dr.ir. DPBTB (David) Strik

As environmental technologist, I like to explore and contribute to knowledge creation, education as well as valorization of biorefinery approaches which foster the circular economy. I obtained my PhD in Anaerobic Digestion at BOKU University in Austria (in 2004) and completed my MSc Environmental Sciences at Wageningen University (in 1999).

My group investigates the use of micro-organisms in engineered open-culture bioreactors to convert organic, bioplastic or CO2 waste streams into useful products. We create new bioprocesses, study control mechanisms, characterize microbial communities, reveal carbon and electron fluxes, and investigate microbial-electrochemical interactions.

To gain insight into how technologies can be applied at an early stage, LCA, TEA and system engineering studies are carried out. Our research supports the establishment of the ‘Carboxylate platform’ and especially microbial chain elongation processes. We work together with various science groups, stakeholders and spin-off companies like ChainCraft and Plant-e.

Reference picture: Strik et al. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. (2022) https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.894490