Monica Ek, professor at KTH, is awarded the 2021 Ekman Medal for her contributions to research, education and collaboration in the forest industry-related research.
The motivation, announced at the Ekmandagarna 2022 conference, included Monica Ek’s achievements as academic researcher and innovator in the field of biorefinery with the valorisation of residues from forestry, such as bark.
In the education, Monica has made major contributions in the development of the undergraduate and doctoral education, not least by the Ljungberg textbook, supported by the Ljungberg Foundation, which is used in education both nationally and internationally.
Parts of Monica Ek’s current research on bark valorization are conducted within the Wallenberg Wood Science Center and the OptiBark project. Her research on cellulose chemistry is also the basis for the start-up FineCell.
The Ekman Medal is awarded by the Swedish Paper and Cellulose Engineers Association (SPCI) since 1929. The medal can, on the board’s proposal, be awarded to a person for meritorious technical or scientific contributions within the association’s area of work. The medal is awarded in memory of Carl Daniel Ekman (1845-1904) who was the first to use the sulphite method on an industrial scale for pulp production.
A list of all previous recipients of the Ekman Medal can be found here.
