Global recognition for carbon conversion research

Monash Engineering congratulates Sijan Devkota, a PhD Candidate at Chemical and Biological Engineering, who has been selected for the prestigious Early Career Scientist Award at the Catalytic CO₂ Conversions Conference (CCC2026) in Copenhagen, Denmark.

CCC2026 will bring together leading researchers, industry experts and emerging scientists from around the world to advance catalytic technologies for carbon dioxide utilisation and the transition to low-carbon energy systems.

The conference's Early Career Scientist Award recognises exceptional researchers aged 18–30 whose work demonstrates scientific excellence and the potential for real-world impact.

From a highly competitive global field, only 25 researchers were selected for the award, with just eight invited to deliver oral presentations and receive travel grants.

Sijan is among these eight outstanding early career researchers and will present his PhD research, Sorption-Enhanced Process Intensification for Efficient Carbon Dioxide-to-Dimethyl Ether Conversion. His work focuses on developing scalable technologies that convert captured CO₂ into valuable products such as dimethyl ether, a promising low-carbon fuel and hydrogen carrier.

The recognition is an important milestone in Sijan's research journey, and an acknowledgement of the global relevance of his work in developing practical solutions for carbon utilisation and climate change mitigation.

Learn more about the 2026 Catalytic CO2 Conversions conference here.