Prof. Dr. Dr. Vânia Zuin Zeidler
Vita
Professional Career
- 2022 on-going Full Professor at the Institute of Sustainable Chemistry (INSC), Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany
- 2020 - 2022 Visiting and Administrative Professor at the Institute of Sustainable Chemistry (INSC), Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany
- 2013 - 2023 Visiting Professor at the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, University of York (UoY), UK
- 2008 - 2022 Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Brazil
- 2005 - 2008 Research Fellow at the Centre for Education and Human Sciences (CECH), Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Brazil
- 2004 - 2005 Research Fellow at the Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ-Leipzig Halle), Germany
- 2002 - 2004 Research Fellow at the São Carlos of Chemistry Institute, São Paulo University (USP) and Chemistry Institute, Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Brazil
Education
- 2006 - 2010 PhD in Education on the inclusion of the environmental dimension in chemistry education, São Paulo University (USP), Brazil
- 1997 - 2001 PhD in Analytical Chemistry on the development of environmentally friendly analytical methods for the determination of pesticides in Brazilian medicinal plants, São Paulo University (USP), Brazil, with a research internship at the Department of Drug Science and Technology, Turin University (UNITO), Italy
- 1994 - 1997 MSc in Analytical Chemistry on the determination of pentachlorophenol and hexachlorobenzene in superficial water from areas impacted by organochlorine residues, São Paulo University (USP), Brazil
- 1989 - 1993 Bachelor degree in Chemistry, São Paulo University (USP), Brazil
- 1989 - 1993 PGCE degree in Chemistry, São Paulo University (USP), Brazil
Committees and Coordination
- 2024 on-going Coordinator of the Master Program Sustainability Science: Resources, Materials and Chemistry (M.Sc.) (Leuphana University)
- 2024 on-going Representative of the Leuphana Universitiy of Lüneburg at DWIH SP (Germany, Brazil)
- 2023 on-going Chair of the Doctoral Commission Dr. rer. nat. (Leuphana University)
- 2023 - 2024 Advisor of the Inter-Organization Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals (IOCM)
- 2023 on-going Member of the the jury of the Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge Award 2016 on-going: Chair of the jury of the Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge Award 2016 on-going: Chair of the jury of the Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge Award
- 2022 Member of the of the Falling Walls “Breakthroughs of the Year” (Berlin, Germany)
- 2020 on-going Member of the GSC Expert Group of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Brussels,
- 2022 on-going Pro-Dean of Gender and Diversity of the Faculty of Sustainability, Leuphana University, Germany
- 2021 - 2024 Member of the Board of the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD, UNESCO)
- 2021 on-going Member of the Leadership Committee of Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC), Beyond Benign & ACS-GCI
- 2020 on-going Affiliate Member of the IUPAC, USA
- 2019 Founding Director of the Field & Food Tech Hub - UFSCar, Brazil
- 2019 - 2024 Member of Scientific Board of the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3)
- 2019 on-going Member of the International Scientific Jury of the PhosAgro/UNESCO/IUPAC for Green Chemistry
- 2018 Member of the Jury of the Falling Walls Conference (Lab Brazil), German Ministry of Education and Research, Berlin Senator for Education, Science and Research, Robert Bosch Foundation, Helmholtz Association, etc.
