Assistant Professor Antonia Herzog, DTU Chemistry, receives prestigious DKK 10.2 million Villum Young Investigator grant from the Villum Fonden for research in sustainable chemistry
The grant will support the development of electrocatalytic solutions for future green chemical production.
Antonia Herzog (3rd f.r.) receiving the Villum Young Investigator grant
Friday 20 February 2026
Dennis Jensen
Assistant Professor Antonia Herzog from DTU Chemistry at the Technical University of Denmark has received a DKK 10.2 million grant from the Villum Foundation for the project “Electrocatalytic routes to carbon-X bonds for a sustainable chemical future.” The award was officially marked at a ceremony at the Villum Foundation on 23 January 2026.
The project addresses a key challenge in the green transition. Many essential chemicals, including fertilizers, medicines and materials, are currently produced through fossil-based processes that contribute to climate change. The project will develop sustainable electrocatalytic methods in which renewable electricity is used to convert simple molecules such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sulfur into valuable chemicals.
New catalysts, combined with rapid screening and operando analysis under reaction conditions, will accelerate the discovery and understanding of how carbon–X bonds are formed. The project will involve two PhD students and one postdoctoral researcher, thus strengthening research in sustainable chemistry and supporting Antonia Herzog’s work as an emerging research leader.
