22 KJEMI 1 2025 CEO at Eidel AS, Truls Orderløkken Andersen held the introduction lecture: «EIDEl; A Pioneer in Norwegian Space Technology». VP Technology at Yara, Per Knudsen gave the background of the Yara Birkeland Prize, which has been awarded since 2009 alternated between chemistry and physics. Chair of the Yara Birkeland Prize Committee in Chemistry, professor Tor Hemmingsen, UiS gave a short an introduction and a justification for the Yara Birkeland Prize in Chemistry, see below. The prize, which is 100.000 NOK and a diploma, was given by Per Knudsen, Yara. The winner of the prize, PhD Song Lu, UiS gave a short lecture of his research work of his thesis «Transition-metal-mediated electrocatalytic CO2 reduction: from nanoparticles to single-atom catalysts». Rector Svein Stølen, UiO introduced this year’s Birkeland Lecture. Professor Richard B. Horne, FRS, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK hold the lecture «Space Weather and the Polar Regions». The Birkeland lecture was Professor Richard B. Horne, FRS, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK The solar storms have great impact on the global weather. It was suggested to make and extended version of YR, a «Space-weather YR», which might forecast our weather in a longer perspective. The Chair of Birkeland Committee and organizer of the Birkeland Lecture, professor Jann Holtet, UiO thanked Professor Richard B. Horne for the fascinating lecture and handed over to the secretary general in DNVA, Birkelund to host an excellent dinner in the venerable house, Akademiets Hus. Akademiets hus | Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi (dnva.no) The justification lecture given for the Chemistry Prize: Yara’s Birkeland Prize for 2024 in chemistry goes to doctor Song Lu for his thesis titled «Transition- metal-mediated electrocatalytic CO2 reduction: from nanoparticles to single-atom catalysts». Song Lu submitted his thesis for the PhD- degree at University Stavanger in June 2023. His PhD work has been done under supervision professor Dr. Zhixin Yu at University Stavanger and co-supervised by R&D-director Dr. Fengliu Lou at Beyonder AS in Stavanger. Dr. Song Lu’s work has been concentrated on design and development on efficient electro catalysis of CO₂ reduction to fuel products or chemicals to gain the goals for increased activities in CCU (carbon Capture and Utilization). Electrochemical reduction reactions of carbon dioxide (ERC) have been a focus area within research on CO2 conversion and utilization, but there are still challenges with slow kinetics, low selectivity of reactions, high overvoltage in reactions, and deactivation of good catalysts in the process. His work includes theoretical prediction, syntheses and testing of new catalysts. Reduced C1 products include carbon monoxide, formic acid, and methane (CO, HCOOH, CH4), but also C₂ and C₃ alcohols can be formed at defined temperatures and pressures. Basis catalysts is nano composites with silver loaded boron-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Ag-B-g-C₃N₄). Song Lu has also done studies on single- atom catalysts (SACS) with transition metals like (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) attached to Nb₂NO₂. This combination gives a high absorption capacity to CO₂ and a high product selectivity dependent of which transition metal is used. Yara Birkeland Prize 2024 to Song Lu This year’s Birkeland Lecture was held at Videnskaps-akademiet in Oslo 17th September 2024 chaired by secretary general in DNVA, professor Gunn Elisabeth Birkelund, UiO. Tore Henning Hemmingsen, Inst. maskin, bygg og materialteknologi, Universitetet i Stavanger
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