Dr. Gloria Milena Monsalve Bravo is an Advanced Queensland Industry Research Fellow and lecturer at The University of Queensland's School of Chemical Engineering, where she develops novel multiscale simulation techniques combining molecular simulations with macroscopic physics-based modeling to solve complex energy and environmental problems. Her interdisciplinary work bridges applied mathematics and engineering to improve understanding of phenomena in complex systems across chemical, biomedical, and ecological applications. Her research focuses on: Multiscale simulation techniques for complex systems Molecular simulations coupled with macroscopic modeling Gas permeation and separation in mixed-matrix membranes Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in mathematical models Applied mathematics for engineering problems Dr. Monsalve Bravo's publication record demonstrates a strong trajectory in membrane technology and computational modeling. Her recent work has advanced understanding of gas transport in novel membrane materials, particularly mixed-matrix membranes, with applications in carbon capture and hydrogen storage. She has made significant contributions to theoretical frameworks for modeling permeation in finite-sized composite systems and developed Bayesian approaches for analyzing parameter uncertainty in sorption predictions. Her research bridges fundamental science with practical applications in energy and environmental engineering. Her scientific contributions have been recognized through research funding including: ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Underutilised Carbon Wastes (2024-2029) Tailor-made composite membranes for greenhouse gas capture (2023-2026) through Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships Dr. Monsalve Bravo actively mentors PhD students on cutting-edge projects related to membrane technology, catalyst development, and waste conversion. She collaborates extensively across disciplines, as evidenced by her diverse publication record spanning chemical engineering, materials science, and environmental applications.
Peter K. Kitanidis is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering at Stanford University . His research focuses on groundwater flow , hydrologic forecasting , and stochastic inverse modeling , with applications to pollutant remediation and CO₂ storage monitoring . Education : Diploma, National Technical University of Athens (1974) M.S., MIT (1976) Ph.D., MIT (1978) Research Interests : Groundwater modeling and contaminant transport Hydraulic tomography and aquifer characterization Stochastic methods for uncertainty quantification Bioremediation and enhanced in-situ pollutant decay Dilution and mixing processes in heterogeneous media Real-time river flow forecasting Scientific Awards : L.G. Straub Award (1979) W.L. Huber Research Prize (1994) ISI Highly Cited Researcher (2001) AGU Hydrologic Sciences Award (2011) ASCE Pioneers in Groundwater Lecturer (2011) Advising and Grants : Advised 20+ PhD and MS students (1978–2018) Principal investigator on NSF, EPA, and DOE-funded projects Developed software for groundwater data analysis and CO₂ monitoring Contributed to bioremediation protocols and hydraulic tomography algorithms Labs and Teams : Kitanidis Laboratory for groundwater crisis solutions Collaborated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Stanford Hydrogeology Group Mentored postdocs (2000–2017) in reactive transport and inverse modeling
Richard D. Noble is a Research Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on advanced membrane technologies for gas and liquid separations, with particular expertise in ionic liquids, liquid crystals, and the application of external fields for selective separations. He maintains an active laboratory in Cristol Chemistry (room 357) and collaborates extensively with Professor Doug Gin on many research projects. Noble received his BE and ME from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1968 and 1969 respectively, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis in 1976. His educational background in engineering has provided a strong foundation for his research in chemical engineering and materials science. Professor Noble's research program centers on three interconnected areas. His primary focus is on ionic liquids for gas separations , where he evaluates various ionic liquids and complexation chemistry to tailor material properties to specific feed mixtures. He explores composite polymer/IL structures and incorporation of complexation chemistry and zeolites, and has developed specialized apparatus to measure gas solubility and diffusivity in ionic liquids. This work is conducted in collaboration with Professor Doug Gin. His second research thrust involves the use of external fields for selective separations . Noble studies how electric or light energy can enhance separation processes by changing binding affinity of complexing agents. His notable achievement is an electrochemical pump with no moving parts that produces pressures exceeding 20 atm, with applications in lab-on-a-chip and micro-scale devices. He also develops charged polymer structures for membrane separators with wide temperature and chemical stability. His third major area focuses on liquid crystals organized to form nanostructured polymer network films. These cross-linked stable films are evaluated for nanofiltration applications, particularly in water filtration including treatment of water from fracking operations. This work often intersects with his ionic liquids research, creating composite structures with potential applications in electrochemical pumps. Noble's publication record from 2017-2019 shows consistent focus on membrane technologies for separation processes, with increasing sophistication in membrane design incorporating ionic liquids, liquid crystals, and novel materials like pillar[5]arenes. His work demonstrates a clear trend