Leading Sasol scientist appointed as Industrial Research Fellow at HZB

With the appointment of Dr. Denzil Moodley as Industrial Research Fellow, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Sasol are strengthening their partnership, established with the flagship CARE-O-SENE project in 2022. The fellowship aims to deepen existing technical working relationships within the project but is also intended to extend to other research areas.

This appointment represents a strategic advancement in the ongoing partnership between HZB and Sasol, fostering closer collaboration to accelerate the innovation cycle for sustainable fuel technologies. Dr. Denzil Moodley, Senior Scientist in Fischer-Tropsch at Sasol Research and Technology, brings a wealth of industrial knowledge to the collaboration and is expected to catalyze synergies between academic discoveries and industrial applications. Dr Theo Mudzunga, Vice President at Research and Technology at Sasol, remarked, “Partnerships between industry and research are essential for driving innovation at the pace and scale needed to address global challenges. By collaborating with HZB, we can combine cutting-edge scientific research and tools with practical industrial insights, aiming to accelerate the development of sustainable technologies that will have a tangible impact”.

Prof. Bernd Rech, HZB’s Scientific Director, added, “By appointing Dr. Denzil Moodley as Industrial Research Fellow, HZB reaffirms its commitment to fostering impactful partnerships that bridge the gap between research and industry. This initiative demonstrates our dedication to driving transformative progress and paving the way for a more sustainable future.”

This fellowship builds upon the success of the CARE-O-SENE initiative, jointly led by Sasol and HZB, involving several other German and South African partners. CARE-O-SENE is dedicated to developing highly efficient Fischer-Tropsch catalysts for large-scale SAF production and has already delivered excellent results. The project has become a role model for academic-industrial R&D collaborations, advancing innovation and sustainability within the aviation sector.

Dr. Moodley emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “It is critical that we have closer collaboration between industry and research institutes to address sustainability challenges, and this fellowship enables that. By combining our strengths, we can not only advance the state of science but also the scale-up of sustainable technologies. The fellowship also involves the development and mentoring of young scientific talent, which I’m very excited about. Additionally, this is a platform to foster broader German- South African scientific networking”

Through initiatives like this fellowship, HZB and Sasol, play a part in advancing sustainable energy technologies, addressing the challenges of the energy transition, and supporting global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.