Prof. Jürgen Karl holds a degree in chemical engineering from Technical University of Munich. In 2007 he bacem Full Professor at the Institute for Thermal Engineering, Graz University of Technology. Since 2011 Prof. Karl heads the Chair of Energy Process Engineering at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany, which is part of the newly founded Energy Campus of Nuremberg (EnCN). As coordinator of several European R&D projects and founder of the start-up company agnion Inc. he was mainly responsible for the development of the Heatpipe Reformer, an innovative indirectly heated steam gasification technology for the synthesis of Second Generation Fuels.

Energetic use of biomass, Combustion and gasification in fluidized beds,Methanation and SOFC fuel cells, Carbon capture and sequestration

Dr. Gokare Aswathanarayana Ravishankar Fellow, Elected 2003 Born in Bangalore, India on 12 February 1954. Educated at Vijaya High School, Bangalore, 1964-68; Vijaya College, Bangalore, 1968-72; Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, 1973-80; B.Sc. 1972; M.Sc. 1975; Ph.D. 1981. Vice-President, R&D (Life Sciences), Dayananda Sagar Institutions, Dr. C.D. Sagar Centre for Life Sciences, Bangalore, 2012 to date. Teaching Assistant, Department of Botany, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Baroda, 1979-80; Crop Plant Physiologist & Head, Agricultural Research Division, M/s Alembic Chemical Company, Baroda, 1980-81; INSA Research Associate, Regional Research Laboratory, Jammu - Tawi, 1981-84; Scientist & Head, Plant Cell Biotechnology Department, CFTRI, Mysore, 1984-2012; Visiting Scientist to Korea Ginseng and Tobacco Research Institute, South Korea, 1984; Visiting Scientist, University of Alabama, Tuskegee, USA, 2000; Visiting Professor: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Ishikawa, 2004; Kaosiung Medical University, Taiwan, 2012; Ural Federal University, Russia, 2013..

Plant biotechnology, algal biotechnology, food biotechnology, plant tissue and cell culture, secondary metabolites, metabolic engineering, biodiversity utilization, biofuels

Dr. Jianbing Li is a professor in the environmental engineering program at the University of Northern British Columbia in Canada. He obtained his PhD degree from the University of Regina in 2003. He has research interests in environmental remediation, energy recovery from waste materials, environmental modeling and risk assessment, and environmental systems analysis. He has published more than 180 journal and conference papers. He served as a guest editor for three international journals, and acted as a committee member for many international conferences. He also serves as a reviewer for many international journals and a variety of national and international research funding organizations.

He has research interests in environmental remediation, energy recovery from waste materials, environmental modeling and risk assessment, and environmental systems analysis

Evgeny Katz received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Frumkin Institute of Electrochemistry (Moscow), Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1983. He was a senior researcher in the Institute of Photosynthesis (Pushchino), Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1983-1991. In 1992-1993 he performed research at München Technische Universität (Germany) as a Humboldt fellow. Later, in 1993-2006, Dr. Katz was a Research Associate Professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. From 2006 he is Milton Kerker Chaired Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science, Clarkson University, NY (USA). He has (co)authored over 440 papers in peer-reviewed journals/books with the total citation more than 30,000 (Hirsch-index 84).

His scientific interests are in the broad areas of bioelectronics, biosensors, biofuel cells and biomolecular information processing.

Dr. Jaya Shankar Tumuluru works as a senior research scientist in the Biofuels Department at the Idaho National Laboratory. He is the principle investigator for the Biomass Size Reduction, Drying and Densification project supported by the Bioenergy Technologies Office at the Department of Energy. His research is focused on biomass pre-treatments and densification technologies. Before he came to INL, Dr. Tumuluru worked as a postdoctoral researcher at University College Cork, Ireland; postdoctoral researcher, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; and research associate, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. His major research areas include biomass densification using pellet mill and briquette press, biomass storage (off-gas measurements and modeling the emission rates), food processing using extrusion technologies, and food storage modeling. Dr. Tumuluru has also worked on experimental data analysis using statistical methods, evolutionary and back propagation algorithms. He received his Ph.D. from the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department at the Indian Institute Technology, Kharagpur, India. He has received numerous honors, including outstanding reviewer for Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, and INL’s Exceptional Contributions Program Award for Outstanding Achievement in Scientific and Technical Publication.

Feedstock particle mechanics, biomass thermal pretreatments, biomass densification, and bioenergy technologies

Professor Ruan is the Director of Center for Biorefining and Professor of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering Department at University of Minnesota, and Fellow of ASABE. He has published over 400 papers in refereed journals, books, and book chapters, and over 300 meeting papers and other reports, and holds many patents. He is also a top cited author in area of agricultural and biological sciences. He has served as guest editor and/or editorial board member of Bioresource Technology, etc. and an Editor-in-Chief and chairman of the board for International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.

Agricultural and biological sciences

Teresita Marzialetti completed her PhD in Chemistry from Universidad de Concepción, Chile, and postdoctoral studies at School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. She is an assistant profesor and the director of Catalysis and Biomass Laboratory at School of Engineering at Universidad de Concepción. She has published more than 30 journal and conference papers and has been serving as peer reviewer of many international journal of repute, and holds two patents. Her research interest is biomass conversion and valorization using thermochemical and biochemical pretreatment and processes involving heterogeneous catalysis. She is been also working on simulation and exergoenergetic analysis of biomass conversion processes.

Her research interest is biomass conversion and valorization using thermochemical and biochemical pretreatment and processes involving heterogeneous catalysis

Dr. Abdeen Mustafa Omer (BSc, MSc, PhD) is an Associate Researcher at Energy Research Institute (ERI). He obtained both his PhD degree in the Built Environment and Master of Philosophy degree in Renewable Energy Technologies from the University of Nottingham. He is qualified Mechanical Engineer with a proven track record within the water industry and renewable energy technologies. He has been graduated from University of El Menoufia, Egypt, BSc in Mechanical Engineering. His previous experience involved being a member of the research team at the National Council for Research/Energy Research Institute in Sudan and working director of research and development for National Water Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Sudan. He has been listed in the book WHO’S WHO in the World 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010. He has published over 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 200 review articles, 7 books and 150 chapters in books.

