Ben Feringa

Ben Feringa
Born	Bernard Lucas Feringa 18 5, 1951
Birthplace	Barger-Compascuum, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Occupation	Synthetic organic chemist, university professor
Title	Jacobus van 't Hoff Distinguished Professor of Molecular Sciences
Employer	University of Groningen
Known for	Molecular switches and motors, homogeneous catalysis, stereochemistry, photochemistry
Education	PhD, University of Groningen (1978)
Spouse(s)	Betty Feringa
Awards	Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2016), Spinoza Prize (2004), Solvay Prize (2015)
Website	[http://www.benferinga.com/ Official site]

Bernard Lucas "Ben" Feringa (born 18 May 1951) is a Dutch synthetic organic chemist whose work on molecular machines has placed him at the forefront of nanotechnology research. Born in the small village of Barger-Compascuum in the northeastern Netherlands, Feringa rose from rural origins to become one of the most recognized chemists of his generation, culminating in the award of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside Jean-Pierre Sauvage and Sir J. Fraser Stoddart for the design and synthesis of molecular machines. He holds the position of Jacobus van 't Hoff Distinguished Professor of Molecular Sciences at the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, and serves as an Academy Professor of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Feringa's research spans the fields of organic chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, and photochemistry, with particular emphasis on molecular switches and motors, homogeneous catalysis, and stereochemistry. His work has been described in terms of building the world's smallest machines — propeller-driven and four-wheeled molecular vehicles roughly a thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair.

Early Life

Ben Feringa was born on 18 May 1951 in Barger-Compascuum, a small village in the province of Drenthe in the northeastern Netherlands. The region is characterized by its rural, agricultural landscape, and Feringa grew up in this modest setting. In a 2024 interview with the Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS, Feringa reflected on the nature of complexity at the molecular scale, noting that "a single cell is more complex than an entire city," a perspective that speaks to the sense of wonder about the natural world that he has carried since childhood.

Details about Feringa's family background and early formative experiences in Barger-Compascuum are limited in publicly available sources, though his trajectory from a small Dutch village to the Nobel Prize stage in Stockholm has been noted in various profiles as emblematic of the accessibility of scientific careers in the Netherlands' strong public education system. Feringa has spoken publicly about the importance of curiosity and the role that early exposure to nature and science played in shaping his career interests.

Education

Feringa pursued his higher education at the University of Groningen, where he studied chemistry. He remained at the university for his doctoral research, completing his PhD in 1978 under the supervision of Professor Hans Wijnberg. His doctoral thesis, titled "Asymmetric oxidation of phenols. Atropisomerism and optical activity," addressed fundamental questions in stereochemistry — the study of the spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules — and laid the groundwork for the stereochemical and photochemical research that would define his later career.

The University of Groningen and its Stratingh Institute for Chemistry provided the intellectual environment in which Feringa would develop his research programme. His decision to remain closely associated with the university throughout his career, eventually rising to the rank of its most distinguished professorship, reflects the deep connection between Feringa and the institution where he first trained as a chemist.

Career

Early Academic Career and Research at Groningen

Following the completion of his PhD in 1978, Feringa built his academic career at the University of Groningen, where he would establish one of the world's leading research groups in synthetic organic chemistry. His research interests coalesced around several interconnected themes: molecular switches and motors, homogeneous catalysis, stereochemistry, and photochemistry. The Stratingh Institute for Chemistry at Groningen, one of the Netherlands' premier chemistry research centres, served as the base for his laboratory and research group.

Feringa's early work built upon the stereochemical foundations of his doctoral research, exploring how molecular chirality — the property of molecules that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other — could be exploited in catalysis and molecular design. Over time, this interest in controlling molecular geometry evolved into a broader programme aimed at designing molecules capable of controlled, directional motion.

Molecular Machines

The research for which Feringa is best known concerns the design and synthesis of molecular machines — nanoscale devices constructed from individual molecules that can perform mechanical functions when supplied with energy. In 1999, Feringa and his research group achieved a landmark result: the creation of the first molecular motor, a synthetic molecule capable of continuous unidirectional rotation when powered by light. This breakthrough was built on the principles of photochemistry and stereochemistry, exploiting the ability of certain chemical bonds to undergo light-induced isomerization in a controlled, directional manner.

The molecular motors developed by Feringa's group function through a cycle of photochemical and thermal steps. When exposed to ultraviolet light, a carbon–carbon double bond in the molecule undergoes rotation, and subsequent thermal relaxation steps ensure that the rotation proceeds in only one direction. This principle of unidirectional rotation at the molecular level is analogous, in a conceptual sense, to macroscopic motors and represents a fundamental advance in the ability of chemists to control motion at the nanoscale.

Feringa's group subsequently developed increasingly sophisticated molecular machines, including molecular "nanocars" — four-wheeled molecular vehicles capable of moving across surfaces. In his 2024 interview with EL PAÍS, Feringa described these machines as "propeller-driven vehicles or four-wheeled vehicles that are about a thousand times" smaller than visible structures, emphasizing both the technical achievement and the vast potential applications of such devices.

The potential applications of molecular machines are broad, spanning medicine (targeted drug delivery, molecular-scale surgery), materials science (responsive and adaptive materials), and information technology. Feringa has frequently spoken about the long-term potential of this field, drawing analogies to the early days of electrical motors in the 19th century, when the practical applications of such devices were not immediately apparent.

In an April 2025 lecture at the University of Manitoba, Feringa spoke on "the art of building small," discussing the principles and challenges of constructing functional devices at the molecular scale. These public lectures, delivered at institutions around the world, have become a significant part of Feringa's activities since receiving the Nobel Prize.

