David Strik

Dr. David Strik serves as Associate Professor in Environmental Technology at Wageningen University & Research, where he specializes in biorefinery approaches and circular economy solutions. After completing his MSc in Environmental Sciences at Wageningen University in 1999, he earned his PhD in Anaerobic Digestion from BOKU University in Austria in 2004. His research focuses on using micro-organisms in engineered open-culture bioreactors to convert organic, bioplastic, and CO2 waste streams into valuable products. His group investigates bioprocesses, control mechanisms, microbial communities, carbon and electron fluxes, and microbial-electrochemical interactions. Through collaborations with various science groups and spin-off companies like ChainCraft and Plant-e, he contributes to establishing the 'Carboxylate platform' and advancing microbial chain elongation processes. His work combines fundamental research with practical applications, incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA), and system engineering studies to evaluate technology implementation potential. As an environmental technologist, he continues to explore and contribute to knowledge creation, education, and valorization of biorefinery approaches that foster the circular economy while supervising multiple PhD candidates in various aspects of environmental technology and bioprocessing