Speakers
Plenary Speakers
Prof. Tao Zhang
H: Index: 166
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
Chinese Academy of Sciences
China
Prof. Tao Zhang
Tao Zhang(Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science)received his B.S. in 1982 fromShaanxi University of Technologyand Ph.D degree in 1989 from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Prof. Zhang was officially selected as Academician by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013, and was a vice president of Chinese academy of sciences in the period of 2017-2023. He was elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences in 2018, and an International Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2020. Prof. Zhang works in heterogeneous catalysis, especially in the field of nano- and single-atom catalysis. He has led new concepts in “single-atom catalysis” and currently focuses on the design, synthesis and industrial application of single-atom catalysts for applications in energy conversion (such as biomass catalytic conversion, CO2 reduction and propellant decomposition) and environmental control (such as NOx-SCR and CO removal).Prof. Zhang has also received several research awards, including Future Science Prize on Physical Science (2024), Advance of Catalysis Award of Asian-Pacific Association of Catalysis Societies (2023), Science China Materials Innovation Award (2018), The Science and Technology Progress Award of HLHL Foundation (2016), Distinguished Award of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2010), Zhou Guang Zhao Foundation Award for Applied Science (2009), and National Award of Technology Invention (Second Grade, 2008, 2006, 2005).
Prof. Thomas J. Webster
Thomas J. Webster’s (H index: 126) degrees are in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh (B.S., 1995; USA) and in biomedical engineering from RPI (Ph.D., 2000; USA). He has formed over a dozen companies who have numerous FDA approved medical products currently improving human health in over 30,000 patients. His technology is also being used in commercial products to improve sustainability and renewable energy. He is currently helping those companies and serves as a professor at Brown University, Saveetha University, HebeiUniversity of Technology, UFPI, and others. Dr. Webster has numerous awards including: 2020, World Top 2% Scientist by Citations (PLOS); 2020, SCOPUS Highly Cited Research (Top 1% Materials Science and Mixed Fields); 2021, Clarivate Top 0.1% Most Influential Researchers (Pharmacology and Toxicology); 2022, Best Materials Science Scientist by Citations (Research.com); and is a fellow of over 8 societies.Prof. Webster is a former President of the U.S. Society for Biomaterials and has over 1,350 publications to his credit with over 55,000 citations. He was recently nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Prof. Webster also recently formed a fund to support Nigerian student research opportunities in the U.S.
Prof. Richard J Spontak
Dr. Richard J. Spontak is a Distinguished Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at NC State University. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Penn State University in 1983 and UC Berkeley in 1988, respectively. He then pursued post-doctoral research at the University of Cambridge (U.K.) and the Institute for Energy Technology (Norway) before joining the Procter & Gamble Company in 1990. In 1992, he accepted a faculty position at NC State University, where he supervises the Macromolecular Materials & Morphology Group. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed journal papers and over 35 scholarly works as book chapters and invited monographs, and his work has been featured on 31 journal covers and cited over 16,000 times according to Google Scholar. His primary research interests relate to the phase behavior and morphology/property development of nanostructured polymers, polymer nanocomposites and coatings, electron microscopy, and stimuli-responsive soft materials. In recognition of his research endeavors at NC State University, he is the recipient of the university-level Alexander Q. Holladay Medal for Excellence, the R.J. Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research & Extension, the Alcoa Foundation Distinguished Engineering Research Award, and the Alumni Outstanding Research Award. In addition, he has received the IChemE Underwood Medal and Global Research Project Award, the ACS (PMSE Division) Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings and the Cooperative Research Award in Polymer Science & Engineering, the SPSJ International Award, the German Society for Electron Microscopy Ernst Ruska Prize, the ACS (Rubber Division) Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers Award, the IOM3 Colwyn Medal, the SPE International Award, the 2022 Waterloo Filtration Institute Idea of the Year Award, and the 2021 IAAM Researcher of the Year Award. An elected fellow of the American Physical Society, IOM3, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the ACS (PMSE Division), he was named the Lars Onsager Professor at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology, and is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences and the NC State University Research Leadership, Global Engagement and Outstanding Teaching Academies.