Renewable energy technologies, energy efficient systems, environment and sustainable development

Dr. Muhammad Farooq is a Researcher at Heriot-Watt University UK in Renewable Energy Engineering with a specific focus on the adsorption and regeneration for Carbon Capture and low-cost Bio-methane production from biogas. He is author of more than 25 Peer Reviewed Research Publications. From 2014-17, he presented research work at various International Conferences. In September 2017, he visited University of Cambridge, UK to attend an International conference funded by UK IBCarb. In April 2017, he was invited as Chair of technical session ''New trends in Biogas Production'' at 3rd International Conference on Biogas Microbiology, held from May 1-3, 2017 in Wageningen, Netherlands. He served as Technical Committee Member of International Conference on Renewable Energy and Conservation (ICREC-2017) held during June 12-14 June, 2017 in Perth, Australia. He is recipient of Travel Grant from UK ADNET to present his research work at International Conference Progress in Biogas held in Stuttgart, Germany from 8-11th March 2017. In October 2016, He was awarded with a Travel Grant by the International scientific committee of ICEEES to present his research results at International Conference on Energy for Environment and Economic Sustainability at Lahore Pakistan. He is recipient of travel grant from UK BBSRC for the oral presentation of his research findings at Biogas Science Conference in Szeged, Hungary held from 21-24th August 2016. In July, he presented his research at AD Network ECR Conference at University of Birmingham, UK supported by BBSRC UK. In June-2016, he attended 4th International Sulics Summer School on CCS Technologies-2016at Sotacarbo Research Center, Carbonia, Italy. In April-2016, he received Neilson Travel Award to attend the International Biomass Conference & Expo (IBCE) as Invited Speaker at Charlotte NC, United States. In Sept- Oct 2015, he visited Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China as Research Exchange Scholar under EU-CO2-TRIP Project funded by Marie Curie Actions IRSES for Clean Coal Energy Generation. In Aug-2015, he presented research findings at International Bio-energy Conference in Valencia Spain. In June-2015, he presented his work at ADBA-2015 held in NEC Birmingham, UK. During 2014, he attended & presented at various conferences in UK including Super-gen Bio-Energy Hub Annual Conference-2014 at Aston Conference Birmingham UK, Energy academy Conference Edinburgh UK and IMPEE Conference Heriot-Watt University, UK. He received UK ESRN Travel award to attend UK Energy Storage Confernce-2014 at University of Warwick UK. He also worked as Volunteer Organizer for Scottish Carbon, Capture and Storage Conference-2014 at Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh, UK.

Renewable Energy Engineering with a specific focus on the adsorption and regeneration for Carbon Capture and low-cost Bio-methane production from biogas

Prof. Octavio Armas graduated as a mechanical engineer at the University of Railway Transport in Moscow, Russia in 1983. From 1985 to 1995 he worked as assistant professor at the Polytechnic University of Havana, Cuba. In 1998 he finished his doctoral thesis at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain) under the supervision of Prof. Francisco Payri at the CMT Motores Térmicos Institute. Currently Prof. Armas works as full professor in thermal machines at the University of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM) at Toledo city (Spain). Likewise, Prof. Armas is the director of both the Research Group in Energy and Environmental processes (GPEM, www.grupogpem.com) and the Institute in research applied to the Aeronautical Industry. Also, he is the coordinator of the Doctoral Program of Sciences and Technologies applied to Industrial Engineering at the UCLM. Prof. Armas, with h index 22, has written more than 75 journal publications registered in Scopus, related to diesel engine operation and efficiency, biofuels, combustion process, pollutant emissions, etc.

Prof. Armas, with index 22, has written more than 75 journal publications registered in Scopus, related to diesel engine operation and efficiency, biofuels, combustion process, pollutant emissions, etc.

Prof. Eduardo Jacob-Lopes is currently associate professor at the Department of Food Technology and Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil. He graduated with a Masters in Food Engineering in Federal University of Rio Grande, doctorate in Chemical Engineering from State University of Campinas and post-doctoral at State University of Campinas. He has more than 15 years of teaching and research experience. He is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies and scientific journals. He has 400 publications/communications which include 5 books, 20 book chapters, 75 original research papers, 290 research communications in international and national conferences and has registered 11 patents. His research interest includes environmental biotechnology with emphasis on microalgal biotechnology

His research interest includes environmental biotechnology with emphasis on microalgal biotechnology

Andréia Anschau received her PhD degree in Chemical Engineering in 2014 at State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil. She became professor at Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology Department at Federal University of Technology (UTFPR) in 2015. Since 2017 she cordinates the Master Program in Biotechnology at UTFPR. Professor Anschau is currently leading a multidisciplinary team of scientists, working in a broad spectrum of interests, focusing on yeast and microalgae fermentation, bioenergy, biomass and bioprocessing. She is working on the utilization of different waste materials as alternative, cheap and renewable substrates for the production of value added products such as biofuels

She is working on the utilization of different waste materials as alternative, cheap and renewable substrates for the production of value added products such as biofuels.

Dr. Mirosław Kwiatkowski in 2004 obtained Ph.D. degree at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, currently he is working as an assistant professor. His published work includes more than 45 papers in reputable international journals and 75 conference proceedings. He is the editor-in-chief International Journal of System Modeling and Simulation (UAE), a member of the twelve editorial board of internationals journals and a regular reviewer in a reputable scientific journals as well as a member of the organizing committees international conferences in Europe, Asia, Australia and United States of America.

Qiang Wang, professor of the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Professor Wang, Qiang obtained his PhD in the Institute of Botany, CAS in June 2002, and was honored at the same time the "Lady Davis Trust Fellowship" of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), and worked later in the United States as Post-Doc and Research Associate in the University of Tennessee, the University Of Arkansas at Little Rock and Michigan State University. His lab at IHB-CAS (from 2010) currently focusing on photosynthesis with the model system of Synechocystis PCC6803, algal biofuel and its application in environmental issues.

photosynthesis with the model system of Synechocystis PCC6803, algal biofuel and its application in environmental issues.

Dr Weilan Shao has completed her PhD degree in 1993 from the University of Georgia, USA; she has worked as a distinguished professor of a few universities in China. Her research mission is to develop feasible and economicly effective approaches for renewing bioenergy. Shao’s group have discovered the repressor/operator system coupling glycolysis and fermentation pathways, and the regulation mechanism of thermophilic ethanol fermentation. Dr Shao also invents new techniques for lignocellulase production and modification, including pHsh gene expression system (US patent), in situ gene random mutagenesis (US patent), and gfa selection marker for the bio-safety of gene modification.

