Mitan Bakhawan, a Kurdish student studying in the Netherlands, has been honored with the renowned Golden Spatula Award, a prestigious prize in the field of chemistry presented by the Royal Dutch Chemical Society (KNCV).
Bakhawan, who recently completed his bachelor’s degree with distinction at a leading university in the city of Nijmegen, earned a spot on the list of the top 10 students for his exceptional thesis. His work, titled “Development of a Lipidomic Workflow to Identify and Quantify Phospholipids Using Electron-Activated Dissociation and Liquid Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry,” was selected from a pool of outstanding research projects. As one of the top three finalists, Bakhawan ultimately claimed first place.
Founded in 1903, the Royal Dutch Chemical Society (KNCV) is the largest professional organization for chemists in the Netherlands. Its members include chemists, biologists, process technologists, and bio-molecular scientists who share a passion for molecular science.
Bakhawan’s thesis, considered one of the most complex topics in chemistry, was overseen by a committee of three professors, who praised the remarkable depth of his research. Writing a thesis of such complexity is a rare achievement for a bachelor’s student.
The Golden Spatula Award was presented to Bakhawan at a ceremony on October 10, 2024. Currently, he is continuing his studies at the University of Amsterdam, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in organic chemistry.