Prof. Changzhi Li
H: Index: 61
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
Chinese Academy of Science
China
Prof. Changzhi Li
Changzhi Li (Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science) was invited as a young member of the 5th and 6th Editorial Board of Chin. J. Catal. Prof. Changzhi Li received his B.A. degree from Hunan Normal University (P. R. China) in 2002, and Ph.D. degree from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009. Then he has been working in CAS Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Applied Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he was promoted to a full professor in 2019. The overarching theme of his research program is biomass catalytic conversion, especiallythe catalytic valorisation of lignin into value-added chemicals and high-density fuels. He has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers on international journals, and has been authorizedmore than 50 patents in China.
Prof. Blaz Likozar
Prof. Blaz Likozar, is a head of the Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering at the National Institute of Chemistry (NIC), leading the programme “Chemical Reaction Engineering”, as well as numerous research projects (15 H2020 / 50 in Horizon Europe alone). His expertise lies (among others) in heterogeneous catalysis materials, modelling, simulation and optimization of process fluid mechanics, transport phenomena and chemical kinetics. He worked at the University of Delaware in 2014–2015 as a Fulbright Program researcher. He has authored >400 articles, was cited >10000 times, having a h-index of 66. He is also involved in many industrial projects, amongst others, with TotalEnergies, Evonik Industries, UPM, Novartis, Carbon Recycling International. He is a recipient of Pregl and Zois awards.
Keynote Speakers
Prof. Dr. Sumit Kumar Gupta
Prof. (Dr.) Sumit Kumar Gupta is an accomplished academic leader and internationally recognized researcher with over 23 years of experience in teaching, research, innovation, and higher education administration. He currently serves as Dean, Academic Affairs at University of Technology (NAAC B++ Grade), where he leads academic governance, research strategy, accreditation, and quality enhancement initiatives. Holding dual Ph.D. degrees in Materials Science and Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, along with M.Tech (Information Technology), M.Sc. (Physics), M.Phil., and B.Ed., he represents a rare interdisciplinary blend of Physics, Nanotechnology, AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science. His research integrates advanced materials, computational intelligence, and emerging technologies for next-generation scientific solutions. Research & Innovation Excellence • 47 Registered & Granted Patents across India, Canada, UK, and Germany through Intellectual Property India • 45+ Publications in Scopus and SCI-indexed high-impact journals • Successfully supervised 11 Ph.D. scholars (3 ongoing) • International Ph.D. thesis evaluator including Cairo University • Author of 7 textbooks for B.Tech and B.Sc. programs Academic Leadership & Global Engagement • NAAC Assessor, Government of India • IIT-JEE Physics Subject Expert & Academic Mentor • International Editorial Board Member of 31 UGC-Approved & Indexed Journals • Keynote Speaker at 16 National and International Conferences • Served on International Advisory Committees spanning 35+ countries • Participant in 75+ National and International Seminars • Completed Refresher Course in Nano Electronics from Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur (2018) Honours & Distinctions • World Top Scientist Award 2024 • Elected Member, Royal Society of Chemistry • Best Dean of the Year • Best Researcher Award • Lifetime Achievement Award • Best Senior Scientist Award Prof. Gupta’s visionary leadership, research excellence, and commitment to academic quality assurance continue to contribute significantly to institutional growth, innovation ecosystems, and the advancement of global higher education.
Dr. Jiang Yang
Dr. Yang received Ph.D degree in Chemistry from the University of Missouri-Rolla, USA in 1994. After two years postdoctoral fellowship at Clarkson University, USA, he worked at Rhodia (now Solvay), Unilever, Baker Hughes, PetroChina for over 20 years. Then, he joined Liaoning Petrochemical University as Professor. His research interests include polymers, surfactants, nanomaterials applications as dispersant, emulsifier, thickener, corrosion inhibitors. He has published more than 80 research articles in SCI (E) journals.
