ENVIRONSUMMIT2024 | Environmental Science and Engineering Conference

Prof. Young Dok Kim

Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea

Title: Photocatalysts for environmental remediation: studies from rutile TiO2 to TiO2/cement composite

Prof. Young Dok Kim is currently a full professor in the Department of Chemistry of Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea. His research focuses on removal of atmospheric gaseous pollutants using adsorbents and heterogeneous catalysts. Besides, he is also interested in functional thin films and conversion of CO2 to more valuable products. His research covers a broad range of environmental science from fundamental research to real application. On one hand, he pursues to achieve atomic scale understanding about structure-activity relationship using diverse in-situ surface analyses techniques. On the other hand, he intensively works with partners in industry to develop advanced functional materials for environmental remediation. He recently transferred his technology to fabricate mesoporous materials with highly dispersed sub-nanometer sized iron oxide nanoparticles to two companies in South Korea, and these companies are currently developing air-purification instruments, in which these iron-oxide based materials are implemented as adsorbent and catalysts. According to the google scholar in April, 2023, he got ~ 9500 citations for his nearly 300 SCI papers and his H index is 51. In 2019, he received Pride Korea Award for his contribution for industrial development in South Korea.

Dr. Marisa Almeida

CIIMAR, University of Porto, Portugal

Title: Natural and constructed wetlands to remove pollutants and potentiate water re-use

With a PhD in Chemistry (obtained in 2003) her main research area is bio and phytoremediation, participating actively in studies that aim to potentiate the use of these biotechnological tools as nature-based solutions to improve and recover aquatic environments contaminated with different pollutants. Her expertise is on environmental chemistry applied to estuarine environments, phytoremediation of contaminants in natural and constructed wetlands and bioremediation of oil spills, participating and/or coordinating several national and international projects on these topics. She also regularly gives talks to the general public and school students in the frame of CIIMAR outreach projects on science dissemination.

Mr. Raphael Costa

Technology Director, Hydro Bauxite & Alumina, Brazil

Title: The Innovation Ecosystem at Hydro Bauxite & Alumina

Raphael is the Technology Director of the Hydro Bauxite & Alumina division of Hydro, responsible for Technology Development, R&D, Digital Transformation and the B&A lean manufacturing-based business system. He has 35+ years of experience in the aluminum industry, working in various technical and managerial positions with Alcoa and Hydro, in Brazil, US, Spain, and Australia. He also has 4+ years of experience in the steel mini-mill industry in the US, working for the steelmaking company Gerdau. Raphael has a ChemEng degree from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil and an MBA from the University of Houston-Victoria, in the US.

Prof. João Carlos Marques

University of Coimbra, Portugal

Title: Coastal Systems in transition: A tricky puzzle of sustainable Management

João Carlos Marques (1957, Lisbon, Portugal), received a graduate degree in biology from the University of Lisbon in 1980, and earned a PhD in ecology from the University of Coimbra (Portugal) in 1989. Professor Marques was vice-rector for Scientific Research at the University of Coimbra from 2003 to 2007, and Director of the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE) and scientific coordinator of MAREFOZ, the advanced laboratory of MARE at Figueira da Foz, from 2016 to 2022.

A marine and estuarine ecologist, he has worked on biological and ecological processes in marine and estuarine ecosystems, systems ecology, and ecological modelling. Since 1990, he has coordinated 24 large research projects both funded by the Portuguese Agencies and European Union Programs, and has also participated as a member of the research team in 30 others. Thus far, he has authored or coauthored more than 350 scientific papers in international refereed journals, 7 books, and 28 book chapters (international editions), and supervised (thesis concluded) 51 MSc and 34 PhD students in Portugal and abroad, in addition to supervising numerous post-doctoral works.

He is Editor-in-Chief of the Ecological Indicators Journal – Elsevier since 2016, and also of the Environmental and Sustainability Indicators Journal – Elsevier, since 2019.

He was the recipient of the Prigogine Gold Medal Award in 2017.

Prof. Jianwei Ren

University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Title: Will update

Jianwei Ren finished his B. Eng study in 2001 and M. Eng study in 2004 both from Central South University, China, in the field of mineral processing technologies. In 2007, he obtained my PhD degree from South China University and Technology, China in the field of Chemical Engineering.