Her current research is mainly focused on the metabolic engineering of extreme thermophiles for cellulosic ethanol fermentation, the development of novel gene expression and evolution techniques for an efficient industrial enzyme production, and the exploration and construction of highly active and thermostable enzymes for the biodegradation of lignocelluloses.

G.Q. Chen is a professor of energy and environmental resources at Peking University, China and a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at King Abudulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. With distinguished contributions as marked by around 300 publications in prestigious journals, Prof. Chen has won a series of awards and honors, including Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researchers Award, Thomson Reuters China Citation Laureate. He served as editor, associate editor or advisory member for 50 international journals.

He served as editor, associate editor or advisory member for 50 international journals.

Dr. Takeshi Sako is professor emeritus at Shizuoka University in Japan. He received his PhD from Tokyo Metropolitan University. He worked on chemical engineering at National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology for 22 years. He became professor at Department of Materials Science and Technology at Shizuoka University in 2000. He was deans of Faculty of Engineering and Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology from 2013 to 2017. He has worked on the supercritical/subcritical fluid technology for more than 30 years. In particular, he is interested in the application of this technology to the field of energy and earth environment. He has studied the production of many kinds of bio-fuels from waste/unused materials, the recycling of waste plastics and the decomposition of toxic substances using supercritical /subcritical water, supercritical methanol and supercritical carbon dioxide. He received the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on “Study of earth environmental protection technology using supercritical/subcritical fluids” in 2011.

He is working on the production of high–quality bio-fuels from refractory organic waste mixtures such as municipal waste and industrial waste using hydrothermal treatment.

Andrea Monti PhD, Full professor in Agronomy and Crop Science. Research field: industrial non-food crops, mainly bioenergy & biorefinery. Head of the Research Group on Industrial Crops (university of Bologna). Presently, he is the general coordinator of the EU-H2020 project: Brazil – Europe Coollaboration on Advanced Lignocellulosic Biofuels (BECOOL, 2017-2021), and local project leader of 4 EU Projects (H2020). Gues editor of 3 special issues in reputed ISI journals. Editor of 4 international books on bioenergy & biorefinery crops. H-index=25.

bioenergy & biorefinery crops

Dr. Hajime Hirao received his BEng and MEng degrees from Kyoto University and his PhD from The University of Tokyo. He underwent his postdoc training at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Emory University, and Kyoto University. Prior to that, he worked for three years on computer-assisted drug design at the Novartis institute in Japan. Before joining City University of Hong Kong, he worked as faculty at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Over the years, he has been interested in computational and theoretical aspects of chemistry, especially chemical reactions. One of the major goals of his research is to figure out how difficult chemical transformations can be achieved using simple catalytic platforms built from earth-abundant elements.

One of the major goals of his research is to figure out how difficult chemical transformations can be achieved using simple catalytic platforms built from earth-abundant elements

Dr. Kaveh Ostad-Ali-Askari is a Ph.D. of Civil Engineering, Postdoctoral Student of Civil Engineering, Department of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Isfahan, Iran. He collaborates as Editorial Board Membership in more than 45 Journals and as reviewers in more than 30 Journals. Currently, Associate, Editor-in-Chief of of IJREH. He has contributed to more than 195 publications in Journals, Books and Technical Reports. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Canadian University Dubai, and American University in Dubai. On the research side, he started a research partnership in 2017 with Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His interested topics including Groundwater Hydrology, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Sustainable Development and Environmental Assessment, Climate and Integrated and Sustainable Water Resource Management, Water System Engineering, Water Resources Planning, Artificial Neural Network and Genetic Algorithm. He has contributed to more than 194 publications in Journals, Books, or as Technical Reports. Currently, he is as Faculty Member of Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Iran.

His interested topics including Groundwater Hydrology, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Sustainable Development and Environmental Assessment, Climate and Integrated and Sustainable Water Resource Management, Water System Engineering, Water Resources Planning, Artificial Neural Network and Genetic Algorithm

Dr. Jagriti Narang has completed his PhD at the age of 29 years from MD university, Rohtak, India. and is working as an Assistant professor in Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, India, and has work experience of more than 8 years. She has authored or coauthored 65 research papers in international peer-reviewed journals. She holds seven patents on biosensors and uses of nanotechnology in molecular techniques. She was awarded a silver medal for extraordinary contribution during her PhD. She has also received prestigious award “Shakuntla Amir chand Award “by ICMR. She has also been project investigator and co-project investigator in two projects by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. She has edited one book and 5 chapters in her credits. She is committee member of many international conferences and is member of Material Research Society of India and Society of Biological Chemistry. She is also editor and peer reviewer of many international journals and has presented her papers on several international platforms. Dr. Narang has done extensive work on the fabrication of various biosensors that are used for measuring serum metabolites like triglycerides, cholesterol, glutathione, peroxides, bilirubin, oxalates, lysine, and ascorbic acid. In the area of drug monitoring, she has done extensive work on anti-HIV, anti-epileptic, and anti-diabetic drugs. She has proposed some laboratory models that can be converted into commercial monitoring devices.

Dr. Narang has done extensive work on the fabrication of various biosensors that are used for measuring serum metabolites like triglycerides, cholesterol, glutathione, peroxides, bilirubin, oxalates, lysine, and ascorbic acid. In the area of drug monitoring, she has done extensive work on anti-HIV, anti-epileptic, and anti-diabetic drugs. She has proposed some laboratory models that can be converted into commercial monitoring devices.

