Program & Speakers

Dave Chadwick is an Agriculture and Environmental Scientist with research interests that include sustainable use of nutrient inputs, diffuse pollution measurements (to soil, air and water) and the testing of mitigation strategies in different farming systems. He is Professor of Sustainable Land Use systems at Bangor University, and led the Defra/Devolved Administrations-funded InveN2Ory project (AC0116) to improve the nitrous oxide component of the UK’s agriculture greenhouse gas inventory and was PI of the NERC-funded Uplands-N2O project (NE/M015351/1) to determine factors that control nitrous oxide emissions from urine patches in extensively grazed upland systems. He is Co-I of two of the UKRI (BBSRC)-funded Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrator projects (Peatlands, https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/ggr-peat, BB/V011561/1 and Biochar, https://biochardemonstrator.ac.uk/, BB/V011596/1) and he co-leads the GCRF-funded project, Do agricultural microplastics undermine food security and sustainable development in developing countries? (NE/V005324/1; https://www.gcrf-agriplastics.uk/).

Dave has published >300 refereed papers and also contributes to policy and practice. He has contributed to previous sections of RB209 (The Nutrient Management Guide) on Organic Materials, and Grass and Forage Crops. He was a member of Defra’s Nutrient Management Expert Group (2020-2023) and is currently a member of Natural Resources Wales Evidence Advisory Committee.

Eduardo Anselmo Ferreira da Silva (EAFS) is currently a full professor in the Department of Geosciences of the UA and a researcher at the GeobioTec Research Unit (FCT), leading the research areas in environmental geochemistry and medical geology. Since 2009, is Vice-Coordinator of the GeoBioTec - GeoBiosciences,GeoEngineering and GeoTechnologies Research Unit of the Geosciences Department at the University of Aveiro, as well as coordinator of the Complex Environmental Systems Research Group (SAC). EAFS research interests reveal a growing focus on environmental issues that contribute to the implementation of SDGs. The specialization and the multidisciplinary nature of the research work carried out in the last 20 years of activity as a Full Professor at UA, is internationally recognized by the publication of 215 articles in 83 different international scientific journals in the JCR database and more than 400 communications in National and International Conferences. The multidisciplinary work concerns the sources, distribution, and interactions of chemical elements in the rock–soil–water–air–life, playing a key role in research and disseminating information relating to trace element impacts on human and animal health. In this context, the environmental geochemistry studies focused on site characterization of areas affected by industrial contamination and old mining activities, evaluating risk in contaminated areas, rehabilitation methodologies, and Environmental Geochemistry and Health issues. Has received 2 awards. As part of his academic career, EAFS participated in 30 project(s), with public funding approved by FCT, European Commission DG XII com o Environment & Climate Programme, INTERREG-Europe, CSIC, FEDER, CNRS, among others. The projects' funding allowed the supervision of master's and doctoral dissertations: 12 postdoctoral supervisions concluded, 17 Ph.D. thesis supervisions concluded (4 in progress), and 63 master's supervisions concluded (5 in progress). 

Raf Dewil is a full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering of KU Leuven and a visiting professor in the Engineering Science Department at the University of Oxford. His research interests focus primarily on resource recovery and the degradation of hazardous organic components from water and wastewater. In (waste)water treatment, he places particular emphasis on the application of photochemical and electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including the application of novel photo- and electrocatalytic materials.

Prof. Dewil has co-authored more than 250 papers in well-respected international journals (Web of Science Core Collection). His contributions to the field have garnered over 21,000 citations and his h-index is currently at 62, according to Google Scholar as of December 2024. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environmental Management and is a member of the editorial board for various other prestigious international journals such as Chemical Engineering Journal and Renewable Energy.

 Prof. Dr. SIXTO MALATO RODRÍGUEZ 

Since 1990 he works at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA-CIEMAT) in all the EU R&D projects linked to the Solar Treatment of Water, being involved in 31 International, 37 National R&D Projects and different Contracts with Private Companies. Director or Co-Director of Joint Research Center (Univ. Almería-CIEMAT) of R&D in Solar Energy (CIESOL). http://www.ciesol.es. Since 2006- up to now.

Director of Plataforma Solar de Almeria (www.psa.es). 2012-2017. 

Some of his milestones have been: i) fundamentals for design of solar photoreactors; ii) methodology for combination of photocatalysis with aerobic treatments; iii) combination of membrane processes with advanced oxidation, iv) advanced treatment methods for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from urban wastewater; and v) production of hydrogen using solar photoreactors.

He has also co-authored more than 310 publications in indexed international journals (>200 in Q1), and more than 370 contributions to different International Congresses and 5 patents. He has given seminars at universities around the world, from Argentina or Brazil, to China or Thailand. In the last 5 years, he has given more than 20 plenary lectures or "keynotes" at International Congresses. He has directed 20 PhD Thesis. >28000 cites, h-index: 88 (SCOPUS).

The Jury’s Grand Prix of “European Grand Prix for Innovation Awards”. 11 December 2004, Mónaco. http://www.european-grandprix.com/index_en.htm.

Jaime I Price (Most important in science in Spain) in Environmental Protection, 2011.http://www.fvea.es/medioambiente.html.

Professor @KU_Leuven, Belgium, committed to create sustainable technologies to support our planet and human health. D.Sc. Chemistry, State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Brazil, Habilitation in Chemical Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Finland

Program Director International Master Program In Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven

President of EPNOE Association (www.epnoe.eu)

Editor of International Journal of Biological Macromolecules

Associated Editor of Journal of Polymer Engineering

Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the International Academy of Wood Science.

