ISC3 Director Prof. Kümmerer Receives Federal Cross of Merit

International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre congratulates its Head of the Research & Education Hub.

Great honour for professor Klaus Kümmerer. The renowned scientist from Leuphana University Lüneburg (Germany) and Director of the Research & Education Hub of the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon yesterday in Hanover (Germany). Prof. Kümmerer received the highest award of the Federal Republic of Germany for the development of the benign-by-design approach, his decades of research achievements, the promotion of young talents in the field of Sustainable Chemistry and his commitment to raising public awareness of a sustainable future, for which he has been involved in several national and international committees for many years.

"We are proud to have prof. Kümmerer, one of the most renowned German scientists in Sustainable Chemistry, at ISC3 and congratulate him from the bottom of our hearts. We all greatly appreciate his outstanding expertise and the work he is doing for this forward-looking topic in Germany and worldwide," congratulated ISC3 Managing Director Dr. Thomas Wanner on behalf of ISC3. "Prof. Kümmerer is one of the most important minds in Sustainable Chemistry internationally, not only when it comes to encouraging young people and promoting innovative ideas to secure our future."

Falko Mohrs, Lower Saxony's Minister for Science and Culture, emphasised in his laudatory speech: "The combination of excellent science, social commitment and a high level of innovation in his work characterises him. In each of his research projects, he always keeps an eye on the practical benefits for the common good and the environment. In addition, prof. Kümmerer is an excellent explainer who knows how to present even highly complex issues understandably and entertainingly for a broad audience. Congratulations to him. I look forward to his further inspiring contributions to vibrant science in Lower Saxony."

In his acceptance speech , the recent Federal Cross of Merit recipient emphasised that the award was a great honour for him. "However, it is much more important that Sustainable Chemistry as a very comprehensive approach will receive significantly more attention in education, industry, politics, authorities and the public in the future and that this award will contribute to this. I am confident that this will succeed, as both at ISC3 and Leuphana University, very committed people are working with me on innovative approaches and ideas to realise this goal. Sustainable Chemistry has long been close to my heart. It is an indispensable building block for developing the processes and products we need for a sustainable world."

Last year, prof. Kümmerer was awarded the Wöhler Prize for Sustainable Chemistry by the German Chemical Society (GDCh). As Director of the Research & Education Hub at ISC3, he promotes future-oriented approaches in research and academic education in Sustainable Chemistry. In close cooperation between ISC3 and Leuphana Professional School, he has developed the two globally unique part-time online degree programs Sustainable Chemistry (Master of Science) and Sustainable Chemistry Management (Master of Business Administration). Prof. Kümmerer is repeatedly the most cited environmental scientist in Germany and is ranked 16th among the top scientists in Environmental Science worldwide in the international Stanford Ranking (2023).

Christian Ruth-Strauß
Director Communications ISC3
christian.ruth-strauss@isc3.org

René Sutthoff
Konsequent PR
sutthoff@konsequent-pr.de

About ISC3
The International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre promotes Sustainable Chemistry for a sustainable world. ISC3 supports the chemical industry and chemical-related sectors in their transformation process through sustainable, innovative approaches from Sustainable Chemistry. The goal is a circular economy that implements the multiple aspects of sustainability over the entire life cycle of products and a rethinking of the behaviour of all stakeholders. To advance the dialogue between different sectors and actors worldwide, including Europe and other regions as well as emerging and developing countries, ISC3 follows a multi-stakeholder approach with the networking of policymakers, public and private sectors, education, science and society. It contributes to international chemicals policy, develops professional and academic training programs, advises companies, and promotes start-ups and research. Founded in 2017 by the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, the centre is supported by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and by the Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (DECHEMA e.V.) as ISC3 Innovation Hub and Leuphana University Lüneburg as ISC3 Research & Education Hub. www.isc3.org