Dr. Said Elshahat Abdallah is working as a Professor of Agricultural Process Engineering, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt. He was born on January 6, 1972. He obtained his Ph. D. degree in Technical Sciences in November 2005 from the Faculty of Design, Don State Technical University, Russia. He prepared many scientific literatures such as Engineering of Food Factories and Dairy Plants, Engineering Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer, introduction to agricultural process engineering, Instrumentation, Properties and Testing of Engineering Materials, Fitting of Curves and Differential Equations and Differentiation & Integration, etc… He published more than thirty research articles in international peerreviewed journals. He supervised, has done and examined about twenty M. Sc. and Ph. D. dissertations. He participated in several either local or international conferences on the topics of Agricultural Process Engineering.He contributed in the attendance of many meetings, workshops and training courses. He was awarded: Food Engineer of the Year Award – 2010; Excellence Award in International Scientific Publication – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; Arab Papers Published on Agriculture – 2012; Egypt 25 Foundation Award – 2012; Who's Who in the World – 2013, 2014 and 2015; 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century – 2013; Top 100 Engineers– 2013; International Biographical Center Man of The Year– 2013; Cambridge Certificate for Outstanding Engineering Achievement – 2013 and Cambridge Certificate for Outstanding EducationalAchievement – 2013. He served as: Editor-in-Chief; Associate Editor; Editorial Board Member; Food Expert; Reviewer, etc… in more than five hundred international peer-reviewed journals.

Agricultural Process Engineering; Postharvest Technology; Bioengineering; Food & Dairy Engineering; Agro-Industrial Waste Management; Process and Bioprocess Engineering; Thermal & Non-Thermal Process Engineering; Agricultural Production Engineering; Postharvest operations Engineering; Composting and Vermicomposting Process; Non-Conventional Forages Processing; Farm Wastes Bioconversion; By-Products Recycling Engineering.

Mr. Muhammad Usman, Former Director General of Agricultural Research System, Government of Pakistan who retired from service after a spotless career of about 35 years with senior level experience on research and development of integrated agricultural production particularly biofuels and bioenergy on a sustainable way. Mr. Usman is basically an agricultural scientist with specialization of agricultural, food and biochemistry working on the yield and quality of various products and published several research papers.Mr. Usman is consider as the senior most scientist in the world, always participated in the international conferences as a keynote speech, renowned speaker, organizing committee member as well as moderator of the conferences around the world. Mr. Usman has established “Prominent Agro Based Industries SDN BHD”, “Agro Based Industries and Consultancy SDN BHD” in Malaysia and “Foundation for Rural Development in Pakistan”, with primarily aims to work on integrated agricultural project for Rural Development through improvement in agriculture and consultancy services to the formers at Malaysia.

Mr. Usman is basically an agricultural scientist with specialization of agricultural, food and biochemistry working on the yield and quality of various products and published several research papers.

Prof. Yogesh C. Sharma comleted his Ph.D. (Applied Chemistry) in 1991 from Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India and Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in 2010. He has published important articles in the area of Biodiesel synthesis and characterization and has seceral highly cited articles to his credit. He has ~ 5000 SCOPUS citations and an h index of 40. He was elected as Fellow, Royal Societyu of Chemistry (FRSC,UK) in 2014 and as Fellow, Biotech. Research Society of India (FBRS). He is editorial board member of several reputed journals and has authored sevaral books.

He has published important articles in the area of Biodiesel synthesis and characterization and has seceral highly cited articles to his credit.

Rajai Atalla, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering and Chemical Physics, University of Delaware. Has 40+ years of experience in research on cellulosics and lignocellulosics. Pioneered application of Raman and Solid State 13C NMR spectroscopy for characterizing molecular organization of celluloses, both in their native states and after modification by traditional industrial processes. His pioneering work led to discovery of the occurrence of native celluloses as composites of the I/alphaand I/beta forms. Served as consultant to many companies in the forest products and cellulosics sectors. Has undertaken research under contract for National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and served as member of working group for US Department of energy. After a period in the private sector, served as Professor of Engineering and Chemical Physics at Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton, Wisconsin. In 1989 became Head of Chemistry and Pulping Research at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin and Adjunct Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Established Cellulose Sciences International (CSI) in 2007 to undertake research for NREL and develop the CSI process. Well over 200 peer reviewed publications, book chapters and patents. Currently editing proceedings of a symposium on Nano-Cellulosics.

Innovations based on a new process for producing a previously unknown nanoporous form of cellulose; the process is carried out at ambient temperature and pressure. We currently concentrate on two areas. The first is adding value to agricultural residues, making them much more digestible by ruminant animals. The second is enabling enzymatic conversion to monosaccharides for production of biofuels and bio-based chemicals far more rapidly than when the residues are pretreated at elevated temperatures as is common in the majority of current commercial ventures.

Dr. Donald L. Rockwood, President of Florida FGT LLC, has over 30 years of experience on the development and use of Eucalyptus amplifolia, E. grandis, Corymbia torelliana, Populus deltoides, cypress, and slash pine hybrids in Florida and elsewhere. Also Professor Emeritus at the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, he is actively involved with the genetic improvement of several Short Rotation Woody Crop (SRWC) species, including the commercial release of E. grandis cultivars, and with research on and the development of SRWC systems using these species.

Carlo Perego (Carnate, Milan, Italy, 1954), Director of the Centre for Renewable Energy and Environmental R&D (eni SpA, Istituto Donegani, Novara), has been carrying out research activities in chemical and oil companies for nearly 37 years. Carlo received the laurea in Industrial Chemistry in 1978 from the State University of Milan and a Post-Degree Specialization Certificate in R&D Management at the Bocconi University of Milan. He started working in catalysis during his laurea thesis, with pioneering experiments on the insertion of CO2 in butadiene catalyzed by Pd(0) complexes. Those researches draw the attention of Montedipe SpA , the petrochemical company of Montedison Group, the largest Italian chemical company. So Carlo was hired at the R&D Center of Montedipe in Bollate, when he began his professional career in industrial research and development (1980). During the stay in Montedipe, Carlo contributed to the optimization of several catalytic processes, including the phenol and styrene processes. After a further experience as pilot plant manager in a small chemical company (3V Sigma, 1989), Carlo moved to Eniricerche, the R&D Corporate Company of the Eni Group (1990), as Group Leader for Catalytic Processes and Catalyst Preparation. He was then appointed Manager of the Physical Chemistry Department and in 2005 he became Manager of the R&D Process Technology Department in Eni Refining and Marketing Division. In January 2007 he had the responsibility of setting up and organizing a new R&D group focused on renewable energy and environmental technologies. Since 2008 he is the Director of Eni Renewable Energy and Environmental R&D Center (Novara, Italy). The research studies carried on by Carlo have been the basis for important technologies, which have been industrialized in the petrochemistry and refinery fields. His main technical-scientific discipline is heterogeneous catalysis: in this area, Carlo has led several activities about innovative processes and innovative catalysts, especially for applications like alkylation of aromatic substrates, hydroconversion, valorization of heavy refinery residues, advanced biofuels. These R&D activities in different scientific areas have all the common feature of aiming at technologies, which can be more sustainable in terms of increasing energy efficiency, decreasing the yields of unwanted by-products, ensuring a better use of energy sources. Particularly relevant is the replacement of the old catalysts based on mineral acids with a new generation of zeolite-based catalysts in the processes for the production of important intermediates like cumene and ethyl-benzene. Besides Carlo contributed to the development of the eni/UOP EcofiningTM process for the production of greendiesel from triglycerides. More recently, under the direction of Carlo, the Renewable Energy and Environmental R&D Centre is carring out different reseach programmes devoted to the development of new process and products for the exploitation of solar energy, the transformation of biomass into biofuels, the enviroment protection.

