Nikolaus Schwaiger is a doctoral student doing his Ph.D. studies at the Graz University of Technology at the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology. His work is sponsored by BDI-BioDiesel International AG. He has also studied at the Université de Rennes in Rennes, France as part of an ERASMUS stay. He has a degree from the Technical University Graz in Technical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. In 2009 he completed a diploma thesis for BDI-BioDiesel International. Other work experience includes Sappi Austria, Gratkorn, where he was production operator. He was a member of the EnzyMoto Racing Team for the German ChemCar competition. Nikolaus has a black belt in judo and enjoys ski touring, mountaineering, fishing, and waterskiing.