He also contributes to a wide range of outreach activities. All-in-all, Timothy is a fantastic scientist and educator, as well as a great ambassador for Dutch chemistry.
Congratulations to Timothy Noël on his well-deserved recognition as this year’s winner of the KNCV Gold Medal!
Jurriaan Huskens
Chair of the KNCV Gold Medal 2021 Committee