Michael Wild, economist and engineer by education, is active in renewable energies for practically his entire 26 years professional career. He has pioneered Biomass fired district heating systems in Austria and conversion of coal fired systems to biomass in former socialist countries. The first internet based biomass trading platform (ABEX) was started by him in 1999. Until 2010 he led the international biomass trading company EBES creating numerous intercontinental supply chains for many types of biomass from Asia and Northamerica towards Europe and within Asia to Japan. Beside other biomasses he initiated the acceptance of Palm Kernel Shell as energy carrier and implemented the first supply chains from Indonesia to Europe and Japan. From 2007 he took a leading position in torrefaction technology development forming also a consortium with Andritz AG. In 2012 he helped setting up the International Biomass Torrefaction Council IBTC within AEBIOM whose members elected him president. He is actively supporting producers and trading houses developing their trade into Europe acting as their European Sales Manger. Co-founder of Carbon Wealth, a company to “convert atmospheric CO2 into a fuel via Skymining©.

Henrik V. Scheller is a senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Adjunct Professor at Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, and Adjunct Professor at Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen. He earned his Ph.D. in Plant Biochemistry from The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark, after completing a degree in biology at University of Copenhagen. Henrik V. Scheller was professor of molecular plant biology at University of Copenhagen until before joining Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to work at the Joint BioEnergy Institute where he is Head of the Feedstocks Division. JBEI is a research center with the task of doing the fundamental research that will enable generation of advanced biofuels from optimized bioenergy plants. Henrik V. Scheller’s research is focused on the biosynthesis and function of plant cell wall polysaccharides. The cell wall has many functions in the growth and development of plants, and in the interactions with the environment, including pathogenic organisms and beneficial microbes such as mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Scheller’s research is centered on understanding the biochemistry and regulation of cell wall biosynthesis and on determining the functional role of specific cell wall polymers. He is also engaged in research aimed at engineering plants with improved properties as feedstocks for production of biofuels and bioproducts.

Biosynthesis of the plant cell wall, glycosyltransferases, plant biotechnology.


Dr Malgorzata Slupska has completed PhD at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Sciences at Warsaw, Poland and postdoctoral studies at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and University of California Los Angeles, CA. For over 15 years she worked in the area of biofuels at biotech companies (Diversa and Verenium, San Diego, CA), BP Biofuels (San Diego, CA) and currently she is a Lignocellulosic Research Director at POET (Sioux Falls, SD). Dr. Slupska has published more than 20 scientific papers and coauthored 12 patents and patent applications.

Seema Singh is a distinguished member of the technical staff at the Sandia National Laboratories, CA and director of the biomass pretreatment at the Joint Bioenergy Institute. For the past decade, she has been developing novel pretreatment technologies based on ionic liquids. She has developed ‘hybrid chem-bio’ approaches and ‘syn-bio tools’ for lignin valorization and single cell technologies for in-situ examination of algal oil. She serves as the organizing committee member of the Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals and Asia-Pacific Conference on Ionic Liquid and Green Processes as well as associate editor and editorial board member of Frontiers in Bioenergy and Biofuels, and Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology respectively. She recently edited the book on “Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass in a Biorefinery: From Logistics to Environmental and Performance Impact” and contributed book chapters in Ionic Liquids in the Biorefinery Concept: Challenges and Perspectives and Biofuels for Aviation

Bioenergy,Biofuels

Animesh Dutta is an Associate Professor and Director of Bio-renewable Innovation Lab, and Associate Director, Graduate studies with the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph. Dr Dutta is specialized in advanced energy systems and thermo-fluid science with hands-on experience in reactor design and pilot plant operation, design and performance of various tests in laboratory scale and pilot scale units, thermal design and process development. In his career, he has published over 75 peer-reviewed journal papers, 3 book chapters, and has roughly 85 conference publications and reports.

His current research is focussed on thermochemical conversion (gasification, combustion, torrefaction, hydrothermal carbonization and liquefaction) and characterization of agri-residue, biomass, and waste (MSW, Bio-solids) for fuel and energy, and design and optimization of advanced energy systems. He is committed to developing an innovative research program on energy and other value-added products from biomass and waste materials

Dr. Hosseini has earned both his PhD and MS degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Akron, in Ohio, USA. He has also completed an MSE degree in Manufacturing Engineering at UTRGV in Texas, USA, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. Dr. Hosseini has edited book and book chapters, co-invented patents application technologies, and authored multiple peer reviewed research articles. He has served as a key speaker at national and international conferences and meetings and has been actively engaged in technology development. He is a persistent reviewer of leading international journals.

Dr. Hosseini’s research interests include biofuels and bioenergy, bioprocess engineering and development, sustainability, biomanufacturing, bionanotechnology, bio/nanomaterials, smart polymers, and synthesis of nanoparticles for environmental and health applications

Prof. Daniela Thrän studied environmental engineering at the Technical University of Berlin. After completion, she obtained her PhD at the University of Weimar, Germany. Daniela Thrän is an accomplished researcher, having held positions at both the University of Potsdam and Stuttgart. In 2003, she became the Department Head of “Bioenergy Systems” at DBFZ - Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gGmbH (former: IE Leipzig gGmbH). In 2011 she also took the lead of the newly established department „Bioenergy“ at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH (UFZ). Professor Thrän is currently leading a multidisciplinary team of about 50 scientists, working in a broad spectrum of interests, investigating different national and international research projects focusing on areas of; biomass potentials, bioenergy pathways and their assessment, standardisation of solid biofuels material flow management and sustainability assessment. She is the author of more than 100 publications in the bioenergy sector. Since the end of 2011 Daniela Thrän holds the chair „Bioenergy Systems“ at the University of Leipzig. Prof. Thrän is a member of the German Bioeconomy Council of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Energy Council of Saxony (Germany). As well she participates in various working groups, both national, such as the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) and international, such as, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), of the International Energy Agency (IEA Bioenergy Task 40) and European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP).

