For the 6th consecutive year, Professor Eric Gaigneaux has gone to teach heterogeneous catalysis to master students in the “chemical engineer” course of the Escuela Politecnica Nacional de Quito (Ecuador). In a 4-day intensive course, he first teaches the basic principles of this field of chemistry, and then discusses real-world case studies of automotive catalysis, petrochemicals, biofuel production and biomimetic catalysts. The mission is enriched with coaching sessions for students preparing their Master thesis.
In addition to welcoming Ecuadorian doctoral students to his team in Louvain-la-Neuve, the objective of Eric Gaigneaux’s missions at the EPN is to initiate, in conjunction with his host Professor Ernesto de la Torre Chauvin, a complete course offer in heterogeneous catalysis, currently missing in Ecuador. In addition to the EPN, the course was attended this year by students and professors from three other Ecuadorian universities, showing the success of the formula, the interest in the heterogeneous catalysis in Ecuador, and the added value it can bring to social/economic development of the country.