- 2017 on-going Member of the Advisory Scientific Group of the UN-Environment
- 2017 on-going Member of the Global Green Chemistry Network (ITN GREEN-CHEM), Genth University, Belgium
- 2015 on-going Member of the Structuring Professoriate Board, Chemistry Department, UFSCar, Brazil
- 2013 on-going Member Advisory Board of the Club Humboldt Brazil (former Vice-President and President)
- 2012 - 2017 Founder and coordinator of the Green Chemistry Section, Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ), Brazil
- 2012 - 2017 Member of the IUPAC Subcommittee on Green Chemistry (SGC), USA
- 2011 - 2014 Referee (2011), adjunct and institutional coordinator of the National Didactic Book Program in Science (2013 and 2014) in Brazil
- 2010 - 2020 Advisor of the Interdisciplinary Area (CAInter) and the Environmental Sciences Area (CACiAmb) of CAPES, part of the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC), which is responsible for the evaluation of the Post-Graduate Course System in Brazil
Awards and Fellowships
- 2025 Creative Lead of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Residency Programme, Germany
- 2025 Green Chemistry Education Challenge Award by Dow and Beyond Benign, USA
- 2023 - 2024 Expert voice at Science Journal (AAAS) on Green and Sustainable Chemistry, USA)
- 2020 - 2021 Research fellowship Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Leuphana University Lüneburg), Germany
- 2020 - 2020 Research fellowship Robert Bosch Foundation (Leuphana University Lüneburg), Germany
- 2018 - 2018 Research fellowship Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Leuphana University Lüneburg), Germany
- 2017 ACS-CEI Award, American Chemical Society´s Committee on Environmental Improvement (CEI), EUA
- 2015 Fellow Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), the UK
- 2015 57o Jabuti Gold Prize (“Science & Technology”, Brazilian Chamber of Book), Brazil
- 2014 Honour and Merit Award for the academic contributions, UFSCar, Brazil
- 2014 CHEMRAWN VII Prize for Atmospheric and Green Chemistry, IUPAC, USA
- 2013 - 2023 Honorary Visiting Fellow at University of York, the UK
- 2012 Honour and Merit Award for the academic contributions, UFSCar, Brazil
- 2010 52o Jabuti Bronze Prize (“Green Chemistry”, Brazilian Chamber of Book), Brazil
- 2010 Honour and Merit Award for the academic contributions, UFSCar, Brazil
- 2005 - 2008 Research fellowship Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Brazil
- 2004 - 2005 Research fellowship Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (UFZ-Leipzig Halle), Germany
- 2002 - 2004 Research fellowship São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp), Brazil
- 1997 - 2001 PhD fellowship + Doctoral International Exchange Program Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Brazil
- 1994 - 1997 MSc Fellowship Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Brazil
- 1992 - 1993 Student Fellowship Brazilian Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP), Brazil
- 1991 - 1992 Student Fellowship National Council for scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brazil
Scientific Journals
- 2024 on-going Associate editor of the scientific peer reviewed journal Sustainability & Circularity Now (Thieme)
- 2021 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Royal Society Open Science (Royal Society Publishing)
- 2020 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry (Elsevier)
- 2020 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
- 2017 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Chemistry Education Research and Practice (RSC)
- 2017 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy (Elsevier), and from 2020 – 2024 Associated Editor
- 2017 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry (Elsevier)
- 2016 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Chemistry Central / BMC Chemistry Journal (Springer Nature), since 2020 Section Editor on Green Chemistry & Sustainability
- 2015 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Green Chemistry (RSC)
- 2015 on-going Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Eurasian Journal of Physics and Chemistry Education (EJPCE, iSER)
- 2013 - 2021 Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Revista Brasileira de Ensino de Química (Alinea Publisher)
- 2009 on-going Co-founder and Member Editorial Board of the scientific peer reviewed journal Pesquisa em Educação Ambiental (UFSCar, USP, UNESP)
* Referee of more than 45 journals, e.g., Nature Nanotechnology (Nature), Nature Reviews Bioengineering (Nature), Science (AAAS), Critical Reviews in Analytical Chemistry (Taylor & Francis), Analytica Chimica Acta (Elsevier), RSC Advances, Sustainable Energy & Fuels (RSC), Chemical Science (RSC)
Research Projects
> 45 Research projects including many national and international partners, funded by third parties such as:
- FAPESP (equivalent to DFG in Germany)
- Newton Fund (UK)
- CAPES(Brazil)
- CNPq (Brazil)
- Companies and institutes (e.g., Alana, Brazil)
List of the last and most relevant financial grants awarded
- 2025 Beyond Benign Greening Labs (Coord.)