Dr. Zhang Wenjing
Dr. Wenjing Zhang, Ph.D., is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Bone Aging Key Laboratory at Shenzhen University, under the mentorship of Academician BaoguoJiang. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dr. Zhang's research focuses on the intersection of bone aging and bioactive materials, particularly developing injectable hydrogels for musculoskeletal regeneration and disease treatment. Her work has been published in several high-impact journals, including Biomaterials and Acta Biomaterialia. Dr. Zhang is a member of the Chinese Society for Biomaterials and the International Chinese Musculoskeletal Research Society (ICMRS).
Dr. Zuratul Ain Abdul Hamid
Zuratul Ain Abdul Hamid is a materials scientist with over 15 years of experience in polymer engineering, specialising in polymeric biomaterials, drug delivery systems, 3D printing, and smart polymers. She is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Materials & Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia. She obtained her PhD from The University of Melbourne, Australia, in 2010, and completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2001 and 2002, respectively.Her research spans the full translational pathway, from biomaterial design and development to in vitro and in vivo validation. In addition, she applies TRIZ-based problem-solving approaches in research and innovation. Driven by continuous learning, she actively explores emerging research areas and is committed to advancing translational research that bridges fundamental science with clinical and real-world applications.
Dr. Karina Kwapiszewska
Karina Kwapiszewska is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. with honors in biotechnology from the Warsaw University of Technology (2014), where she worked on 3D cellular models in microfluidic systems. She then joined IPC PAS as a postdoctoral fellow and completed several professional training programs, including courses at the University of Cambridge and Harvard University. Her research combines advanced fluorescence microscopy with physical modeling of intracellular nanoviscosity to quantify diffusion, molecular size, and biomolecular interactions directly in living cells, with applications ranging from protein oligomerization to intracellular transport under stress. Since 2019, she has led multiple competitive research projects, and since 2022 she has also been a co-founder of Cell-IN, a commercialization initiative focused on enhancing cellular uptake of macromolecules. Her work has been recognized by multiple institutions, including the Foundation for Polish Science, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Scopus, the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, and the American Chemical Society.
Dr. Ku Marsilla binti Ku Ishak
Dr. Ku Marsilla Ku Ishak (born on 6 November 1984) is an Associate Professor at the School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Shehas been successful in obtaining various international and national research grants, contributing significantly to the development of sustainable materials. She has published extensively in scientific journals and authored multiple book chapters.
Chris Schroder
Chris Schroder started as organic chemist at TNO and afterwards changed to polymer chemistry field while in DSM. When DSM obtained the engineering plastics business from AKZO Nobel, he worked in that field in different roles at DSM Engineering Plasticslike business management and technology innovation. In 2018 he started working for Zymergen, a biotech company linking synthetic biology (to create unique monomers) with polymer development. After a period of working as advisor, mainly focusing on due diligence work, he co-founded the company Pegasus Materials BV that’s focused on designing and manufacturing products that are biobased, but still show superior performance vs incumbent materials leading to products that have both better LCA and CFP.
