A new competition, aimed at stimulating the fresh thinking and innovative solutions needed to bring about a sustainable transformation, has been launched by Austria-based polyolefin producer Borealis.
According to the company, the initiative is more than merely a reincarnation of the successful Borealis Student Innovation Awards programme that ran for ten years, and which was only open to student.
The Borealis Scientific Innovation Award, as the competition is called, has been created to accelerate the circular transformation by encouraging the dedication and diligence needed to drive sustainable progress. In that spirit, the field has been widened to include academia as well as the scientific community – including start-ups, scale-ups, engineers, and chemical engineers, considerably expanding the field of talent and innovative ideas, while increasing the potential for a larger global impact have increased.
Applicants can submit their peer-reviewed scientific publication or thesis presenting novel ideas on one of the three following areas by September 5, 2023:
- The reduction of greenhouse gasses using renewables
- Sustainable manufacturing technologies and use of polyolefins
- Carbon-neutral production of hydrocarbons
All entries will be carefully assessed by a panel of high-level Borealis research representatives and three winners will be selected. The awardees will be contacted about their results on September 18, 2023, and will be invited to present their work in person at the recognition ceremony in the Borealis Innovation Headquarters in Linz, Austria, on October 17, 2023.
The prizes consist of a certificate, a cash prize (€ 5,000 for first place, €2,000 for second place, and €1,000 for third place), a Borealis-financed trip to Linz, Austria offering opportunity for exposure and networking.
“The Borealis Scientific Innovation Award provides not only a valuable platform for great minds to be discovered and make a true global impact, but also an opportunity for Borealis to inspire and be inspired through collaborative efforts outside of the company," said Thomas Gangl, CEO of Borealis."Together, we can shape the future of the world and encourage the transformation towards a more sustainable, circular model."