- 2024 on-going Transformation – regeneration program (Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Member)
- 2020 - 2021 Alexander von Humboldt and Robert Bosh Foundation (Coord.)
- 2020 - 2021 CAPES 465789/2019 Green and Sustainable Chemistry towards the bio-circular economy (Coord.)
- 2019 - 2021 Alana Foundation 3112.105284/2019-86 Plasticized Childhood (Coord.)
- 2018 - 2021 FAPESP 2017/25015-1: Design and application of green methods for the extraction of high value-added organic compounds from agro-industrial residues (Coord.)
- 2018 - 2021 CNPq 310149/2017-7: Green Chemistry & Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (Coord.)
- 2018 on-going FAPESP-Newton Fund RCUK 2018/21201-8: Novel delivery of phytochemicals for sustainable crop protection (Member)
- 2018 on-going FAPESP - Newton Fund RCUK 2017/50452-6: Chemical study of insect plant interactions: a contribution to biorational control of crop pests (Member)
- 2017 on-going FAPESP-CNPq 14/50918-7: INCT Biorational control of pest-insect (Member)
- 2015 - 2016 FAPESP-EPSRC-RCUK 14/50827-1: From orange waste to chemicals: contributions of an integrated biorefinery approach towards sustainable development in Brazil (Vice-Coord.)
Miscellaneous
Scientific Reviewer for (selection)
- Fapesp, CAPES, CNPq, Volkswagen Foundation, National Ministries e.g., Brazilian Ministry of Education and Health, National Research Councils (countries from various continents, e.g., Chile, South Africa, Canada, USA, Poland, Israel, Finland…) Foundations
Coverage of own research in the media
- Many times, in International and national TV, radio stations and digital media (websites, podcasts, documentaries and talks promoted by e.g., UN available in YouTube, etc.)
- Regional, national and international newspapers as well as scientific journals [e.g., International Chemistry, IUPAC, ACS]
- Many Lectures for the general public
Projects
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Dow Green Chemistry Education Award
Vânia G. Zuin (Project manager, academic)
→Project: Individual grant
Publications
Books and anthologies
- Waste to food: returning nutrients to the food chain
Sergiy Smetana (Editor) , Daniel Pleissner (Editor) , Vânia G. Zuin (Editor) , 2022 Wageningen , 300 p.Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research
- Worldwide Trends in Green Chemistry Education
Vânia G. Zuin (Editor) , Liliana Mammino (Editor) , 2015 1st ed. ed. Cambridge , 347 p.Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research
- Environmental Dimension in Chemistry Teacher Education
Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 2012 Campinas , 174 p.Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research
- A Inserção da Dimensão Ambiental na Formação de Professores de Química
Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 2011 , 182 p.Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research
Journal contributions
- Food-waste-derived sorbents for sample preparation: Recent trends, gaps and challenges
Adrián Fuente-Ballesteros (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 01.06.2026 , in: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 59 , 14 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Citizen analytical chemistry: building a participatory and shared science through global data generation
Adrián Fuente-Ballesteros (Author) , Victoria Samanidou (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 01.04.2026 , in: RSC Sustainability, 2026, 4 , p. 1808-1821 , 14 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Artificial Intelligence for Academic Text Generation in Analytical Chemistry: Current Risks, Indicators, and Perspectives toward Greener and More Sustainable Approaches
Adrián Fuente-Ballesteros (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 03.03.2026 , in: Analytical Chemistry, 98, 8 , p. 5854-5864 , 11 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Regeneration and sustainable chemistry: Current dynamics, interconnections, and perspectives
Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , Caroindes J. Corrêa Gomes (Author) , 01.12.2025 , in: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 56 , 7 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
- Don’t let generative AI shape how we see chemistry
Audrey Moores (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 01.10.2025 , in: Nature Reviews Chemistry, 9, 10 , p. 649-650 , 2 p.Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research