Mr. Albin Kaelin
Albin Kaelin is the founder, owner and CEO of epeaswitzerland gmbh since its foundation in 2009 and has driven the development and implementation of the Cradle to Cradle® design concept in various areas of the company. As early as 1993, he initiated the development of the Climatex® product line, which produced the world's first Cradle to Cradle® products. Cradle to Cradle® design creates recyclable products by setting itself apart from conventional recycling and maintaining the quality of the raw materials over several product life cycles. All materials are considered nutrients and are used in defined cycles at the right time and in the right place. Awards: Honored with over 30 awards since 2022, including IE 100 Award- 2024 and 2025 Albin Kaelin - Most Innovative CEO of The Year testify to his leadership and innovative spirit. References: THE EUROPEAN Climate Change: “A book for the businesses of tomorrow”, Author: “From Rebel to Radical Innovator; Leading the Transformation through Ciruclarity” Albin Kaelin
Dr. Lidiia Kolzunova
Lidiia G. Kolzunova Doctor of Sciences in Chemistry, Chief Researcher Institute of Chemistry, FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia. kolzunova@ich.dvo.ru http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2929-4885. Lidiia G. Kolzunova’s degrees are in chemistry from the Far Eastern National University (Russia), physical chemistry (Ph.D., 1983. Institute of Chemistry FEB RAS. Russia), and physical chemistry (Doctor of Sciences in Chemistry, Professor. 2000. Russian Academy of Sciences. Russia). Her research interests lie in the development and study of the physicochemical foundations of formation, mechanism and kinetics, structure, morphology, physicochemical, catalytic, antiseptic, sensory, and other functional properties of new polymeric materials and composites based on them. Currently, her research focuses on developing new approaches to the electrochemical formation of new functional polymer films and coatings on metals and polymer/metal nanoparticle nanocomposite materials with protective, insulating, catalytic, sensory, antiseptic, and membrane properties. She is the author of 275 publications, 7 patents and 3 monographs.
Dr. Kedafi Belkhir
Kedafi Belkhir is an Associate Professor (Maître de Conférences) at Centrale Lille Institut, France, and conducts his research within the Ingénierie des SystèmesPolymères (ISP) team of the UnitéMatériaux et Transformations laboratory (UMET, CNRS UMR 8207). He also teaches polymer science and chemistry at the École NationaleSupérieure de Chimie de Lille (ENSCL) and the University of Lille. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry and Materials Science in 2017 from the University of Saint-Étienne (IMP laboratory). He then worked at ENSAIT Roubaix (GEMTEX) as Temporary Assistant Professor, before completing two postdoctoral fellowships: one at IMP (on microwave-assisted polymer processing) and one at ICGM Montpellier (on synthesis of UV-responsive poly(2-oxazoline) nanomaterials for drug delivery). His expertise covers the design and synthesis of tailor-made macromolecular architectures, stimuli-responsive polymers, and polymer processing, with advanced characterization from molecular to macroscopic scales. Currently, he supervises Ph.D. students and coordinates projects on Self-Immolative Polymers, a new class of smart polymers with potential applications in biomedicine and sustainable recycling.
Prof. Abdullah Aydin
Abdullah Aydın is an Professor of Science/Chemistry Education at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Turkey. He received his Master'sin AnalyticalChemistry fromUludağUniversity in 1995. He received his Ph.D. in science / chemistry education from Gazi University in 2004. He is a member of the editorial team of 74 international journals (disciplinary and interdisciplinary). He has 11 excellence awards [Excellence in reviewing]. He has outstanding contribution award [Journal of Cleaner Prudiction - ELSEVIER]. He has committee memberships (SciTech Nanosciences 2019 & Nanotech-2021 & GECAET-22 & Material Science 2024 & Functional Materials 2024). He has national [Ahi Evran University, "Academic Performance Award", The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, “Broadcast award”], andinternational[VDGOODTechnologyFactory,“LifetimeAchievementAward”]awards.Hehasscientific membershipsESERA,IJDS,ACSE,TurkishChemicalSociety,VDGOODTechnologyFactory.Thefocusofhis research is the Analytical Chemistry, trace element analysis, materials and processes, disciplinary and interdisciplinary.
Dr. Yulun Tao
Yulun Tao, Ph.D. in Polymer Science, is an associate professor at Anhui University of Science and Technology and a former post-doc visiting scholar at Pusan National University, Korea. His work on polyaniline adsorption–conductivity has led to major advances. He has led or joined several National Natural Science Foundation youth grants and key Anhui provincial innovation projects, published over 40 SCI papers in Chem. Commun., Nanoscale, Chinese J. Polym. Sci., etc., and holds 10 licensed patents, including polyanilinefibrous adsorbents now being commercialized for bromine extraction from seawater.
