Stephen J. Picken

Stephen J. Picken is a Full Professor of Polymer Materials at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering, where he leads research in the Advanced Soft Matter (ASM) section. He holds the Chair in Polymer Materials and has been a faculty member since 2000.

His research focuses on the physical structure-property relationships in polymeric and liquid crystalline materials, particularly their mechanical, optical, and functional characteristics. Key areas include ultra-high performance fibers, optical display elements, ionic polymer electrolytes, and self-healing polymer nanocomposites. Recently, his work has shifted toward sustainable materials, especially bio-based polymers sourced from waste treatment processes, such as Kaumera® glycoprotein from wastewater and PHBV from food and agricultural waste.

He obtained his Drs. (MSc) in Solid State & Theoretical Physics from the University of Groningen in 1985, supervised by Prof. W.H. de Jeu and others. He earned his PhD cum laude from Utrecht University in 1990 for his thesis 'Orientational Order in Aramid Solutions', co-supervised by Prof. H.N.W. Lekkerkerker and Dr. M.G. Northolt, while working at Akzo Nobel.

Prof. Picken has published approximately 250 peer-reviewed papers and holds 20 patents in polymer science and technology. His research has industrial and environmental applications, and he has advised the Dutch Polymers Institute and national R&D programs. He teaches in the MST (Leiden-Delft) bachelor’s program and the Materials Science Master’s program, and supervises multiple PhD students.

He is actively involved in multidisciplinary collaborations, particularly in sustainability and advanced materials. His research group, the Picken Group, includes postdocs, PhD candidates, and technical staff, and collaborates with industrial partners such as Slimy Green Stuff B.V.