Paulien Harmsen MSc

Paulien Harmsen serves as a Senior Scientist at Wageningen Food and Biobased Research, where she leads groundbreaking research in sustainable materials and biorefinery processes. With a background in chemical engineering, she has established herself as a leading expert in biomass conversion and circular economy solutions. Her significant research contributions include developing innovative approaches for lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment, creating green building blocks for bio-based plastics, and advancing sustainable textile solutions. As Expertise Leader in Biomass Fractionation, she coordinates complex biorefinery projects and shapes strategic initiatives for both natural materials and post-consumer waste streams. Her influential work is evidenced by highly-cited publications, including her groundbreaking paper on physical and chemical pretreatment processes for lignocellulosic biomass and her comprehensive work on green building blocks for bio-based plastics. Recently, she has focused on sustainable textile solutions, publishing significant work on textile recycling options for circular fashion and advocating for the transition from fossil-based to renewable materials in the textile industry. She serves as co-editor of the 'Groene Grondstoffen' (Green Resources) booklet series and contributes to the MOOC "Circular Fashion: Design, Science and Value in a Sustainable Clothing Industry," demonstrating her commitment to education and knowledge dissemination in sustainable materials science.