Biosketch

Prof Bert Klumpermann

Bert Klumperman is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science in University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Bert is very well known in the Polymer Science field with his studies on understanding the kinetics of radical polymerization reactions. Their research is based on not only mechanistic and kinetic studies but also the synthesis of advanced macromolecular structures for various applications. Klumperman’s research focuses on the development of polymers for biomedical applications, particularly poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA). These materials are proving valuable for a variety of biomedical applications such as antimalarials and antimicrobials (including certain biological warfare agents) for use in areas such as wound dressings, water and air purification systems, paediatric tuberculosis diagnosis, drug delivery and isolation of membrane proteins.

He is the current holder of the South African Research Chair on Advanced Macromolecular Architectures at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and leads a research group focusing on the use of reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) as a versatile tool to create all sorts of polymeric materials.

After receiving an MSc from the University of Twente, Klumperman spent over 10 years in industrial research at DSM Research before completing his PhD in Radical Polymersiation at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands and a DSc at Stellenbosch University, where he is currently a Distinguished Professor.

He has been a member of the editorial boards of various journals including Macromolecules and European Polymer Journal and is currently editor of European Polymer Journal and editor-in-chief of the Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. He has authored/co-authored five books and more than 55 articles in peer-reviewed journals over the last eight years.

He has been elected fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and received several awards, including the 2016 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) lifetime award, the Rector’s Award for Excellence in Research from Stellenbosch University; the Gold Medal of the South African Chemical Institute; He also received the Sasol Chemistry Innovator of the Year Award and the John FW Herschel Medal of the Royal Society of South Africa. As well as authoring many publications, he gives frequent lectures at international conferences and is editor of Elsevier’s European Polymer Journal.