He is currently serving UJ-Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) as a full professor and serving as the deputy director of ‘Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Research Centre’. His current role is to drive the 4IR agenda for South Africa through the ALD technologies. His research interests cover materials science & manufacturing, H2 & fuel cell technologies, ALD technologies, system integration, and particularly, pushing the 4IR agenda for South Africa. He has over 20 years’ experience in his profession and devotes himself to South African science society. He is the registered professional member of South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNSP, Reg. No.: 400241/11), the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA, Reg. No.: 20140277), the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE, Reg. No.: 591294), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC, Reg. No.: 12581), and has also rated by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) as Established Researcher. He serves as the panel member for ECSA, NRF, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF), the National Business Initiative (NBI) and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA). He severs as the reviewer for over 50 high-level international journals. He also serves as the proposal reviewer for number of funding bodies such as South African NRF, CSIR, Qatar University, European Science Foundation (ESF) and Chilean National Commission for Scientific and Technology Research (CONICYT). He supervises post-graduates regularly. He often meets with industries to seek the way forward to market, industrial applications, and public services. He has published 150 journal articles, 50 conference proceedings, 2 patents, 13 book chapters and presented in over 60 international conferences. He is the international advisory board member of the Journal of Arts Science and Technology. He is currently affiliated to Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India as an adjunct professor. Non-scientific interests include sports, history, and travel.

Dr. Aleksandra Bawiec

Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

Title: Nature Based Solutions for wastewater and urban water purification – action against eutrophication

Dr Aleksandra Bawiec is an assistant professor in the Institute of Environmental Engineering in Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr). She completed her bechelor’s and master's degree in environmental protection at the UPWr and master's degree in Environmental engineering at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology. In 2019 she completed her doctorate in the discipline of Environmental Engineering, Mining and Energy with the dissertation „Impact of selected environmental factors on the effectiveness of nitrogen and phosphorus removal from sewage treated in a hydroponic system”.

Her scientific interests are related to Nature Based Solutions (NBS), in particular the use of plants for wastewater and surface water treatment processes (hydroponics, floating islands) as well as the purification of wastewater with high ammonium concentration.

Task leader in an international project SYMBIOREM (Symbiotic, circular bioremediation systems and biotechnology solutions for improved environmental, economic and social sustainability in pollution control) funded by the European Union from the Programme European Union’s Horizon Europe.

Contractor in the project SMART-WaterDomain: Framework for organizational decision-making proces in water reuse for smart cities, funded under the joint call on smart water management.

Prof. Ana Monteiro

University of Porto, Portugal

Title: Will update

Born in Porto, she is Full Professor at the Department of Geography at the University of Porto, member, and researcher at the Institute of Public Health at the University of Porto (ISPUP), member of the Research Center for Territory, Transport and Environment (CITTA) and collaborator at the Center of Geography and Spatial Planning Studies (CEGOT). She has a degree in geography, a postgraduate degree in Environmental Impact Assessment from the University of Aberdeen (UK) and in physical geography from the University of Porto. She obtained her PhD in Physical Geography at the University of Porto in 1993, where she also completed her aggregation in 2004. She has been Auditor of National Defense since 2001. between 2003 and 2005. She is a national representative in several Cost Action and has collaborated with the European Commission as part of the panel of evaluators of the 7th Framework Program and H2020 in the field of Climate Change, Nature Based Solutions and Public Health. It has also integrated the FCT evaluators panels and similar institutions in other countries. She also held the position of chairman of assessment juries of the Higher Education Assessment and Accreditation Agency (A3ES).

Since 2009, she belongs to the Scientific Committee of the Climatology Group of the International Geographical Union (UGI). Since 2010, she has been Director of the Master's Degree in Risks, Cities and Spatial Planning and is currently a member of the Scientific Committee and since 2022 she is Director of the International Master in Cities Challenges. She is member of the scientific committee of the Doctorate Course in Geography and was a professor of the Doctorates in Public Health at UP and Global Public Health at Universidade Nova de Lisboa. She has been a visiting professor at several national and foreign universities. She has been coordinator and researcher in more than 30 national and international scientific research projects funded by the Science and Technology Foundation, European Science Foundation, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Luso-American Foundation for Development, NATO, EEAGrants, University of Porto, University of São Paulo, State University of São Paulo, CNRS, Ministère des Affaires Etrangeres Français and British Council. She teaches and conducts research since 1983 in the areas of urban climatology, bioclimatology, agroclimatology, environmental impact assessment, atmospheric pollution, geopolitics, health and quality of life and urban planning, seeking, whenever possible, to transfer the results of his research to society as expressed by the more than 20 books and book chapters published, the 70 articles in national and international journals and the approximately 120 abstracts in national and international conference proceedings.

