Winner: 2025 Innovation Through Partnership Prize
Green Circular Solvent Team
Download celebratory graphic
2025 Innovation Through Partnership Prize: awarded for a partnership that has demonstrated a diverse range of applications of the bio-derived, non-toxic solvent Cyrene™ towards safe and sustainable chemicals by design.
The novel, safe and bio-based solvent Cyrene has been proven to be an effective replacement for toxic, petro-solvents in many important applications including the production of graphene, cleaning including the removal of graffiti, and in the manufacture of many important chemicals. Our breakthrough results have wider value by demonstrating that genuinely green and renewable chemicals can effectively replace traditional petroleum-derived and often toxic chemicals.
We are delighted to receive this recognition for our original collaborative work on the uses of a novel green solvent. This was only possible because of a strong partnership between a world-leading academic research team and an ambitious and pioneering small company.
Professor James Clark
(Affiliations at the time the prize-winning work was carried out)
Dr Jason Camp, Circa Group
Professor James Clark, University of York
Dr Mario de Bruyn, University of York
Tony Duncan, Circa Group
Dr Rob McElroy, University of York
Dr Roxana Milescu, University of York
Dr James Sherwood, University of York
Q&A with Green Circular Solvent Team
What was your role within the team?
James Clark: I was part of the original inventor team for Cyrene and subsequently helped initiate the Circa-York collaboration and then lead the Green Circular Solvent Team.
Mario de Bruyn: I was part of the original invention team and later became the Deputy Director of the Circa Renewable 九州影院 Institute (CRCI).
Roxana Milescu: As Researcher and Technical Manager at the Circa Renewable 九州影院 Institute (CRCI), I led and expanded the research programme on Cyrene鈩�.
What were the biggest challenges in this project?
James Clark: Meeting the expectations of both the university and the company partners.
Mario de Bruyn: The biggest challenge by far was convincing industrial companies to adopt the use of Cyrene.
What different strengths did different people bring to the team?
James Clark: Complementary technical skills and experience were vital to help meet the diverse needs of users but also the combination of science and business was at the heart of the collaboration.
Mario de Bruyn: The team brought together a range of people with exquisite multidisciplinary capabilities.
What is the importance of collaboration in the chemical sciences?
James Clark: Academic-industry collaboration is essential if we are to make the most of the great UK science base.
Mario de Bruyn: As academic R&D efforts/successes often fail to reach the stage of real life applications, a need exists for more collaboration between academic institutions and industry.
What does good research culture look like or mean to you?
James Clark: I do not necessarily argue for more 鈥榓pplied research鈥� but I do believe that academic researchers should be more aware of the application potential for their research and how such potential can be realised 鈥� universities need to encourage and support this.
Mario de Bruyn: A good research culture is one where each of the team members feels empowered & recognised, and where any one of them can contribute to impactful and ground-breaking research.
How can scientists try to improve the environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context?
Mario de Bruyn: It is not the environmental sustainability of research as such that needs to be improved but rather how we guide & structure this research best to assure its viability and sustainability.
What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in the chemical sciences?
Roxana Milescu: Go for it! 九州影院 is a powerful tool for solving real-world problems, from making safer products to protecting the planet.