He published more than 170 papers and gave more than 100 invited talks.  

During 2005-2019 - Full Professor in Biomass Chemical Engineering, Head of the Laboratory of Fibre and Cellulose Technology, Åbo Akademi University, Finland

During 2013-2014 - Distinguished Professor in Advanced Materials, Centre of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research (CEAMR), King Abdulaziz University -Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

X: @Chemenghealth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-fardim-333272/           

Web: www.pedrofardim.eu

PhD in Chemistry (CSIC scientific researcher) Main lines of research are the valorisation of waste in the construction industry and the development of low-carbon cements (LCCMs), alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). LCCMs cover traditional, new and emerging alternative supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) (natural or artificial); alkali-activated materials (AAMs); limestone calcined clay cements (LC3); belite-rich Portland cements (BRPCs), ye'elimite-rich cements (YRCs), etc. Production methods, reaction mechanism, characterization of the resulting reaction products, mechanical properties, durability and some technological applications of LCCMs. Director of an international postgraduate course on alkaline cements. Collaborator of numerous Spanish and foreign research groups and/or institutions. Principal investigator of national and international research projects, and research contracts with national and foreign private companies. Co-supervisor of several PhD. Theses. Co-author of more than 140 articles published in SCI-listed journals. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5721-2923,

Professor Adélio Mendes (born 1964) received his PhD degree from the University of Porto in 1993.

Currently is full professor at the Chemical Engineering Department of the Faculty of Engineering – University

of Porto.

Coordinates a large research team with research interests mainly in photovoltaic cells (DSSC and PSC),

photoelectrochemical cells, electroreduction of CO2, batteries (RFB and SIB), fuel cells and electrolysis,

chemical membrane reactors, methane splitting, green methanol, adsorption-based separation processes

and carbon molecular sieve membranes.

Professor Mendes authored or co-authored more than 460 articles in peer-reviewed international journals,

filled more than 35 families of patents, and authored a textbook; he was the recipient of an Advanced

Research Grant from the ERC on dye-sensitized solar cells for building integrated of ca. 2 M€, in 2013,

led/leads several EU projects, namely two from the Future and Emerging Technologies program (FET); leads

a large project on Green-Methanol of ca. 7 M€. 10 start-up companies co-owned by former or present

researchers from his research team were created from his research activities.

Prof. Mendes’ awards include Air Products Faculty Excellence 2011 Award (USA), Solvay & Hovione

Innovation Challenge 2011, Ramos Catarino Innovation Award 2011-2012, ACP Diogo Vasconcelos Applied

Research Award 2011, Municipal Medal of Merit by the City of Porto Merit – Gold Degree in 2015, Coimbra

University Prize of 2016, Scientific Excellence Award by FEUP, Technology Innovation Award 2017 by the

University of Porto and The PSE Model-Based Innovation Prize 2019 (com Catarina G. Braz, Henrique A.

Matos, Adélio Mendes, Jorge Rocha, Ricardo Alvim). He was the director and founder of the Competence

Network in Polymers, and he was President and founder of the VG-CoLAB – Energy Storage.

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2472-3265

SCOPUS: Author ID 7102443929

Fuel cells are devices that efficiently convert the chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy via electrochemical reactions. Among the wide variety of fuel cell types, low temperature fuel cells (PEMFC and AEMFC) are promising for transportation and portable applications, since they can operate close to ambient conditions. The main drawbacks of low temperature fuel cells are represented by the use of costly Pt-based electrocatalysts at both the anode and the cathode, and in particular the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode side. Among several types of electrocatalysts for ORR, the most promising alternative to Pt until now are carbonaceous materials doped with N and transition metals (mostly Fe, Co). This lecture will address the main synthesis techniques adopted for the sustainable production of Fe-N-C electrocatalysts, included the use of biomass in a circular economy perspective.

 Short Bio:

Stefania Specchia, Chemical Engineer, Full Professor of Chemical Plants Design at the Politecnico di Torino (Italy). Associated Research at the CNR-ITAE “Nicola Giordano” (Italy). Lecturer of three courses: Design of Multiphase Apparatuses, Batteries & Fuel Cells for Energy Transition, Hydrogen Production for Sustainable Transport. Executive Editor for Chemical Engineering Journal (Elsevier) and Electrochemical Energy Reviews (Springer). She authored/co-authored 148 peer-reviewed publications on international journals, 8 chapters of international books, 1 international patent (on Google Scholar database: Hirsch index equal to 55, more than 7600 citations). She attended 83 international congresses (30 as invited keynote). Research activities: she is the leader of the Gre.En2 Group (Green Energy & Engineering Group). Main research topics in EU and national research projects, and various international cooperations: 1. Catalytic combustion of light hydrocarbons in lean conditions; 2. Hydrogen production in fuel processors; 3. Low-temperature fuel cells (PEMFC and DMFC); 4. Energetic valorization of wastes (overall funding: ~2 M€).

Antonio Morata is a Professor of Food Science and Technology at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Spain, specialized in wine technology. He is a coordinator of the module of enology and winemaking in the master’s program in viticulture and enology and a coordinator of the master’s program in food engineering at UPM. Dr. Morata is also a Professor of Enology and Wine Technology at the European Master of Viticulture and Enology, Euromaster Vinifera-Erasmus+. He is a Spanish delegate to the group of experts in wine technology and the president of wine microbiology for the International Organizations of Vine and Wine (OIV). He has authored more than eighty-five research articles, seven books, six journal special issues, and twenty-three book chapters. Dr. Morata was listed among the top 2% of scientists worldwide by Stanford University, USA, in 2022–2023.