VAA

Mannheim – November 08, 2026 -- The VAA Stiftung awarded three early-career researchers its Excellence Prize, worth EUR 5,000 each, at the VAA annual conference in Mannheim on 6 November 2026.

The foundation is run by the VAA, the association representing specialists and executives in chemicals and pharma. It presents the prize once a year for innovative research in chemistry, pharmacy and process engineering.

Three dissertations target CO2 conversion and carbon materials

Dr. Arne Nisters of Technische Universität Darmstadt won for his dissertation on nanoporous phosphine macroligands as solid catalysts for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide.

Dr. Niklas Ortlieb of the University of Freiburg was honored for a toolbox for tailored, porous, nitrogen-doped 3D carbon nanospheres that enables rational bottom-up electrode design.

Cologne – November 06, 2026 -- The share of women holding executive-level positions among surveyed professionals in Germany's chemical and pharmaceutical industry rose to 27 percent, up from 23 percent in the previous survey, according to the VAA Equal Opportunities Survey 2025.

VAA survey records four-point gain in executive-level roles among women

VAA, the association representing specialists and managers in chemicals and pharma, conducted the survey in summer 2025. It was the eighth edition. VAA has run the poll on the professional situation of female and male specialists and executives every five years since 1990.

More than 1,100 VAA members took part, roughly one-third of them women. The 27 percent figure refers to women among the participants who hold executive-employee status.