Contributions to collected editions/anthologies
- Potential scenarios of waste to food concept and further research, development and innovation
S. Smetana (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , Daniel Pleissner (Author) , 14.08.2023 , p. 283-300 , 18 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review
- Introduction: Waste to food - returning nutrients to the food chain
Sergiy Smetana (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , Daniel Pleissner (Author) , 14.08.2023 , p. 9-12 , 4 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research
- Green and Sustainable Extraction of High-Value Compounds: Protein from Food Supply Chain Waste
Karine Zanotti (Author) , Aylon Matheus Stahl (Author) , Mateus Lodi Segatto (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 29.03.2022 , p. 63-104 , 42 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review
- Sustainable Green Technologies: The Brazilian Indigenous University Student Experience
Renato Crioni (Author) , Daniela Cássia Sudan (Author) , Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , 01.01.2022 , p. 469-494 , 26 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review
- Sustainability and Green Chemistry Education: Innovative and Contextualized Experiences from the Undergraduate Chemistry Courses at the Federal University of Saõ Carlos, Brazil
Vânia G. Zuin (Author) , Caroindes Julia Correâ Gomes (Author) , 01.01.2020 , p. 97-110 , 14 p.Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review
Activities
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Food Systems: Innovation and Resilience in a Changing World
Vânia G. Zuin (Speaker)
Activity: talk or presentation in privat or public events › Transfer
Courses
⌄
1. Introduction, definitions
2. Composition of matter, types of bonds, types of reactions
3. Energy, equlibria, thermodynamics, kinetics
4. Compartments and material cycles
5. Behavior in the compartment water
6. Behavior in the compartment atmosphere
1. Einführung, Definitionen
2. Aufbau der Materie, Bindungsarten, Reaktionstypen
3. Energie, Gleichgewichte, Thermodynamik, Kinetik
4. Kompartimente und Stoffkreisläufe
5. Verhalten im Kompartiment Wasser
6. Verhalten im Kompartiment Atmosphäre
2. Composition of matter, types of bonds, types of reactions
3. Energy, equlibria, thermodynamics, kinetics
4. Compartments and material cycles
5. Behavior in the compartment water
6. Behavior in the compartment atmosphere
1. Einführung, Definitionen
2. Aufbau der Materie, Bindungsarten, Reaktionstypen
3. Energie, Gleichgewichte, Thermodynamik, Kinetik
4. Kompartimente und Stoffkreisläufe
5. Verhalten im Kompartiment Wasser
6. Verhalten im Kompartiment Atmosphäre
⌄
Food can shed new light on the debate about common objects and social ontology and the division and interconnection between nature and culture, covering biological purpose, composition, sources (such as plants, animals, fungi or others), forms, cultural and social significance (such as cultural identity, social bonding, comfort and pleasure). This includes the chemical and physical nature of food: what was, is and will it be made of? And how? What tastes, flavors, textures, appearances, colors and design of processing and additives aiming at greater attractiveness and consumption? How do engineering, chemistry, toxicology, medicine, psychology, social, food and material sciences (e.g., for packaging design) and advertising / communication manifest and materialize in food? What remains of them, the avoidable food waste in different cycles and countries?
Food is a central theme of many contemporary debates on malnutrition, eating disorders, obesity, prevalent silent diseases, contaminants and problems related to degradable and composable packaging for consumer goods, regulation, (international) fair trade and geopolitics, especially important considering the links between sustainability of food supplies.
To this end, it is necessary to identify relevant initiatives (company, farm, school, NGO, research centers, and any other pertinent institution), focusing on key criteria: e.g., food production (agriculture), processing (feedstocks, materials and techniques), consumption, food waste and loss prevention, policy, legislation, labeling, official testing laboratory, (bio)circular economy, design and market of healthier products, food security, right to food and right food as well as the interlinks with, for instance, educational institutions, programs and strategies.