toward addressing practical industrial challenges, particularly in natural gas purification (CO 2 /CH 4 separation) and environmental applications (treatment of fracking wastewater). His collaborations have produced high-impact work published in top journals including Nature Materials , Journal of Membrane Science , and Angewandte Chemie . Professor Noble has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions: AIChE Institute Service to Society Award (2005) Alfred T. and Betty E. Look Professor of Chemical Engineering (2005-present) Multiple Outstanding Graduate Teaching Awards from the Chemical Engineering Department (2006-2008) ACS Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Division Fellow (2007) CU Boulder Inventor of the Year (2008) Barrer Lecture at Penn State University (2008) Fellow at the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (2009-2012) Robert L. Stearns Award from CU Alumni Association (2010) Chair d'Excellence Pierre de Fermat at Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse (2010) AIChE Institute Excellence in Industrial Gas Technology Award (2010) And numerous others through 2015 While specific grant details aren't provided, Noble's extensive publication record with multiple co-authors suggests active research mentoring and well-funded projects. His work on sophisticated apparatus and high-quality publications indicates substantial research support. His collaborations, especially with Doug Gin, suggest a strong research group environment focused on membrane science and separation technologies. Professor Noble's research operates at the intersection of chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science. His laboratory includes facilities for membrane fabrication, gas separation testing, and characterization of novel materials. The development of specialized apparatus for measuring gas properties in ionic liquids suggests dedicated equipment for fundamental property measurements. His work on electrochemical pumps indicates capabilities in microfluidics and device fabrication, with the collaborative nature of his research suggesting a team approach to tackling complex separation challenges.
Ville Vuorinen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Energy and Mechanical Engineering, Aalto University. His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in energy technology, particularly using Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) and hybrid LES-RANS approaches with OpenFOAM. Research Interests: Combustion, Turbulence, Hydrogen, Emission Reduction, Biofuels, Marine Engine Hydrodynamics, Primary Atomization, Liquid Cooling. His team explores hydrogen-enriched flames, ammonia combustion, two-phase flows, and virus transmission modeling. Article Trends : Recent work spans hydrogen pre-ignition in engines, LES of ammonia/methanol flames, aerosol transmission in choir rehearsals, atomic layer deposition conformality, underwater noise analysis, and techno-economic waste-to-hydrogen systems. Keywords include combustion modeling, sustainable energy, and cross-disciplinary CFD applications. Scientific Awards Teknologiateollisuus ry Diesel- ja kaasumoottoritoimialaryhmän tunnustusapuraha (2010) Collaborations : Works closely with experimentalists. Advisees include Shervin Karimkashi Arani, Parsa Tamadonfar, Ossi Kaario, and others. Research impacts energy-efficient ships, marine engines, and biomedical applications.
Kay Severin is a full professor at the Laboratory of Supramolecular Chemistry (LCS) within École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) , Switzerland. His research focuses on the design and reactivity of metal-ligand assemblies, including coordination cages, metalloligands, and supramolecular receptors. He has pioneered the use of metalloligands for constructing heterometallic architectures and developed systems for anion extraction and stimuli-responsive hydrogels. Key funder: Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS) Collaborative work with Rosario Scopelliti and Farzaneh Fadaei Tirani Research Interests: Severin's work spans supramolecular chemistry, organometallic synthesis, and functional materials. Recent projects include: Dynamic palladium-based hydrogels with anion-responsive crosslinks Gold(I)-driven nano-onion structures via π-stacking Triazene-derived ligands for Sandmeyer-type reactions Metalloligand assembly of Fe/Pd/Au heterotrimetallic cages Publication Trends: Over 300 publications since 1994, with recent emphasis on: Coordination-driven self-assembly (2024: 6 articles) Triazene and diazoolefin reactivity (2025: 4 articles) Metal-ligand interactions in nanogels and vesicles (2024-2025: 3 articles) Environmental applications in anion extraction (2025: 1 article)
Professor Vishnu Pareek is the John Curtin Distinguished Professor at Curtin University, leading the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He has held academic roles including Dean of Engineering, Head of School, and various professorships since 2002. His research focuses on multiphase flow modeling, computational fluid dynamics, and reactor engineering, with applications in energy and chemical processes. He holds a BE (Hons) from MNIT, MTech from IIT Delhi, and a PhD from UNSW. Key research interests include LNG process modeling, erosion modeling, and granular flow dynamics. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications, with recent work emphasizing structured packing design, biomass gasification, and additive manufacturing for process intensification. Notable projects include CFD-ANN hybrid models for fluidized beds and experimental studies on 3D-printed structured packings. His expertise spans industrial collaborations in LNG safety, fluid catalytic cracking, and biofuel production. Teaching areas include chemical engineering fundamentals and process systems engineering. He advises on energy policy and leads research teams in multiphase flow and reactor design.
