Katja Loos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katja Loos
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| Born | 1971 (age 53–54) Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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| Alma mater | Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany |
| Known for | Enzymatic Polymerizations, Block Copolymers, Supramolecular Chemistry |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Polymer chemistry, material science, applied chemistry |
| Thesis | Hybridmaterialien mit Amylose durch enzymatische grafting from Polymerisation (2001) |
| Doctoral advisor | Axel H. E. Müller, Reimund Stadler |
Katja Loos is a well-known professor at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. She leads the team that studies big molecules (called polymers) and new materials made from them. She is also the President of the European Polymer Federation (EPF), a big group for polymer scientists in Europe.
Katja Loos's Journey in Science
Katja Loos studied chemistry at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. She finished her first degree in 1996. During her studies, she focused on how chemicals are made and the science of polymers. She also spent time as an exchange student in the United States in 1992 and 1993.
In 2001, she earned her PhD in Macromolecular Chemistry from the University of Bayreuth in Germany. A PhD is a high-level university degree that shows you are an expert in a specific field. Her research was about creating new materials using special natural helpers called enzymes. Before her PhD, in 1997, she was an exchange researcher in Brazil.
After her PhD, in 2001, she received a special scholarship to do more research in New York, USA. This type of research after a PhD is called postdoctoral research. She worked on how tiny layers of molecules can arrange themselves and how to use them to help natural processes.
In 2003, Katja Loos started her own research group at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. This meant she could lead her own team and choose her own research projects. She has also been a guest professor in Spain (2006) and Germany (2016).
Exploring New Materials in Research
Katja Loos's research focuses on making polymers using enzymes. This is like using tiny natural machines to build new materials. She works on making sugars, strong plastics (polyamides), and materials from furan, which comes from plants.
She also studies how different types of polymers, called block copolymers, can arrange themselves. She uses special ways to make them stick together and even includes parts that can react to electricity.
Katja Loos has written over 270 scientific papers, many patents, and chapters in books. Her work is often featured in special collections in science magazines. She is also the editor of a textbook about making polymers with enzymes.
She helps edit the scientific journal Polymer. Since 2017, she has been a member of the board at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials. She also helps guide research in advanced materials and is part of a national group for polymer technology. Katja Loos represents the Netherlands in the European Polymer Federation.
Besides her research, Katja Loos believes in making science open to everyone. She also supports having more different kinds of people in science.
Recognitions and Special Awards
Katja Loos has received many awards and honors for her work:
- She won two travel scholarships from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for her research trips to the USA (1992, 1993) and Brazil (1997).
- In 2001, she received a Feodor Lynen Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for her postdoctoral research.
- The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) gave her important research grants. These were a VIDI grant in 2009 and a VICI grant in 2014. These grants help scientists do new and important research.
- In 2016, she was awarded the Eleonore Trefftz guest professorship in Germany.
- The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation gave her the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award in 2019.
- In 2019, she was named "Topper of the year" by Science Guide, a Dutch science news platform.
- She received the IUPAC 2021 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering award. This award celebrates important women in chemistry.
- In 2022, her research group, HyBRit, won the Team Science Award from the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
- In 2023, she was given the title of Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. This is a very important award from the Netherlands, started by King William I in 1815.
Katja Loos is also a Fellow of the Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI) and the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). Being a Fellow means she is recognized as an expert in her field by these important organizations.
