Sasol and HZB deepen collaboration with strategic focus on digitalisation

Sasol Research & Technology and Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB) are expanding their partnership into the realm of digitalisation, building on their joint efforts in the CARE-O-SENE project and an Industrial Fellowship launched earlier this year. This new initiative marks a significant step forward in leveraging digital technologies to accelerate catalyst innovation and deepen scientific collaboration.

As part of its broader digitalisation strategy, Sasol Research and Technology has identified Digital Catalysis, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) as key growth areas for future research. HZB is similarly advancing its expertise in Digital Catalysis and data-driven analysis of complex catalyst characterisation datasets. This effort is supported by the establishment of a joint data centre with scientific partners on the HZB campus. Their strong external network further strengthens the potential for impactful collaboration.

Dr. Randy Cunningham, a rising researcher at Sasol Research and Technology, has been selected to work closely with HZB in this emerging field. Holding a PhD in Polymer Science from Stellenbosch University, Cunningham has been trained in Fischer–Tropsch catalysis and has contributed to several CARE-O-SENE initiatives. He is actively developing his digital skillset through hands-on training and recently published a paper applying machine learning to industrial polymerization processes at Sasol. 'Being involved in this collaborative initiative at the crossroads of catalysis and data science is a truly exciting prospect. It represents a significant step towards achieving more sustainable and efficient chemical processes on an industrial scale', Cunningham says.

Dr. Tobias Sontheimer, co-lead of CARE-O-SENE and Head of Strategy at HZB, comments: 'We’re thrilled to launch this new chapter in our partnership with Sasol. It not only reinforces our shared commitment to skills development across the consortium but also propels our digitalization agenda forward.'

Andy Msiza, Senior Vice President of Sasol research and Technology  and executive sponsor of the program, adds: 'This initiative presents an exciting opportunity to nurture our next generation of researchers in a field that is increasingly important to Sasol’s future. There is potential with this approach to unlock value, both in current operations and future innovations, making a significant impact.'

Looking ahead, the collaboration is expected to span multiple dimensions, including skills transfer, advanced modelling of synchrotron datasets generated at BESSY II, and the application of AI to conduct meta-analyses of historical literature and plant data. These efforts aim to generate new insights and drive transformative breakthroughs in catalysis research.