Peter Nesvadba received the Ciba R&D Awards in 1998, 2001 and 2004. He evokes how he was attracted to chemistry: ”I like very much nature and mountains. From this originates my interest for natural sciences. For me, there is no contradiction between nature and chemistry. When I was twelve, I built my own laboratory at home.” Peter joined Ciba in 1987 and has worked since then together with his assistant, Lucienne Bugnon, on the development of several new products such as new stabilizers for polymers or initiators for nitroxide mediated controlled radical polymerization.

Peter Nesvadba with his assistant, Lucienne Bugnon

During a stay in the US Peter helped to develop some new polymerization inhibitors. Such compounds are needed during the production of polymers to prevent their undesired premature polymerization. Peter Nesvadba currently works on polymerization regulators and other curing agents in Switzerland. The regulators allow the creation of special polymers with a precisely defined molecular architecture. In the course of this research he found compounds that behave similarly to peroxides.

He describes the research process: “We get objectives from marketing or we directly approach them with ideas. Before starting work, we carefully study the literature to find out what is known about a particular topic. But it is important to keep in mind that chemical discoveries and new products are made in the laboratory and not in meetings. Whenever I can, I put on my labcoat and do chemistry, myself. During the research process itself, unexpected things happen. I always say: you can plan the research - but not the result! However, you have to be prepared to see the unexpected, to ask yourself every day: What if? Why not? We are lucky to have this freedom to explore new ideas at Ciba.”

Peter is also lecturing polymer chemistry at Fribourg University in Switzerland, passing on some of his great enthusiasm to his students. In 2007, he obtained his habilitation from this university.