M.T.O. (Chiel) Jonker is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Utrecht University , affiliated with the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS) and its Toxicology division . He specializes in exposure assessment of hydrophobic organic chemicals (e.g., PFAS , PAHs , PCBs ), focusing on sorption processes , bioaccumulation dynamics , and passive sampling techniques in both in vivo and in vitro settings. His research emphasizes methodological innovation for high-quality chemical analysis (GC-MS, LC-MS) and environmental risk assessment . Recent work includes PFAS degradation , sediment toxicity testing , and temperature/salinity effects on contaminant partitioning. His 2018-2024 publications highlight passive sampling calibration , mechanistic toxicity models , and bioavailability prediction using polyoxymethylene and silicone rubber samplers .
Gavin Craig is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde, where he leads an independent research programme on porous molecules, mechanochemistry and materials fabrication. He joined Strathclyde in 2019 as Chancellor’s Fellow, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2023, and currently supervises two post-docs and a PhD student while accepting new doctoral researchers. Education & Career: PhD Inorganic Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 2013 – spin-crossover materials Post-doc University of Glasgow 2013-2016 – high-pressure crystallography & molecular magnetism JSPS Fellow & Assistant Professor, Kyoto University 2016-2019 – porous molecules for gas storage Research Interests: His group combines coordination chemistry and supramolecular design to create metal–organic cages and polyhedra that act as selective gas sponges or stimuli-responsive gels. Using mechanochemistry, 3-D electron diffraction and high-pressure crystallography he interrogates how self-assembly and external stimuli modulate porosity, with direct relevance to CO₂ capture, carbon-monoxide delivery and membrane technologies. Funding & Impact: Craig is Principal Investigator on two active Leverhulme Trust grants (£500k+) investigating cooperative gas uptake in adaptable cages and sustainable porous membranes. Work contributes to UN SDGs on Affordable & Clean Energy and Climate Action. Awards & Recognition: Strathclyde Medal – Team Award 2022 Advising & Collaboration: He has successfully graduated one PhD student (Dr Beatriz Doñagueda) and one PDRA (Dr Valentyna Slyusarchuk) and currently mentors Dr Emma Regincos Marti (PDRA), Dr Matthew Snelgrove (PDRA) and Megan Wilkinson (PhD). He maintains active international collaborations across UK, Spain, Japan and Italy evidenced by 58 publications and 20 invited seminars/examinations.
Johannes A. Lercher is a full Professor of Chemistry at the Technische Universität München (TUM) since 1998 and Director of the Institute for Integrated Catalysis at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, USA. He also holds the title of Battelle Fellow at PNNL and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Catalysis. Education Diplom Ingenieur (summa cum laude), Technische Universität Wien, 1978 Dr. techn. (summa cum laude), Technische Universität Wien, 1980 Postdoctoral researcher, Yale University, 1982 Venia docendi (Habilitation), Technische Universität Wien, 1985 Research Interests Prof. Lercher’s research focuses on fundamental and applied aspects of heterogeneous catalysis. His team elucidates elementary reaction steps on solid catalyst surfaces using advanced in-situ spectroscopic techniques, including IR, Raman, solid-state NMR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Major themes include the catalytic valorization of biomass, selective methane functionalization, hydrocarbon processing over zeolites and mesoporous materials, and the design of hierarchically structured catalysts that combine shape selectivity with optimized transport properties. Scientific Awards & Honors Alwin-Mittasch-Preis (2021) David Trimm and Noel Cant Lectureship Award (2017) ENI Award for Hydrocarbons (2016) R. B. Anderson Award (2015/2016) Kozo Tanabe Award for Acid Base Catalysis (2013) Francois Gault Lectureship Robert Burwell Lectureship (North American Catalysis Society) Elected Member: Austrian Academy of Sciences, Academia Europaea, European Academy of Sciences Honorary Professor: Chinese Academy of Sciences institutes (Dalian, Qingdao) and China University of Petroleum Leadership & Service Prof. Lercher has held numerous leadership roles including Dean of the Chemistry Department at TUM (2000–2003), Member of the TUM Senate (2003–2007), President of the International Zeolite Association (2001–2004), and current President of the European Federation of Catalysis Societies. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Catalysis and serves on the editorial boards of multiple catalysis journals.