Homogeneous Catalysis

In addition to his work on molecular machines, Feringa has made substantial contributions to homogeneous catalysis, particularly in the area of asymmetric catalysis — the use of chiral catalysts to produce molecules with a specific three-dimensional arrangement. This research has implications for pharmaceutical synthesis, where the production of molecules with the correct chirality is often essential for biological activity and drug efficacy.

Sustainability and Green Chemistry

In more recent years, Feringa has become an advocate for sustainability in chemical research and practice. In 2024, Chemical & Engineering News reported on efforts by Feringa and his colleagues at the University of Groningen to reduce the carbon footprint of their laboratories, publishing a perspective in the journal RSC Sustainability that examined the environmental impact of research activities.

In June 2025, Feringa was among the chemists involved in the Stockholm declaration, a document urging the chemistry community to contribute to building a more sustainable future. The declaration was spearheaded by Paul Anastas, among others, and called on chemists worldwide to take collective action on environmental challenges.

In his 2017 reflections on his first year as a Nobel laureate, Feringa expressed concern about the failure to solve environmental problems, indicating that sustainability has been a long-standing theme in his public advocacy.

Distinguished Lectures and International Engagement

Since receiving the Nobel Prize, Feringa has been a frequent invited speaker at academic institutions worldwide. In April 2023, he delivered the Spring 2023 Distinguished Lecture at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, where he was introduced as a "nanotechnology pioneer."

In spring 2024, Feringa presented the Allcock Alumni Group Lecture at Penn State University, where he was described as the Jacobus van 't Hoff Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Groningen.

In April 2025, he delivered a lecture at the University of Manitoba on "the art of building small."

These engagements reflect Feringa's continued role as both an active researcher and a public communicator of science, using his platform to promote interest in chemistry and nanotechnology among new generations of students and researchers.

Personal Life

Ben Feringa is married to Betty Feringa. The couple resides in the Netherlands, where Feringa has spent the entirety of his academic career. Details about his personal life beyond his professional activities are limited in public sources, consistent with Feringa's focus on his scientific work and public advocacy for chemistry and sustainability.

In his 2017 interview with Chemical & Engineering News, Feringa discussed the impact of the Nobel Prize on his personal and professional life, noting the increased demands on his time for public speaking, science promotion, and engagement with policymakers, alongside his ongoing research at Groningen.

Recognition

Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2016)

Feringa was awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, shared with Jean-Pierre Sauvage of the University of Strasbourg and Sir J. Fraser Stoddart of Northwestern University, "for the design and synthesis of molecular machines." The Nobel Committee recognized the trio's collective contributions to developing molecules with controllable movements that could perform tasks when energy was added, effectively creating the world's smallest machines. Feringa's specific contribution, the development of the first molecular motor capable of continuous unidirectional rotation, was highlighted as a key advance in the field.

Spinoza Prize

In 2004, Feringa received the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific award in the Netherlands, administered by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). The prize, often referred to as the "Dutch Nobel Prize," is awarded annually to researchers working in the Netherlands who are considered leaders in their field.

Solvay Prize

In 2015, Feringa was awarded the Solvay Prize for Chemistry, recognizing his contributions to the field.

Other Awards and Honours

Feringa has received numerous additional honours over the course of his career:

• The Nagoya Medal of Organic Chemistry (2014), awarded by the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules at Nagoya University, Japan.
• The Grand Prix Scientifique Cino Del Duca, awarded by the Institut de France in 2012.
• The Paracelsus Prize of the Swiss Chemical Society.
• The Prelog Medal from ETH Zurich.
• Honorary membership of the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society (KNCV).
• Appointment as Commander in the Order of the Netherlands Lion following his Nobel Prize award.
• The Evonik Friedrich Bergius Lecture Award, presented in October 2025.

Feringa is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2008, the University of Groningen recognized his contributions to the institution's research profile.

Legacy

Ben Feringa's contributions to chemistry and nanotechnology have had a lasting impact on multiple scientific disciplines. His development of the first synthetic molecular motor in 1999 opened a new field of research and demonstrated that chemists could design and build functional machines at the molecular scale, a concept that had previously been largely theoretical. The 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded jointly to Feringa, Sauvage, and Stoddart, recognized that their collective work had "taken molecular systems out of equilibrium's stalemate and into energy-filled states in which their movements can be controlled."

The research programme Feringa initiated at the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry has produced a large body of work — his publications are extensively indexed in the Web of Science database — and has trained a generation of researchers who continue to work in the fields of molecular nanotechnology, photochemistry, and catalysis. The University of Groningen, in recognition of his role in elevating the institution's international standing, named him the Jacobus van 't Hoff Distinguished Professor of Molecular Sciences, its most prestigious faculty appointment.

Feringa's influence extends beyond the laboratory. His advocacy for sustainability in chemical research, evidenced by his involvement in the 2025 Stockholm declaration and efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of his own laboratories, reflects a broader commitment to the responsible practice of science. His extensive programme of public lectures at universities around the world — from UCLA to Penn State to the University of Manitoba — has made him one of chemistry's most active public communicators.

In interviews, Feringa has consistently emphasized that the field of molecular machines remains in its early stages, drawing parallels to the primitive electric motors of the 19th century and expressing confidence that future generations of chemists and engineers will find transformative applications for molecular-scale devices in medicine, materials science, and beyond. His career, from a small village in Drenthe to the Nobel Prize podium, exemplifies the capacity of fundamental scientific curiosity to yield discoveries of profound significance.