Pieter Nachtergaele is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer at the Sustainable Systems Engineering Group (STEN) at Ghent University, passionate about advancing the transition to a bio-based and circular economy. He applies process modelling and sustainability assessment to investigate the use of renewable resources in the chemical industry. Pieter is also an EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador, a role he uses to have a positive impact by educating and connecting youth and policy-makers. Pieter has a passion for storytelling, cultural exchange and education. He loves interacting with a live audience during his hobby as city guide in the historic city Ghent.
As a Fulbright visiting scholar at UC Davis, Pieter aims to develop a prospective sustainability assessment methodology for biomass-derived chemicals, facilitating early-stage evaluation of their environmental performance and economic viability at scale. During his stay, he will collaborate with the Mascal Research Group, combining his expertise on sustainability assessment with Prof. Mascal's organic synthesis and upscaling experience.