Winner: 2025 Rising Star in Industry Prize
Dr Florence Huynh
Polymateria Ltd
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2025 Rising Star in Industry Prize: awarded for delivering solutions to global plastic pollution, progressing technical understanding of plastic biodegradation, and developing new methods for characterising microplastics in the environment.
As vice president of innovations at Polymateria, Florence leads a team working on biotransformation technology, an innovative solution to tackle plastic pollution on land before it reaches the oceans. This is a solution for the most highly polluted forms of plastic in the world, which ensures polyolefins will fully and swiftly biodegrade in the natural environment in two years, leaving behind no microplastics or toxic substances, as well as being compatible with recycling. The technology is aimed at limiting the harm of plastic that ends up outside the waste management stream and escapes into nature.
Biography
Dr Florence Huynh is an enthusiastic French scientist with an interdisciplinary background spanning chemistry, biology and engineering 鈥� paired with a keen sense of real-world application and business impact. Her journey in science began early, joining science clubs at age 11 and later being part of the Science ac鈥�, an outreach programme founded by Francois Taddei for high school students in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Florence graduated from the INP-ENSIACET engineering school in Toulouse and spent a year in Germany with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service and worked at Bayer. She went on to complete a PhD focused on chemoenzymatic synthesis of sesquiterpenes, developing expertise at the chemistry鈥揵iology interface at Cardiff University.
Florence brings this scientific depth into the business world through her work at Polymateria, where she leads a team developing biodegradable plastics as vice president of innovations. Her current research interests include carbon sequestration of biodegradable materials, biodegradation and ecotoxicity of new materials, and microplastic formation and fate in the environment, but if you were to have a discussion with her you probably would hear her say that there is no such thing as a boring topic 鈥� only unexplored angles!
What drew me to chemistry was realising how deeply it connects to everything around us, from the materials we use to the biology of life itself.
Dr Florence Huynh
Q&A with Dr Florence Huynh
How did you first become interested in chemistry?
I've always had a strong interest in science but wasn鈥檛 sure which direction to take. What drew me to chemistry was realising how deeply it connects to everything around us, from the materials we use to the biology of life itself. It felt like the perfect field to keep my options open while satisfying my curiosity. And of course, the colourful reactions, fun experiments and occasional explosions didn鈥檛 hurt either!
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?
Try different things, ask questions and follow what genuinely interests you, even if it doesn鈥檛 fit a traditional path. And don鈥檛 underestimate the power of creativity in science 鈥� some of the most exciting ideas come from connecting unexpected dots. Most importantly, find mentors and peers who support you, and remember, science is a team effort.
What has been a highlight for you (either personally or in your career)?
I have had the chance already to mentor a few junior colleagues, watching them grow into confident, capable scientists/contributors, and seeing them succeed 鈥� whether that鈥檚 through graduating with a PhD, publishing, finding their career path or simply gaining confidence 鈥� feels incredibly rewarding. Supporting others in their journey has been one of the most meaningful parts of mine.
What does good research culture look like/mean to you?
To me, good research culture means fostering an environment that values curiosity, collaboration and integrity. It's about creating space where people feel safe to ask bold questions, share ideas freely and learn from failure without fear. Diversity of thought and background are essential, and so is supporting each other not just as researchers, but as humans. A strong research culture also includes openness 鈥� sharing knowledge, mentoring generously and being mindful of the real-world impact of our work.