Nat Phongprueksathat, a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Catalysis Engineering group at the University of Amsterdam’s Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), has won a VIRAN poster prize at the 2026 edition of the Netherlands’ Catalysis and Chemistry Conference (NCCC XXVII) held March 2-4 in Noordwijkerhout.
In the poster, Nat demonstrates how Bayesian Optimization can drastically accelerate the development of tandem catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation. By navigating a complex 7-dimensional process and catalyst design parameter space, the study achieved a 4.5-fold increase in the yield of olefins and paraffins compared to literature optimal condition in just seven iterations. This work validates machine learning as a vital tool for the rapid co-optimization of catalyst formulation and process conditions.
Click the poster to enlarge, or download the PDF here.
The selection of the poster prize was made by VIRAN participants at the conference based on the following criteria:
- clear message and conclusions;
- visually appealing;
- a good balance between text and figures; and
- enthusiasm during presentation of the poster and answering questions.