Francisco García-Labiano, Graduate in Chemistry, MsC in Chemical Engineering, completed his Ph.D in 1992 at University of Zaragoza, Spain. He is Scientific Researcher at the Instituto de Carboquímica in Zaragoza, belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). His research has been always close linked to environmental challenges in energy production processes. In fact, he has long experience in the development of clean coal technologies, such as sulfur removal during combustion/gasification processes in fluidized beds. Since 2000 he is involved in the development of the Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) process, one of the most promising technologies within the area of CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) aiming to reduce global warming. He is author of more than 150 publications in international peer reviewed journals, 3 patents and several book chapters. Special highlight requires the review entitled “Progress in Chemical-Looping Combustion and Reforming technologies” published in 2012. During last years he has been actively engaged in the use of renewable fuels, such as biomass, bioethanol, etc. in Chemical Looping processes (bio-CLC) with the main objective to reach negative CO2 emissions in energy processes. He was recognized as Highly Cited Researcher by Thomson Reuters within engineering area in years 2015 and 2016, which means to be among the top 1% most cited in their specific field over a period of 10 years.

Prof. Sudip Rakshit is a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Bioenergy and Biorefining processes attached to the Biorefining Research Institute and the Department of Chemical Engineering at Lakehead University, Canada. He completed his PhD program from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi India, were a pilot plant for the production of 100 litres of absolute of bioethanol per day was set up in 1987. He subsequently joined the Chemical Engineering faculty of IIT, Madras. In 1995, he joined the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) as a Professor in Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology. He served at the VP Research for the institute from 2005 to 2012, before moving to Canada. He has supervised more than a 100 graduate students and has more than 120 publications in international peer reviewed journals.

The overall focus of Dr. Rakshit’s present research is in the area of production of value added platform chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. His research group study the possibility of producing these material from the sugar stream, hemicellulose and cellulose components, obtained by the pretreatment of woody biomass. Studies on the separation and use of high value extractives from the bark is also being assessed. The utilization of the crude glycerol, a byproduct of the biodiesel industry, form the production of bioplastics have yielded some interesting results. The design of such processes which can be integrated into existing plants are assessed for the economics and environmental impacts as they are considered important for economic feasibility.

ELIO SANTACESARIA Achieved Master in Chemistry degree at the University of Pavia, thesis performed under the guidance of the Nobel Prize “Giulio Natta”. Researcher at the Polytechnic of Milan from 1969 until 1986.Full professor of Industrial Chemistry at the University of Naples from 1986 until 2012.He has been the founder of GICI the Italian Group of Colloid and Interphase Science of the Italian Chemical Society and has been the Coordinator of this Group for more than ten years (1985 - 1995). He is a member of the Italian Chemical Society SCI, of the Italian Association of Chemical Engineers (AIDIC), of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and of the International Association of Colloids and Interphase (IACIS) and of IUPAC. He had been organizer of many national and international Congresses, workshops and post-doctoral schools.He has been member of the Scientific Committee of the Industrial Chemistry Division of the Italian Chemical Society for 10 years. He has then been elected President of the Industrial Chemistry Division of the Italian Chemical Society for the period 2004-2006 renowned for the 2007-2009 and member of the Council as Past President in 2010-2012.He has been President of the Council of the Industrial Chemistry Degree Course at the University of Naples from 1994 until 2009. In 2011 he was awarded from Italian Chemical Society with the Gold Medal entitled to the italian chemist “Emanuele Paternò” for the great contribution given to the Industrial Chemistry.In 2016 was awarded the Italian Group of Catalysis of the Italian Chemical Society with the Giacom Fauser plaque and related Conference.He has collaborated with many Italian and foreign chemical industries.He has published more than 250 papers on qualified journals related to subjects of: catalysis, kinetics, mass transfer, reactor design and simulation and separation science. He is coauthor of more than 30 Patents. After the retirement from the University of Naples at the end of 2012 he becomes CEO of the spin-off company Eurochem Engineering srl.

Professor Yulin Deng received his Ph.D. at Manchester University, United Kingdom in 1992. After he worked as a postdoc research fellow at McMaster University in Canada, he was appointed as an assistant professor at Institute of Paper Science and technology (IPST) in 1995, and promoted to associate professor in 1998. He was moved to Georgia institute of Technology in 2003, and promoted as a full professor in 2008. Dr. Deng is a Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science, and hold a James C. Barber Faculty Fellow position at Georgia Institute of Technology. He received AIChE Chase Award in 2013. He is a member of ACS, AIChE and TAPPI. He is also an associate editor of 3 journals, and serves as the editorial board member for another five journals. He published more than 250 peer reviewed papers covering the areas of biomass, biofuel, fuel cell, nanosceince and nanotechnology, and nanoelectronics.

Nanomaterial synthesis and self‑assembling, Biofuel and biomass materials Sustainable energy: fuel cell and solar cell Polymer Papermaking and paper recycling

Professor Ashwani Kumar MSc (Botany) Gold Medal, Ph.D. (1971) University of Rajasthan. Awarded Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship Germany, Visiting Professorship JSPS Japan, U.K. INSA-DFG Germany. Worked in areas of plant pathology, physiology, renewable sources of energy, biofuel biotechnology, photosynthetic carbon fixation in C3 and C4 plants with support of projects granted by UGC., USDA-ICAR., MNES, CSIR, DST and DBT and FACT. Visited USA, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, UK , Japan, France, Sweden, Spain and Portugal for research. Published around 180 papers in National and International journals. Fellow of various societies FBS, FPSI, FISMPP and FMA. Guided research to 39 students to Ph.D. Consultant of World Bank Project sanctioned to SPRI-HPPI and Biodis Spain. Published 16 books including Plant Tissue Culture A tool in Biotechnology Basics and application and edited book on Fern Biotechnology both by Springer. He also has another 14 books mainly in the field of Biotechnology to his credit. He was awarded V Puri Medal 2008 for Botany and CEE award for excellence in teaching and research 2015.

