Claire Chassagne and Alex Kirichek winner of NWO team science award 2021

This week it was announced that the MUDNET team, of which Claire Chassagne and Alex Kirichek are members, won the NWO Team Science award 2021.

The MUDNET academic network and associated foundation were created in 2018 when researchers from five sections within two faculties (CEG, 3ME) realized that there was a lack of multidisciplinary research around fine-grained sediment (mud). Mud is a complex system of interacting clay and silt-size mineral and organic particles in  an aqueous environment. These particles also include living microorganisms that produce biopolymers which stabilize or degrade over time. The behaviour of mud is dynamic and sensitive to changes in environment (transition between fresh and salt water, solar activity, temperature, biological activity, compressions, vibrations, for example). Understanding the behaviour of mud, for example to optimise maintenance of the nautical depth, to minimise the environmental impact of dredging or to enhance settling and consolidation of mining sludges, requires a strong cross-disciplinary effort covering the fields of biogeochemistry, colloid science, fluid mechanics, and geophysics.

About the award: Three research teams received the Team Science Awards this year: team MUDNET, team Hugo de Groot’s book chest and team National Individual floating Transport Infrastructure (NIfTI). These teams consist of researchers from different disciplines, and include talented young researchers who work together with senior researchers. Each team will receive € 10,000 to spend on the further strengthening of the team.

 Click here for more information about the award

 Click here for more info on MUDNET

Congratulations to, Claire Chassagne, Alex Kirichek, Deyan Draganov, Julia Gebert, Geert Keetels and Rudy Helmons!