Stephanie Bolyard, Ph.D., is a Courtesy Professor at the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering's Civil & Environmental Engineering department, and serves as a Research Engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering (University of Central Florida, 2016), an M.S. in Environmental Engineering (2012), and a B.S. in Chemistry (University of Florida, 2008). Her research focuses on solid waste management, landfill treatment technologies, advanced spectroscopic techniques, and the fate of dissolved organic matter in aquatic systems. Key areas include biological/advanced oxidation processes and PFAS contamination pathways in waste streams. Recent work highlights landfill ecological footprint analysis, pandemic impacts on waste systems, and PFAS dynamics in post-consumer products. Over 15 recent publications emphasize landfill leachate treatment innovations, PFAS mitigation strategies, and sustainable waste-to-energy systems. No scientific awards are listed. Her advising and grant activities are not detailed in available records. She is affiliated with both academic and government institutions, contributing to interdisciplinary waste management research.
Patrick J Frawley is a Professor at the University of Limerick, affiliated with the Bernal Institute, SSPC - the SFI Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals, and the School of Engineering. His research focuses on aerodynamics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and crystallization processes in pharmaceuticals. He has extensive expertise in particle dynamics, nucleation mechanisms, and material science applications in drug formulation. His work addresses challenges in pharmaceutical crystallization, including impurity effects on paracetamol, crystal size distribution optimization, and drug compressibility. Collaborations span academic and industrial partners, emphasizing sustainable drug development aligned with UN SDGs. Over 62 peer-reviewed publications highlight his contributions to CFD modeling, particle-wall collision analysis, and process scale-up methodologies. Research interests include fluid dynamics, solid-state chemistry, and the integration of CFD with population balance models for industrial crystallization systems. Recent studies explore the mechanistic underpinnings of secondary nucleation and its link to mixing hydrodynamics, advancing scalable production techniques.
Mara Guadalupe Freire Martins is a Coordinating Researcher at CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, Portugal. She serves as Vice-Director of CICECO and Deputy Chair of the Scientific Council of the University of Aveiro. Freire is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, and serves as one of the Chairs of the Content Selection Advisory Board (CSAB) from Scopus. Freire graduated in Chemistry and completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering. Her research spans multiple disciplines at the intersection of chemistry, biotechnology, and materials science, with a focus on developing sustainable solutions for biopharmaceutical production and healthcare applications. Her scientific interests focus on four main areas: Biopharmaceutical Purification: Development of cost-effective purification processes for high-value biopharmaceuticals including antibodies, recombinant proteins, and nucleic-acid-based products. Diagnostic Technologies: Creation of efficient pre-treatment techniques for biological samples to enable early-stage disease detection, particularly for cancer biomarkers. Sustainable Extraction: Development of green recovery processes for therapeutic compounds from biomass using ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents. Therapeutic Ionic Liquids: Synthesis and application of novel ionic-liquid-based drugs with analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Freire's publication record demonstrates consistent innovation in sustainable separation technologies. Her recent work shows a growing emphasis on RNA therapeutics, with numerous publications on mRNA extraction, stabilization, and delivery systems. She has pioneered the use of aqueous biphasic systems and ionic liquids for biopharmaceutical applications, creating bridges between fundamental chemistry and practical healthcare solutions. Her scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous awards: ECTP-NETZSCH Young Scientist Award (2014) Top 20 "Women in Science" in Portugal (2016) Rising Star in Green Chemistry by Green Chemistry journal (2017) 100 Women in Chemistry by Royal Society of Chemistry (2018) Vicente de Seabra Medal (2018) Best Researcher Award from University of Aveiro (2021) Professor Almiro e Castro Award (2023) Women TechEU awardee (2024) Freire has demonstrated exceptional mentorship, supervising 4 junior researchers, 20 post-doctoral researchers, and 25 PhD, 72 MSc and 49 BSc students. She has coordinated or participated in over 25 R&D projects, including two European Research Council (ERC) grants and two PathFinder projects from the European Innovation Council (EIC). Her work has led to 15+ filed patents, 4 licensed patents, and the creation of the RYAPURTECH spin-off company. She leads research within the G5 - Biomimetic, Biological and Living Materials and L4 - Health groups at CICECO, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between chemists, engineers, and biomedical researchers to address pressing healthcare challenges through sustainable chemical technologies.
