CONSORTIUM
CARBOWAVE Partners
Coordinator
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) is an energetic and enterprising institution with a proud record of innovation and excellence in education and research. Research at UL is renowned for its close alignment to real world problems and the university has an enviable reputation in fundamental research, which can have real impact on society and the economy alike. We value creativity, curiosity and excellence in our inclusive community which is committed to social good. UL’s motto Eagna chun Gnímh translates as Wisdom for Action reflecting their mission to contribute to the discovery of new knowledge for a better world.
At the Bernal Institute, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration and technological innovation in materials science and engineering. Our institute is a beacon of excellence in research, education, and industry collaboration at the University of Limerick. Situated within the vibrant academic community of the University of Limerick, we are proud to foster an environment that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and fosters creativity.
At the heart of our endeavours lies a commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing the grand challenges facing society today. From sustainable energy solutions, environmental impact to advanced healthcare technologies, our research spans a diverse array of fields, all with the common goal of making a positive impact on the world. As a pioneer in chemical nanotechnology, I am particularly excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. The convergence of chemistry, physics, and engineering opens up new avenues for discovery and innovation, and our team of dedicated researchers are at cutting edge of this endeavour.
Our work extends beyond the laboratory, through partnerships with industry, government, and academia, we are translating our research findings into real-world applications that benefit society and drive economic growth for years to come.
Prof. Maurice N. Collins
Project Lead
Prof. Collins is a Materials Scientist working on sustainable biomaterials for advanced engineering applications. He leads a large multidisciplinary research group at UL and has competitively won >€35 million as Principal Investigator from EU H2020, Horizon Europe, Irish Research Council, Marie Curie, DAFM, Research Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Industrial sources. He is world renowned expert in lignin-based materials and his group have made several world leading contributions on lignin based materials, in terms of mechanical properties, and processing. Prof Collins successfully led the largest H2020 consortium in Europe on lignin-based carbon materials. He is challenge co-lead in the national Research Ireland BiOrbic centre and funded investigator in the national Research Ireland AMBER centre. He leads the sustainable materials processing suite at UL with emphasis on next generation sustainable CF development which has begun commissioning in 2025 and is the co-lead of the National Challenge project TRACELESS. He is ranked in the top 2% of scientists globally by Stanford University. He has been elected as a Fellow of the RSC and IOM3 for sustained impact and leadership. He is a renowned mentor with several of his team winning fellowships and multiple awards along with taking up influential positions in academia and Industry. He recently won the Bernal Institute Research Leader of the year Award and Clarivate highly cited award (Top 1% globally) both for 2024. He is proposal reviewer for several international agencies (European Research Council, Horizon Europe, EPSRC, Austria, Israel, Chile, Singapore, UAE amongst other national agencies). He holds several patents in lignin precursor materials for CF and the processing of lignin-based CF. His research has featured widely on social media and traditional media.
Dr. Anne Beaucamp
Co-Lead
Dr Anne Beaucamp is a materials scientist with life cycle assessment expertise, Assistant Professor in the University of Limerick. Anne graduated from her PhD in the development of sustainable carbonaceous materials from lignin. Anne has extensive expertise on the development of carbon fibres from sustainable sources, having outputted 23 publications in the field of carbon materials engineering and applications (h-index 16, >1600 Citations). She was awarded an Irish Research Council Postdoctoral fellowship in 2022.
She is currently participating to three European Projects (VIBES, BIO-UPTAKE and CARBOWAVE) as work package and task leader. She is part of the editorial board of International Journal of BioMacromolecules (IJBM). She lectures in polymer processing, life cycle assessment and circular economy for engineers in the University of Limerick.
Rebecca Corbett
Project Manager
Rebecca Corbett is a Projects Officer with the Bernal Institute of the University of Limerick. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Sociology and a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) both from the University of Limerick. Rebecca is currently project managing two Horizon Europe funded projects SiGNE with Professor Kevin Ryan (UL) and CARBOWAVE with Professor Maurice Collins and Dr Anne Beaucamp (UL) and has previously project managed a H2020 funded project SiDRIVE and a DITF funded project TRIDENT.
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