Nutreco names three finalists for the Young Researchers Prize 2022

  • Chiara Guidi of the University of Ghent, Agboola Jeleel Opeyemi of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Giulio Giagnoni of Aarhus University in Denmark have been named Nutreco’s three finalists

  • The first second and third place prizes will be announced at winner’s ceremony on 11th October 2022

  • The author of the winning project will receive a €12,000 cash prize. Those placed second and third will receive €8,000 and €5,000, respectively.  

Awards
Competitions
Innovation
R&D
Article
26 September 2022

Nutreco has selected students from University of Ghent in Belgium, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and Aarhus University in Denmark, as finalists for its second-annual Student Challenge competition.

Nutreco’s Young Researchers Prize tasks PhD students and first- and second-year post-doctorate researchers to put forward innovative ideas that could contribute to Nutreco’s overarching purpose of Feeding the Future. 

Chiara Guidi, Postdoctoral Researcher at Centre for Synthetic Biology at the University of Ghent was selected for her research project, “B-Cos we are the key to your problem,” which proposes a means of tackling antimicrobial resistance through the production and use of Chitooligosaccharides that target pathogens in the guts of weaning piglets, improving their immunity and growth, whilst preventing illness and reducing the need for antibiotics.

Agboola Jeleel Opeyemi, Research Fellow (PhD), Animal and Aquacultural Science, at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, earned a finalist spot for his submission, “Can fish grow on trees? Yeast as future feed ingredient”, which examines the nutritional and functional potential of yeasts produced from wood sugars as sustainable fish feeds

Finally, Giulio Giagnoni, PhD graduate student from Aarhus University in Denmark, has been recognised for his research project “Phenotype of climate-efficient dairy cows”, which aims to identify climate-efficient phenotypes of dairy cows and reduce methane emissions by amending their diets.

Nutreco’s global network of employees also cast their votes, with the final decision being made by the prize’s expert judging panel

The three finalists are invited to an award ceremony taking place in Amsterdam on 11th October 2022, where it will be announced which of the finalists take the first, second and third places. The ceremony will also be live streamed for Nutreco employees, students and the wider scientific community, and can be accessed here from 9:30am CET on 11th October 2022.

The author of the winning project will receive a €12,000 cash prize. Those placed second and third will receive €8,000 and €5,000, respectively.  

 

Leo Den Hartog, Head Judge, and Nutreco N.V Board Member and former R&D Director, said: “It has been truly a joy to read through so many excellent submissions, and we have been so encouraged by the diverse, innovative, and creative thinking shown by all who entered.

“Chiara, Jeleel and Giulio and their respective Universities should be immensely proud of themselves. This year’s finalists prove without doubt the breadth and depth of young talent that exists within our industry – each has been chosen for their outstanding application, which truly are committed to the challenge of sustainably feeding 10 billion people by 2050.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the three finalists to Amsterdam on October 11th, and encourage all those who’d like to participate to watch the live stream online.”