Ewa Huszcza is a Professor at the University of Wrocław, affiliated with the Department of Biocatalysis and Food Chemistry within the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science. She specializes in organic chemistry, biochemistry, and natural product synthesis, with a focus on flavonoid and chalcone derivatives. Her research interests include enzymatic catalysis, glycosylation pathways, and the application of biocatalysts in synthesizing bioactive compounds. She has collaborated extensively with researchers like Jarosław Popłoński and Tomasz Tronina on projects involving flavonoid methylation and glycosylation mechanisms. Dr. Huszcza has authored or co-authored over 50 patents since 2016, many of which address novel methods for preparing flavonoid derivatives with potential applications in food science and pharmaceuticals. Recent work includes methods for synthesizing 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone and other complex molecules using enzymatic processes. Her contributions to biocatalysis and food chemistry have advanced understanding of natural product modification and industrial enzyme applications. She actively participates in interdisciplinary collaborations to bridge chemical synthesis and biological systems.
Agnieszka Nawirska-Olszańska is a University Professor in the Department of Fruit, Vegetable and Plant Nutraceutical Technology at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, University of Wrocław. Her research focuses on enhancing food quality, bioactive compound extraction, and sustainable food processing techniques. She leads projects on optimizing juice production, analyzing health-promoting components in plant extracts, and developing functional foods enriched with antioxidants. Key research interests include polyphenol analysis in fruits like elderberry, açaí, and grapes, alongside innovations in meat product development and traditional medicinal plant utilization. She has edited books on sustainable agricultural practices and frequently collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving food chemistry, enzymology, and material science. Recent work highlights include studies on elderberry juice powder drying techniques, enzyme treatments for hybrid grape juice optimization, and anti-diabetic properties of açaí-enriched beef burgers. Her contributions bridge fundamental research with industrial applications, emphasizing eco-friendly methodologies and health-beneficial food formulations.
Ami E. Radunskaya is the Lingurn H. Burkhead Professor of Mathematics at Pomona College, part of The Claremont Colleges. She specializes in dynamical systems, stochastic processes, and mathematical modeling with applications to tumor growth, power systems, and musical instrument design. Her work bridges pure mathematics and real-world problems in medicine and engineering. She is a leader in promoting diversity in mathematics through her roles as President of the EDGE Foundation and former President of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). Radunskaya earned her PhD from Stanford University and a BA from UC Berkeley. She teaches courses in calculus, differential equations, and probability. Her research focuses on applying mathematical models to understand complex biological and physical systems, including cancer treatment dynamics and power grid stability. Research Highlights: Developed models for tumor-immune interactions and drug release kinetics in pharmaceutical systems Conducted pioneering work on non-linear power system stability using dynamical systems theory Advances in stochastic processes applied to biomedical and engineering contexts Awards & Recognition: Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2017) Pomona College Wig Distinguished Professor Award (2012) Stanford University Alfred Gores Award for Teaching Excellence (1991) As co-director of the EDGE program, she has mentored hundreds of women mathematicians, particularly from underrepresented groups, supporting their academic and professional development. Her leadership in AWM emphasizes building inclusive communities across mathematical disciplines.
Ognjen Marjanovic is a Senior Lecturer in Control Systems at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on optimal control of energy systems, robotics, and industrial processes, with particular emphasis on model predictive control applications. Research domains include: Energy Systems: Control of grid-scale storage, multi-energy coordination, and renewable integration Robotics: Swarm formation, underwater navigation, and nuclear inspection systems Industrial Control: Model predictive control for pharmaceutical and chemical processes Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate innovations in swarm robotics coordination algorithms, real-time energy storage modeling, and decentralized control of building energy systems. His work bridges theoretical control concepts with practical applications in power engineering and autonomous systems. He leads research projects on grid-scale storage interfacing and robotic inspection systems, and received the Manchester Doctoral College Award for collaborative robotics research.