Dr. Sajjad Bigham is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University and serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Michigan Technological University. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and directs the Energy-X Lab (Energy eXploration Laboratory), which focuses on high-impact research in energy science and technology. His research interests encompass: Advanced thermal management solutions including microscale heat transfer, boiling/condensation phenomena, and interfacial transport Energy-efficient systems for HVAC&R, desalination, and clean water production Development of micro/nano-engineered materials and devices for energy conversion/storage Sorption-based gas management and multiphase systems under extreme conditions Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on thermal management innovations (45%), sustainable energy systems (30%), and advanced materials applications (25%). Dominant themes include heat transfer enhancement techniques, energy-efficient appliance design, desalination technologies, and microscale phase-change phenomena, with increasing emphasis on additive manufacturing approaches. Dr. Bigham leads the Energy-X Lab research group, which tackles high-risk, high-reward problems across four thrust areas: Terrestrial and space life support systems Advanced thermal management Clean energy production Clean water supply The lab's mission is to improve energy efficiency, reliability, and economy across defense, environmental, and energy sectors.
Stephen A. Boyd is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences within Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. His research spans environmental chemistry and microbiology with a focus on soil systems. His educational background includes a B.S. in Chemistry from Central Michigan University (1975), and M.S. and Ph.D. in Soil Chemistry from Purdue University (1978, 1980). Dr. Boyd's research investigates organic contaminant movement in soil, microbial/catalytic degradation mechanisms, and remediation technologies for contaminated soils/sediments. His work features innovative approaches including chemically modified clays for contaminant sorption and degradation, mechanistic studies of toxicant interactions with natural/modified clays, and development of in-situ soil modification technologies. He extensively examines biodegradation of xenobiotics (particularly PCB reductive dechlorination) and bioavailability of soil-bound contaminants to degrading bacteria. His 15 most recent publications reveal strong trends in clay-based contaminant immobilization, pharmaceutical/water pollutant interactions, dioxin chemistry, and nanomaterial applications for environmental remediation, with dominant fields being environmental chemistry, soil science, and contaminant toxicology. University Distinguished Professor (MSU, 2005) Jackson Award in Soil Science (SSSA, 2004) Highly Cited Researcher (Institute for Scientific Information, 2002) Distinguished Faculty Award (MSU, 2001) Soil Science Research Award (SSSA, 1999) Dr. Boyd has secured significant research funding including a recent $750K USDA grant (2022) for PFAS mitigation research. His laboratory focuses on clay chemistry applications for environmental remediation, with notable breakthroughs in soil cleansing technologies and biochar applications. Current work emphasizes advanced contaminant degradation pathways and practical field applications of his soil modification technologies.
Dr Xiaolin Wang is an Associate Professor at the Australian National University's School of Engineering. She leads a research group focused on carbon capture, hydrogen storage, thermal energy storage using phase change materials, gas hydrate sciences, and green building technologies. Her work emphasizes sustainable energy solutions and environmental engineering. She has secured over $2M in research funding, including an ARENA-funded hydrogen storage project. Education: PhD from ANU (2013), joined ANU as an education-focused lecturer in 2018. Awards: ANU Vice Chancellor’s Award for Early Career Academics, AIRAH Excellence in HVAC&R Research, and CECC Remote Teaching Award. She serves as Sub-Dean of Student Experience in her college. Research Interests: Innovations in low-capital-cost hydrogen storage via nano-scaffolding, heat/mass transfer enhancement in hydrate-based CCS, novel PCM recipes for thermal management, and strategies for green building design. Her lab explores biomimetic encapsulation for CO₂ capture and eco-friendly hydrogels for methane hydrate formation. Publications focus on hydrate-based carbon capture mechanisms, thermal energy storage systems, and advanced materials. Key projects include mass transfer enhancement for hydrate CCS and a Global Research Partnership on building physics and acoustics. Grants & Funding: ARENA hydrogen storage project, ARC DECRA Fellowship, and ANU Global Research Partnerships Scheme. Supervises research on carbon capture, thermal systems, and sustainable materials.
