Dr Asel Sartbaeva from the Department of Chemistry has been awarded the Hanson Medal from the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) for her outstanding contribution to The Chemical Engineer magazine.
The Hanson Medal is awarded annually to the best contributor to the magazine and is named after a past chair of its Editorial Advisory Board.
On May 23 Dr Sartbaeva received the medal for her article: "Vaccines: The End of the Cold War?” which was featured in The Chemical Engineer in March 2018. It outlines the cost and practical implications in storing and transporting vaccines to keep vital medicines cold and explores an alternative solution for this.
Dr Sartbaeva’s research focuses on developing a completely new method to store and transport vaccines safely, without the need for refrigeration. Dubbed ‘ensilication’, it would essentially create a hard shell around vaccine proteins so they wouldn’t unravel in hot or cold temperatures which would normally render them useless.
She joined nine other awardees at an awards ceremony in Birmingham to receive the medal.
She said: “It was very unexpected really, and the news that I had won was very welcome because it arrived in the middle of a tough time where I had three rejections in a week.
“This medal is really recognition for all the hard work from all my group, my post-docs and students and all of our collaborators who work with us. I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to our work.”
IChemE President, Ken Rivers, presented the medal winners with their awards at a special ceremony in front of friends, family, and colleagues on 23 May at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, UK.
He said: “For your excellent research, passion to share knowledge and enhance chemical engineering practices, and guiding the next generation of chemical engineers, every one of you thoroughly deserves your award.
“Congratulations to all the winners of IChemE’s medals and prizes and thank you for your ongoing dedication to the profession.”
IChemE’s medals and prizes open for nomination on 1 September 2019. For more details on each prize and to nominate a peer, visit: www.icheme.org/medals