Dr Verbeek obtained his PhD in Engineering and is currently a Senior Lecturer and the convener of the Chemical & Biological Engineering program at the University of Waikato. He has also won and been nominated for various awards, such as the Bayer Innovators Award in the Agriculture & Environment category. His research into the use of bloodmeal to make bioplastics has been picked up as a commercial business opportunity material can be used in agricultural-type applications such as seedling trays, biodegradable plant pots, pegs and vine clips. He has published several papers on protein plastics and polymer composites and his recent paper on protein extrusion was one of the most downloaded papers in the journal Macromolecular Materials and Engineering.