J. Ilja Siepmann is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Distinguished University Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Chemistry, with affiliations spanning Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, and Data Science. His research integrates molecular simulations, force field development, and machine learning to study adsorption phenomena, phase equilibria, polymer chemistry, and nanoporous materials. Education: Undergraduate: University of Freiburg, Germany (1983-1987) Graduate: University of Cambridge, UK (PhD, 1988-1991) Post-doctoral: IBM Zurich Research Lab, Koninklijke/Shell Lab, and University of Pennsylvania (1991-1994) Research interests focus on chemical theory, materials genomics, and environmental chemistry, with emphasis on energy-efficient separations, nanostructured materials, and sustainable chemical processes. Computational methods like Monte Carlo algorithms and machine learning underpin his investigations into fluid interfaces, nucleation, and catalytic systems. Recent publications emphasize adsorption thermodynamics, molecular simulations of complex fluids, data-driven materials discovery, and polymer self-assembly. Trends include integration of machine learning with molecular modeling, nanoporous materials for clean energy, and phase behavior of refrigerants. Awards: Distinguished McKnight University Professor Distinguished University Teaching Professor Advises graduate and undergraduate researchers in computational chemistry projects. Leads the Siepmann Group at Kolthoff Hall, part of the Chemical Theory Center and Nanoporous Materials Genome Center. Research funded through MURI and industry partnerships.
Dr. Giulio Santori is a Reader in Chemical Engineering at the University of Edinburgh's School of Engineering. He holds a PhD in Energy (2009) and an MSc in Mechanical Engineering (2004) from Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy. His research focuses on thermal energy storage, adsorption-based cooling and desalination systems, low-grade heat utilization, and advanced materials like ionic liquids and ionogels. He is a member of the Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre and the UK Carbon Capture Research Centre. Teaching: Chemical Engineering laboratories, design courses, and research projects. Research interests include optimizing sorption strategies for heat storage, developing sustainable adsorption heat pumps, and exploring applications of 3D-printed components in thermal systems. Current projects involve structured ionic liquids for vapor sorption and ionogels for desalination using low-grade heat. Recent publications highlight advancements in thermal storage technologies, adsorption cooling systems, and CO2 capture. Open PhD projects focus on ionic liquid-based sorption and hydrochar applications.
Dr. Benedikt Aumeier is a Research Fellow and head of the working group "Advanced Water Treatment" at the Chair of Urban Water Management, Department of Civil, Geo and Environmental Engineering, TUM School of Engineering and Design at the Technical University of Munich since 2023. Previously, he served as a Post-Doc and Working Group Leader at the Institute of Urban Water Management, RWTH Aachen University from 2020-2023. Dr. Aumeier holds a Dr.-Ing. from the Chair of Chemical Process Engineering at RWTH Aachen University (2020), an M.Sc. in Management and Technology of Water and Wastewater from the University of Duisburg-Essen (2011-2013), and a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich (2007-2011). His research focuses on advanced water treatment processes for direct and indirect water reuse, drinking water treatment, and wastewater treatment. Key areas include adsorption/sorption, membrane filtration, advanced oxidation processes, and disinfection. He investigates competitive adsorption in aqueous media, novel sorbent regeneration methods, membrane fouling countermeasures, and process modeling. His work addresses removal of persistent and mobile organic contaminants including PFAS, as well as microorganism elimination. Dr. Aumeier's publications demonstrate a strong trend toward addressing emerging water quality challenges, particularly concerning persistent organic pollutants and advanced treatment technologies. His research spans fundamental studies on adsorption mechanisms to practical applications for water reuse and decentralized treatment systems, with increasing focus on PFAS removal and compliance with regulatory frameworks. Mitglied im Fachausschuss "Persistente-Mobile-Toxische (PMT) Stoffe" der Wasserchemischen Gesellschaft, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) Mitarbeit an DWA M1200 Teil 2 "Wasserwiederverwendung für landwirtschaftliche und urbane Zwecke in Deutschland" At TUM, Dr. Aumeier teaches courses including "Natural processing methods," "Advanced Water Treatment Engineering and Reuse," and "Industrial wastewater treatment and reuse," demonstrating his commitment to educating the next generation of water professionals. He leads the "Advanced Water Treatment" working group, which focuses on developing and applying innovative water treatment technologies to address contemporary water quality challenges under changing climate conditions.