Prof. Amparo Galindo is a Professor of Physical Chemistry at Imperial College London's Department of Chemical Engineering, affiliated with the Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering and the Centre for Process Systems Engineering. She holds leadership roles as Co-Director of the Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering. Her work bridges statistical mechanics and industrial applications, focusing on molecular systems engineering, phase equilibria, and sustainable process design. She has held roles including EPSRC Advanced Research Fellow (2000–2005) and EU TMR Fellow (1999). Education: PhD in Physical Chemistry (University of Sheffield, 1996), BSc in Chemistry (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1993) Affiliations: Industrial Biotechnology Hub, Imperial's Faculty of Engineering Research interests include statistical mechanical modeling of complex systems (e.g., charged systems, polymers, liquid crystals), CO₂ capture technologies, and computer-aided solvent design. Her work emphasizes translating theoretical models into industrial tools for process optimization. Recent projects include the HiRECORD initiative for scalable CO₂ capture and pharmaceutical process design. Awards and grants include EPSRC and EU funding. She collaborates with industry partners on topics like electrolyte solutions, drug formulation, and sustainable manufacturing. Her lab develops SAFT-γ Mie-based models for thermodynamic predictions in polymers, peptides, and electrolytes. Key contributions span 100+ peer-reviewed articles, with recent focus on solvent design for pharmaceuticals and CO₂ capture, algorithmic optimization for bi-objective programming, and molecular modeling of complex fluids.
Dr. Preeti Pandey serves as a Research Officer and Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Queensland's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, specializing in advanced drug delivery systems for mucosal administration routes. Her work bridges pharmaceutical science and clinical applications, with a focus on developing localized therapies for conditions ranging from sinusitis to sexually transmitted infections. Her research expertise spans sol-gel formulations , nanoparticle drug carriers , and transmucosal delivery systems , particularly for intranasal and intravaginal applications. Key projects include clozapine-loaded thermosensitive gels for nose-to-brain delivery, doxycycline-infused sol-gels for localized gonorrhoea management, and tacrolimus-embedded hydrogels for dermatological conditions. Her methodology integrates material science with physiological considerations to optimize drug release kinetics and tissue targeting. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory in mucosal drug delivery innovation , with increasing focus on antimicrobial applications (2024-2025) and nanocarrier integration (2021-2023). The work demonstrates strong translational potential, with multiple patent filings for cannabinoid and sol-gel compositions indicating commercialization efforts. Her doctoral research (2018) established foundational work on corticosteroid nasal gels for post-operative sinusitis, which has evolved into broader applications for antipsychotics and antimicrobials. Collaborative networks include significant partnerships with Harendra S. Parekh across 15+ publications, suggesting a core research team structure within the School of Pharmacy.
Mehmet A. Begen is an Associate Professor of Management Science at the Ivey Business School, Western University, with cross-appointments in Statistical & Actuarial Sciences and Epidemiology & Biostatistics (Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry). He holds a PhD and MS in Management Science from the University of British Columbia and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Middle East Technical University. His research focuses on scheduling, healthcare analytics, and operations management applications in various industries. Key roles include President of the Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS), recipient of the CORS Practice Prize, and holder of NSERC Discovery Grants. His teaching includes courses on analytical modeling, healthcare analytics, and operations research. He has advised numerous postdoctoral researchers and led projects improving healthcare systems, such as patient scheduling optimization and resource allocation in hospitals. Recent research highlights include studies on kidney donor evaluation processes, exosome applications in osteoarthritis treatment, and healthcare system benchmarking during the pandemic. His work spans over 100 publications in journals like European Journal of Operational Research and Operations Research, with practical contributions to healthcare efficiency and policy analysis.
Alexander Donev is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Probability and Statistics Group at the University of Manchester's School of Mathematics. He holds a PhD from Imperial College, London, and has taught at multiple UK universities including Southampton, De Montfort, and Sheffield. His research focuses on experimental design, biostatistics, medical statistics, industrial statistics, and statistical computing. He contributed to the influential book 'Optimum Experimental Designs, With SAS' (2007), which won the Ziegel Prize in 2009. Education: PhD in Statistics (Imperial College London), followed by postdoctoral roles at ASRU (Kent) and AstraZeneca. His work spans academia and industry, emphasizing practical applications of statistical methods. Research interests include optimizing experimental setups for drug development, industrial processes, and medical diagnostics. Notable contributions include developing methodologies for handling non-Gaussian errors in bioassays and designing efficient mixture experiments. His recent work (2018-2019) explores cyclic experimental design strategies. He actively supervises PhD students, with Bader Almohaimeed completing a thesis on optimal experimental designs for generalized nonlinear models in 2013. Awards: Ziegel Prize (2009) for outstanding contributions to statistical literature. His research impacts UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and innovation.
