Master sustainable biobased process design in this capstone course, evaluating the technological, societal, and economic impacts of chemical processes.
Master sustainable biobased process design in this capstone course, evaluating the technological, societal, and economic impacts of chemical processes.
The Capstone Chemistry and Technology for Sustainability course offers an advanced-level opportunity to design and evaluate sustainable biobased processes. Students will focus on conversion processes, selecting appropriate catalysts, reactor types, organisms, and feedstocks. Through hands-on project work, participants will create comprehensive designs from biomass to finished products while considering broader sustainability implications. The course emphasizes practical application by requiring students to calculate mass balances and justify their technological choices. This capstone project serves as the culminating experience for the MicroMasters Program, allowing students to demonstrate their mastery of sustainable chemistry and technology principles through a final written report.
Instructors:
English
English
What you'll learn
Design sustainable biobased processes with comprehensive understanding of conversion methods
Select and justify appropriate catalysts while evaluating their process impact
Choose suitable organisms and analyze their role in bioprocessing
Determine optimal feedstocks for biobased processes with sustainability considerations
Develop accurate mass balance calculations for process evaluation
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
Limited Access access
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There are 2 modules in this course
This comprehensive capstone course focuses on designing sustainable biobased processes within the broader context of chemical technology and sustainability. Students engage in practical process design, making critical decisions about catalysts, reactors, organisms, and feedstocks. The course emphasizes the integration of technical knowledge with sustainability principles, requiring students to justify their choices and calculate process efficiencies. Through a phased project approach, participants receive regular feedback from course staff and engage in private sessions for in-depth discussions. The culminating deliverable is a professional report that demonstrates mastery of sustainable process design principles.
Preparation
Module 1
Capstone Project
Module 2
Fee Structure
Instructor

15 Courses
Leading Expert in Biobased Chemistry and Sustainable Production
Dr. Harry Bitter serves as Professor and Chair of Biobased Chemistry and Technology at Wageningen University & Research since 2013, where he leads research on sustainable production of chemicals from biomass and biomass-derived feedstocks. After completing his PhD in heterogeneous catalysis at Twente University in 1997, he spent 15 years at Utrecht University developing fundamental understanding of catalyst characteristics and activity. His research combines multiple disciplines including chemistry, catalysis, microbiology, separations and modeling to address biomass conversion challenges. As co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed publications with an h-index of 44 and nearly 7,000 citations, he has established himself as a prominent figure in sustainable chemical production. He currently chairs the Netherlands Institute for Research in Catalysis (NIOK) and serves on the board of the Royal Dutch Chemical Society. His group focuses on TIPTOP chemistry - Turning variable InPut into Tailored OutPut - addressing the challenges of converting variable biomass feedstocks into consistent chemical products. Beyond academia, he contributes to advancing the field through his roles in various research initiatives and his work integrating chemical approaches with computational methods to develop a circular biobased economy.
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Frequently asked questions
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