plant pathology, plant tissue culture and morphogenesis, plant biotechnology, plant physiology, pharmacognostisc and ethnobotany and renewable sources of energy

Prof. (Dr.) Yogender Kumar Yadav received his Ph.D. in Energy Studies from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and at present he is the Director General, Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy (an Autonomous Institution of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India), Kapurthala, Punjab (India). Prof. Yadav has been actively engaged in research, teaching, consultancy, administration and management in the field of renewable energy for the last more than two decades.Prof. Yadav had been the Chairman, Energy Forum at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Associate Editor, Energy for Journal of Agricultural Engineering. Currently he serves on a large number of expert committees and national/international panels dealing with renewable energy. He Chaired the Technical Session of the World Renewable Energy Congress IV at Denver, USA and was the Member of International Steering Committee of World Renewable Energy Forum 2012. Presently, he is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Biofuels and Bioenergy.Prof. Yadav is the recipient of Distinguished Service Award of Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers for ‘Energy in Agriculture’ and has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Excellence Award 2012 for Research and Innovation in recognition of his research in the field of Renewable Energy at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Prof. Yadav has been awarded the World Renewable Energy Network Pioneer Award (WREN Pioneer Award 2014) by the World Renewable Energy Council/ Network for his global contributions in the field of renewable energy and the award was conferred upon him at the World Renewable Energy Congress XIII during August 3-8, 2014 at Kingston University, London, United Kingdom

renewable energy technologies ,Advancements in biofuels and bioenergy research.

Prof. Rajasekhar Balasubramanian has been a faculty member at NUS since 1996. Prior to joining NUS, he worked at the New York State Department of Health and at Brookhaven National Research Laboratory, USA as a scientist. Prof. Bala has broad research experience and interests ranging across: Urban Air Quality, Climate Change Mitigation, Bioenergy, Health Risk Assessment and Urban Sustainable Environment. He has led several multi-national, multi-disciplinary research projects successfully over the years. His research has resulted in more than 200 international journal articles. In recognition of his excellence in research and teaching, Prof. Bala has received a number of research and educator awards.speaker/participant at the Atmospheric Chemistry Colloquium for Emerging Senior Scientists (ACCESS I), MIT, Boston, USA (1991); this selection was made based on the quality and impact of my PhD thesis. Best Paper Award, Tenth Regional IUAPPA Conference, Istanbul, Turkey (1997) Prestigious Publication Award, The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (2001) Best Paper Award, The Health Sciences Authority-National University of Singapore (HSA-NUS) Symposium on Environmental Health (2005) Best Paper Award (Oral Presentation) at the 60th International Scientific Symposium, hosted by the Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine (COFM), NUS, 2008. Certificate of Appreciation from the America Chemical Society in recognition of my valuable contributions and dedicated service to the peer review of manuscripts submitted to ACS journals (2012). Certificate of Merit Award, Division of Environmental Chemistry, American Chemical Society (October 2013).

Aerosol Science &Technology,Ambient Air Quality, Atmospheric Kinetics &Photochemistry

Dr. Ajay K. Dalai, P.Eng., FRSC (Canada), FRSC (UK), FEIC, FCIC, FCAE, FAIChE, FIIChE completed his Ph.D in 1990 from University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Chemical Engineering.He has many honours like Fellow, The Chemical Institute of Canada, 2012,Fellow, The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 2013,Fellow, Royal Society of Canada, 2014,Fellow, The Engineering Institute of Canada, 2011,Petro-Can Young Innovator Award ,1999,apanese Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship, 1999,Kentucky Colonel Award, in recognition of Research Contributions of Gas to Liquid Technologies at the Centre for Applied Energy Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA, 2004

The production of fuels and fuel additives from fats and low-grade oils and biomaterials, energy from waste biomass, and liquid fuels from “syngas.”

Dr. S.Gobi Krishnan, aged 40, is an industry expert in Bioenergy and Renewable Energy, particularly in Enhanced Landfill Mining. He has served various regions extensively in bioenergy and renewable energy, particularly Japan, Europe, India and South East Asia. He is experienced in solar PV and all forms of renewable heat generation. He is someone who is able to translate the language of technology spoken by the industry into practical business benefits for all stakeholders in the society. He is currently the Advisory Board Member of the South East Asia Landfill Mining Association, an effort dear to this heart as he seeks to expand the level of awareness in landfill mining and also in doing away with landfills and dump sites in South East Asia. He is the pioneer and industry expert in Enhanced Landfill Mining in South East Asia, and often becomes industry reference in this field. He is also experienced in landfill leachate management, biological waste treatment processes and wastewater residuals treatment

• Plan and coordinate various waste management and recycling projects. • Identify and quantify wastes. • Coordinate the documentation required to label, move, track, and report waste and waste initiatives. • Evaluate waste management options and apply a waste hierarchy model in order to reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, and dispose of waste material. • Conduct research and analytical studies on a variety of waste management programs and issues. • Investigate the life expectancy of consumable products and recommend options for more economical and environmentally friendly materials or processes. • Work with company personnel in developing an appropriate and user-friendly waste management system. • Assist in budget preparation and administration, including determining financial methods, procedures, and costs pertaining to environmental compliance and waste management services. • Provide waste management training to clients and staff.

Dr. Lew Christopher holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. degree in Biotechnology. He has more than 25 years of industrial and academic experience in the field of industrial biotechnology and bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass. He has worked as industrial research scientist and held faculty positions in departments of biotechnology, chemical and biological engineering, and environmental engineering in South Africa and USA. Currently he serves as Director of the Biorefining Research Institute leading an interdisciplinary team of faculty and researchers from several science and engineering departments at Lakehead University in Canada. His research mission is to add value to the global Bioeconomy by applying an integrated biorefinery approach to the development of renewable energy technologies. Dr. Christopher is a member of the editorial board of several international biotechnology journals, advisory boards, and professional societies. He has made over 400 scientific contributions to the field of Biomass Biorefining including 8 patents, 4 books, and over 50 invited lectures delivered in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America.