Marie Wahlgren is a Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Process and Life Science Engineering at Lund University, affiliated with the Division of Food and Pharma. She holds leadership roles as Office Director of the Division of Food and Pharma and is a member of the LTH Profile Areas: Engineering Health and Food and Bio. Her research focuses on physical chemical characterization of proteins, drug delivery systems (biological and traditional drugs), surfactant interactions, hydrogels, and Pickering emulsions. She has collaborated extensively with pharmaceutical companies like Ferring, AstraZeneca, and Novo Nordisk through industry partnerships and student projects. Her expertise spans formulation technology, protein stability, and material science applications in healthcare and food technology. Notable research contributions include studies on starch nanoparticles for Pickering emulsions and the evaluation of surfactant toxicity in drug formulations. She leads projects funded by Vinnova and others, emphasizing sustainable biopharmaceutical production and real-world handling of protein drugs. Marie Wahlgren’s academic background includes a PhD and industry experience at Ferring AB. She teaches courses in formulation technology and contributes to infrastructure like the Pilot Plant for Food Engineering. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and sustainable production.
Dr Carlos Horacio Luna-Flores is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the School of Biology & Environmental Science at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (University of Queensland) and focuses on biotechnology, microbial systems, and metabolic engineering. His research spans enzyme production optimization, astaxanthin synthesis in Phaffia rhodozyma, and propionic acid biosynthesis processes. Education: PhD in Biotechnology (University of Queensland) Research Interests: Dr Luna-Flores specializes in microbial fermentation optimization, genetic engineering of yeast systems (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris), and bioprocess development for high-value compounds like phytase and astaxanthin. His work integrates oxidative stress modulation, temperature-responsive systems, and genome shuffling techniques. Supervision: He advises on projects related to astaxanthin extraction and formulation from Phaffia rhodozyma fermentations. Collaborative efforts include enhancing biocatalytic processes for pharmaceuticals (e.g., codeine synthesis) and improving microbial strain performance through metabolic pathway engineering. Labs/Teams: Active in QUT’s biotechnology research groups, contributing to interdisciplinary projects in synthetic biology and industrial microbiology.
Dr Michael Short is an Associate Professor of Process Systems Engineering at the University of Surrey , affiliated with the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and the Surrey Institute for Sustainability . His research focuses on mathematical optimisation tools for sustainable process design, bioenergy systems, renewable energy integration, and pandemic risk modelling. Current projects include AI-driven biogas production optimisation and carbon-negative chemical synthesis. EPSRC-funded £1.7M project on AI for biogas production Co-I in £5M Supergen Bioenergy Impact Hub Developed open-source DECO2 software for ASEAN decarbonisation His team applies mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) and machine learning to industrial challenges in pharmaceuticals, aquaculture, and microbreweries. Collaborations span Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and universities in Japan, Malaysia, and Brazil. Supervised projects address grid-scale energy storage, CO2 utilisation, and rural electrification. Scientific Awards : 2021 EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account Commercialisation Fellow Best Speaker Award at 2020 Sustainable Process Integration Lab Conference Editorial Board Member of Journal of Water Process Engineering Recent publications examine direct air capture integration, waste-to-energy brewing processes, and whole-system energy models. Supervises students in distributed energy systems, catalytic processes, and sustainable design.
Peter Rayner is an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the University of York, affiliated with the Centre for Hyperpolarisation in Magnetic Resonance. He holds an MChem (2009) and a PhD in Organic Chemistry (2013), both from the University of York. His research focuses on developing synthetic and catalytic chemistry for biomedical applications, particularly leveraging the SABRE (Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange) technique to enhance nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging for diagnostic purposes. Key areas include designing isotopically labeled substrates and novel ligands for SABRE catalysts to improve hyperpolarization and prolong magnetic lifetimes. He has presented at conferences such as the Dalton Division Northern Meeting and the NMR Discussion Group, and his work spans interdisciplinary collaborations in analytical chemistry, catalysis, and materials science. Rayner’s research emphasizes translating SABRE advancements into pre-clinical MRI applications for disease diagnosis. His publications highlight innovations in catalyst design, hyperpolarization methods, and applications in drug scaffolds, including tuberculosis treatments. Over 30 peer-reviewed articles and seven datasets underscore his contributions to SABRE’s development and its biomedical potential. His lab utilizes techniques like X-ray crystallography and mass spectrometry to study structure-activity relationships, driving advancements in hyperpolarized MRI probes and pharmaceutical agents.
