The Frontiers Award, which has honoured renowned scientists and their outstanding research every year since 1995, was presented to Prof. Dr Charlotte Williams from the University of Oxford this March. The award ceremony took place on 20 March:  In a festive setting, the award winner gave a keynote speech and the participating scientists from the MPI CEC also presented their research and had the opportunity to enter into dialogue with Williams.

Williams' research focuses on new sustainable technologies and their improvement for polymer production, polymerization catalysis and polymer chemistry. In her talk “Forward and Back Again: Using Catalysis to Make and Recycle Sustainable Polymers” she presented the aim of her research and the motivation to develop more sustainable processes and products that through catalysis enable the conversion of renewable resources and wastes into polymers. Her research and contributions to the discussion were received with great interest and the subsequent poster session also included lively exchanges among the participants. On the following day, Williams was further available for scientific discussions with the research groups.

Williams' contribution to science and her engagement is not limited to research, but also to projects of continuing education on polymers and their uses and properties as well as policy briefings for future technologies and public outreach projects.

The MPI CEC congratulates Prof. Charlotte Williams on this well-deserved honor and looks forward to the further impact her research will have on the scientific community.