Dr. Silvio Silvério da Silva is the Associate Professor and Head at Department of Biotechnology, Engineering School of Lorena, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He completed his doctorate in Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of São Paulo (USP) and Gesellschaft Fuer Biotechnologishe Forshung (GBF), Germany in 1994. Prof. Silva offers the consulting services to various scientific journals, ad hoc institutions and biotechnological industries. He has published more than 150 papers in peer reviewed international journals and presented more than 455 papers in international conference proceedings. He has also 18 book chapters to his credit. He has edit 3 international books and recorded two patents on technological processes for xylitol production. Prof. Silva has guided, 04 post-doc, 11 doctoral students, 26 masters’ dissertations and 58 scientific initiation students in the area of Applied Microbiology, Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology. He has successfully completed 19 research projects funded by Brazilian Government and private funding agencies, including International Cooperative Projects. He got recognized some important Awards on biotechnology field. His area of research is Micro-biotechnology harnessing since last 25 years specifically on the potential of lignocellulosic feedstock for the production of Xylitol and bioethanol. For the exchange of scientific knowledge on the various aspects of xylitol production, he has visited several international research institutions of several countries.

Prof. Qu graduated from Shandong University in 1974, and got his Ph.D. there in 1986. He became a research assistant in 1981, and became full professor in 1993 in Shandong University. During those years, he had been a visiting scholar in Osaka University, The University of Tokyo, Lund University and Kyoto University. His main research interest is biodegradation and bioconversion of lignocellulosics by microorganisms. With cooperation of his colleagues, more than 300 papers and 10 books were published in his research fields. He was elected as Vice President of Chinese Society for Microbiology in 2006 and Advisory Board Member of Asia Federation of Biotechnology in 2010.

Prof. (Dr.) Yogender Kumar Yadav received his Ph.D. in Energy Studies from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and at present he is the Director General, Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy (an Autonomous Institution of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India), Kapurthala, Punjab (India). Prof. Yadav has been actively engaged in research, teaching, consultancy, administration and management in the field of renewable energy for the last more than two decades. He developed and taught renewable energy courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students at CCS Haryana Agricultural University Hisar (India) and established the Department of Energy at Tezpur University, Assam (India) offering postgraduate programme in Renewable Energy. During his career he has made significant contributions to the advancement of renewable energy technologies and has more than 100 research publications in the international/national journals of repute and conferences in addition to writing teaching text on Renewable Energy. Prof. Yadav has been the Project Coordinator of Haryana State for the Government of India sponsored project on Integrated Rural Energy Programme (IREP) for meeting out rural energy needs through optimum mix of conventional and renewable energy sources with special emphasis on biomass and bio-energy. He has completed several research projects including the ICAR All India Coordinated Research Project on Renewable Energy Sources as Principal Investigator. Prof. Yadav had been the Chairman, Energy Forum at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Associate Editor, Energy for Journal of Agricultural Engineering. Currently he serves on a large number of expert committees and national/international panels dealing with renewable energy. He Chaired the Technical Session of the World Renewable Energy Congress IV at Denver, USA and was the Member of International Steering Committee of World Renewable Energy Forum 2012. Presently, he is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Biofuels and Bioenergy. Prof. Yadav is the recipient of Distinguished Service Award of Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers for ‘Energy in Agriculture’ and has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Excellence Award 2012 for Research and Innovation in recognition of his research in the field of Renewable Energy at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Recently, Prof. Yadav has been awarded the World Renewable Energy Pioneer Award (WREN Pioneer Award 2014) by the World Renewable Energy Council/ Network for his global contributions in the field of renewable energy and the award was conferred upon him at the World Renewable Energy Congress XIII during August 3-8, 2014 at Kingston University, London, United Kingdom.

Prof. Praveen Kumar Ramanujam is currently is working as Head of the Department in Department of Biotechnology, Arunai Engineering College, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu, India. He has published 18 research papers in renowned journals and 1 book. He was the chair for 1st International Conference on Bioenergy, Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST2013) and organized various national level symposiums and conferences. He is also the chair for 2nd International Conference on Bioenergy, Environment and Sustainable Technologies (BEST2015) which is going to be held during 28-31 January 2015. He served as International Scientific Advisory Committee member in “The 2012 Asian Biohydrogen and Bioproducts Symposium (ABBS)” conducted by Chongqing University, on November 9-12, 2012 in Chongqing, China. He has visited various countries including USA, Australia, China, Italy & Bangladesh to attend various conferences. He has chaired sessions and delivered invited talks in various International conferences which include “World Renewable Energy Congress – Australia 2013” and “International Conference on Advances in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics organized by Dr. DY Patil University– ICABB2013”. He had done provisional registration for patent for his work on “Production of Paper from Algae”. He is a life member in various professional societies which includes Biotech Research Society of India (BRSI), Indian Institute of Chemical Engineering (IICHE), International Forum on Industrial Bioprocesses (IFIBiop), Biogas Forum of India (BigFin), Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), Engineers Without Borders, India (EWBIndia).Currently he is serving as Management council member in Biotech Research Society of India

She obtained a Master on Environmental Science in 2005 by the Universidad Jaime I of Castellón. In 2009, she got her PhD with European Mention in Microbiology at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid with a thesis work entitled “Bioethanol production from wheat straw: strategies for process integration”. During her PhD studies she was visiting student at the Technical University of Denmark (Lyngby, Dinamarca) and at Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden) where she worked with xylose fermenting yeasts optimizing its utilization for bioethanol production as well as improving its tolerance to inhibitors by evolutionary engineering. After her PhD, she worked as a Postdoctoral project assistant for almost two years at CIEMAT in the Biofuels Unit. From March 2011 to February 2013 she worked as Postdoctoral Researcher in the Industrial Biotechnology Group at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden where she evaluated and developed xylose fermenting yeast strains to further improve sugar consumption capacity, robustness and inhibitor tolerance. At Chalmers, she also supervised Master Thesis and gave lectures in PhD courses. She has been working in the bioethanol field since 2005. She has studied different configuration processes, optimized process conditions and done studies on yeast physiology, adaptation and propagation. She has participated in European and National R&D projects and she has presented the obtained results in International and National Conferences in different posters as well as oral presentations. Dr. Tomás-Pejó is co-author of more than 30 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and co-inventor of 2 patents. She is part of the Editorial Advisory Board of the open access journal “Bioethanol” and acts as reviewer of international journals.