Food is a central theme of many contemporary debates on malnutrition, eating disorders, obesity, prevalent silent diseases, contaminants and problems related to degradable and composable packaging for consumer goods, regulation, (international) fair trade and geopolitics, especially important considering the links between sustainability of food supplies.
To this end, it is necessary to identify relevant initiatives (company, farm, school, NGO, research centers, and any other pertinent institution), focusing on key criteria: e.g., food production (agriculture), processing (feedstocks, materials and techniques), consumption, food waste and loss prevention, policy, legislation, labeling, official testing laboratory, (bio)circular economy, design and market of healthier products, food security, right to food and right food as well as the interlinks with, for instance, educational institutions, programs and strategies.
⌄
The colloquium will deal with up-to-date research approaches on Sustainable Chemistry focusing on Renewable Materials, Circularity and Innovative Processes (especially, green and sustainable extraction/separation) and related content. Students will present their research projects and/or results, which can then be discussed with supervisors and other researchers. In addition, pertinent references will also be discussed (e.g. high impact scientific journals, books / chapters, regulations etc.).
⌄
This module will provide a thorough overview of the concept of renewables in the context of green and sustainable chemistry. Contents related to chemical structure, reactivity, processing (e.g., methods related to the extraction, transformation, including its characterization) as well as the applications of renewable biomass will be addressed (case studies).
⌄
How the pieces of art and works of Charlie Chaplin, Federico Fellini, Patricia Piccinini among others, as films, paintings, photographs, concerts, documentaries and ethnographic expeditions can promote reflections regarding more sustainable food systems globally? In this course, contents related to food production, consumption and nutrition security for all will be discussed, taking into account conventional and alternative agriculture models (including indigenous technologies), mechanisms to enhance farmers’ resilience to climate change and supply chain disruptions, prevention of food waste and loss, measures to eliminate hunger, climate-friendly diets, food packaging and culture, greener materials and processes, key drivers of food systems transformation and the potential implications of these changes on the three aspects of sustainability. The Farm to Fork strategy, at the heart of the European Green Deal and the US’ from Farm to Kitchen, together with additional pertinent references and guidelines will be presented using diverse didactic methodologies, especially case studies. Welcome and enjoy a crispy, tasty and artistic renewable menu, part of sustainable chemistry as you never experienced!
References
ZUIN ZEIDLER, V. G. Sustainable chemistry and food systems lessons—the same procedure as every year? Science, 383,eado2352 (2024).
SMETANA, S.; ZUIN ZEIDLER, V. & PLEISSNER, D. (Ed.), Waste to food: returning nutrients to the food chain. Wageningen Academic Publishers: Wageningen. 2022. 300 p.
ZUIN ZEIDLER, V. G. & KÜMMERER, K., Chemistry and materials science for a sustainable circular polymeric economy. Nature Reviews Materials. 7, 2, p. 76-78, 2022.
FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2022. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022. Repurposing food and agricultural policies to make healthy diets more affordable. Rome, FAO.
UNEP. Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Available in: https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/chemicals-waste/what-we-do/policy-and-governance/green-and-sustainable-chemistry. Access in 02.09.2021.
References
ZUIN ZEIDLER, V. G. Sustainable chemistry and food systems lessons—the same procedure as every year? Science, 383,eado2352 (2024).
SMETANA, S.; ZUIN ZEIDLER, V. & PLEISSNER, D. (Ed.), Waste to food: returning nutrients to the food chain. Wageningen Academic Publishers: Wageningen. 2022. 300 p.
ZUIN ZEIDLER, V. G. & KÜMMERER, K., Chemistry and materials science for a sustainable circular polymeric economy. Nature Reviews Materials. 7, 2, p. 76-78, 2022.
FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. 2022. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022. Repurposing food and agricultural policies to make healthy diets more affordable. Rome, FAO.
UNEP. Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Available in: https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/chemicals-waste/what-we-do/policy-and-governance/green-and-sustainable-chemistry. Access in 02.09.2021.