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Belgium

Biography

Education

Marlies Van Bael earned her Master’s degree in Physical Chemistry from the KU Leuven and completed her PhD degree at UHasselt, where she pioneered the research of water-based solution-gel chemistry for the synthesis of complex oxides, more specifically on element substitutions in high-Tc superconductors. Following her PhD, Marlies held 3 postdoc mandates of the FWO-Vlaanderen in which she greatly advanced the understanding of challenges and possibilities of (aqueous) solution-based synthesis of functional inorganic materials. She was appointed as an associate professor at UHasselt in 2006 and promoted to full professor in 2009 which enabled her to develop a successful research team that continues to build on her original pioneering research mission. She holds a guest professorship at imec.

Research institute imo-imomec

Since 2022, Marlies Van Bael was appointed as the director of imo-imomec, the Institute or Materials Research, and a joint research institute of UHasselt and imec. Imo-imomec joins around 200 chemists, physicists and engineers, pursuing interdisciplinary research on advanced materials research for the energy transition, sustainability, health and quantum technologies. The energy research is embedded within Energyville, of which both imec and UHasselt are partners.

Research team DESINe

Marlies Van Bael leads, together with prof. An Hardy, the DESINe team (Design and Synthesis of Inorganic Materials) at UHasselt, which comprises about 23 researchers. Building on her original research mission to thoroughly understand solution-based synthesis of inorganic materials, the team’s research focusses on ecologically and economically sound synthesis methods of innovative functional materials with applications in the energy transition, sustainability and health. Over the years, they could expand the range of materials, from superconductors, to multiferroic oxides, high-k, transparent and conducting oxides for photovoltaics, electrode and electrolyte materials for innovative batteries to most recently catalyst materials for CO2 conversion and hydrogen generation. The activities of the DESINe team comprise a balanced combination of curiosity-driven, fundamental and innovation directed research through various national and international collaborations with industry, academia and research organizations such as imec, VITO, TNO and Energy-Ville. They attach great importance to interdisciplinary collaboration, being part of imo-imomec , of which Marlies is the director since September 2022.

Educating and guiding researchers
At UHasselt, Marlies teaches courses in general, inorganic & solid-state, physical and nano-chemistry. She is one of the instigators of UHasselt’s new Master’s program of Materiomics . Marlies is (co-)promotor of 33 defended and 19 ongoing PhD students. In 2016 she was the promotor of the honorary doctorate of Prof. dr. Jean-Marie Tarascon (Collège de France, Paris) bestowed by UHasselt.

Personal Awards

Marlies’ scientific accomplishments have been acknowledged through personal awards and fellowships:
- Nominated and elected as a member of the Royal Academy of Science and Art (KVAB), 2020
- Election to ‘Fellow of the European Ceramic Society’ 2019, by the permanent International Executive Committee.
- European Ceramic Society Award 2001 3rd Prize, awarded by the European Ceramic Society
- BCerS Scientific Award 2001, Awarded by the Belgian Ceramic Society
- ‘Thermische Analyse Prijs voor Jonge Onderzoekers 2000’ awarded by the ‘Thermische Analyse Werkgroep Nederland ‘TAWN’ for the use of thermal analysis techniques in scientific research.
- Prize Chemici Leuven 1994, awarded by the board of examiners of Chemistry at KU Leuven for the ‘Master thesis’.

Scientific Community Service

Besides being a researcher and a teacher, in the recent years, Marlies engages in several policy positions in and on behalf of UHasselt. She holds a position in the board of directors of several scientific organisations in Flanders, and is/has been an expert for many national and international research organizations.

Reaching out to the general public

Marlies is actively involved in organizing and participating in events aimed at educating and inspiring the general public, ranging from children to seniors, about the significance of chemistry research in our daily lives and towards a sustainable future. Special attention is given to motivating young females to pursue careers in science

Activities

Employment (6)

Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum: Leuven, BE

2015-09-01 to present | guest professor
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

UHasselt: Hasselt, Belgium, BE

2010-01-01 to present | full professor (Chemistry)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum: Leuven, BE

2001-01-01 to present | researcher (imomec)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Institute for materials researc (imo-imomec): Hasselt, Limburg, BE

2022-10-01 to 2027-09-30 | Director
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

UHasselt: Hasselt, België, BE

2007-01-01 to 2009-12-31 | Associate Professor (Chemistry)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

UHasselt: Hasselt, Belgium, BE

1999-10-01 to 2009-09-30 | postdoctoral fellow FWO-Vlaanderen (chemistry)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Education and qualifications (3)

Universiteit Hasselt: Diepenbeek, BE

1994-10-01 to 1999-01-15 | PhD in Science - Chemistry (Chemistry)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

KU Leuven: Leuven, BE

1992-10 to 1994-07 | Master in Chemistry (physical chemistry) (Chemistry)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Universiteit Hasselt: Diepenbeek, BE

1990-10 to 1992-07 | Bachelor in Chemistry & Biology (Chemistry)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Professional activities (7)

Strategic Initiative Materials in Flanders: Ghent, BE

Member of the Board of Governors
Service
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

International Solvay Institutes: Brussels, BE

Member (Local Advisory Council of Chemistry)
Service
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

EOS Wetenschap vzw: Antwerpen, BE

Member of the Board of Governors
Service
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Energyville: Genk, BE

2023-01-01 to present | Member of the board of governors
Service
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten: Brussel, BE

2019-09-11 to present | Elected Member (Klasse Natuurwetenschappen)
Invited position
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen: Brussel, BE

2016-10-01 to present | Member of the Board of Governors
Service
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael

European Ceramic Society: Torino, IT

2019-06-19 | Fellow of the European Ceramic Society
Distinction
Source: Self-asserted source
Marlies Van Bael