She supervised and co-supervised more than 60 national and foreign post-doctoral, doctoral, and master students. It has participated in more than 40 projects to provide services to the community within the scope of Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment, Territorial Planning and Ordainment, most recently the collaboration in defining the AMP 2020 Strategy and, currently for AMP2030, in the Revision of the PDM of CM Porto (dimension urban climate, air, water, soil and noise), and the coordination of the Porto Metropolitan Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change, of the Climate Zoning Charter of Vila Nova de Gaia, for the Creation of the Environmental Index Regulation for Porto.

Prof. Romeu Vicente

University of Aveiro, Portugal

Title: Decarbonization through building technology and material science

Professor Romeu Vicente is a Full Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Aveiro. Completed in 2008 a PhD in the area of Strategies and Rehabilitation methodologies and Urban Risk Assessment. He teaches courses in Physics and Technology of Construction, Pathology and Rehabilitation of the curriculum of Civil Engineering. Guided and guides students of PhD and master the themes of thermal behaviour and energy efficiency of new and existing buildings. Recognised as among the worlds ́s top 2% scientists by Elsevier BV and Stanford University ranking in 2022 (Building & Construction) he has co-authored some 500 scientific and technical publications, including dozens of research articles in some of the most reputed international journals. He has coordinated and participated in several national and international research projects in the area of building physics and technology, rehabilitation of existing buildings and innovative construction systems and has published a significant number of articles in journals and international and national conferences. He is vice-director of the Doctoral Porgramme in Civil Engineering and the Scientific Coordinator of the Research Unit - RISCO. Participates in different technical and scientific committees of the CIB International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction. He is a member of the National Commission of Eurocode 6 and the Board of Studies of the Doctoral program –Analysis and Mitigation of Risks in Infrastructures InfraRisk-. Founding Member and Director of the Passivhaus Zero Energy Association –Portuguese Platform.

Dr. Vinícius Teixeira Andrade

EPAMIG, Brazil

Title: Genetics and plant breeding for sustainable agriculture

Will be updated soon

Dr. Ana Carolina Maia Angelo

Fluminense Federal University, Brazil

Title: The lifecycle and circular approach towards a sustainable waste management from decommissioned subsea equipments of the oil and gas sector

Professor of the Production Engineering Department at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF). PhD in Production Engineering Program (PEP/COPPE/UFRJ), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Coordinator of the Sustainable Production and Industrial Symbiosis research group (PSSI). Large experience in the field of Life Cycle Management focused on sustainable decision applied to waste management, sustainable decommissioning, Circular Business Models and Industrial Symbiosis.

Dr. Jorge Antunes

TecnoVeritas, Portugal

Title: Decarbonization, air pollution and hydrogen of shipping

Will be updated soon

Dr. Songlin Wu

The University of Queensland, Australia

Title: Will update soon

Dr Songlin Wu is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia. He is recognised as an international environmental geochemist, focusing on mine tailings biogeochemistry and tailing-microbial-plant interactions, as well as organo-mineral interactions in tailings, aiming to establish advanced technologies towards sustainable mine site rehabilitation. During last 13 years he has consistently conducted multi-disciplinary research for developing operationally feasible technologies towards sustainable tailing rehabilitation and solve problems in relevant mining industry sectors. Particularly, he is growing into a young global leader in the emerging areas after 7 years of substantial engagement in several large industry and government-based projects for applicable and fundamental study of eco-engineering of tailings into soil like technosol for sustainable mine site rehabilitation. Dr Wu has published over 40 papers in leading international journals in the field of Environmental Science and Technology, with more than 1100 citations till now. He also serves as an Advisory Editor for the international journal “Plant and soil”.

Dr. Wolfgang Frenzel

Technische Universität Berlin, Germany

Title: Will update soon

Wolfgang Frenzel has studied chemistry in Freiburg und Berlin (both in Germany). His Diploma and Ph.D. Thesis were done in the field of Analytical Chemistry with emphasis on electrochemistry and flow-through analysis. After a post-doctoral period at the HahnMeitner Institute in Berlin (where he dealt with trace element speciation in food and biomedical research) he became leader of the analytical research group at the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Technical University Berlin. Since 1986 he is permanently employed at TU Berlin as a research scientist. His activities at the TU Berlin encompass also teaching in Analytical Chemistry, Air Pollution Control and Atmospheric Research. Over the last 40 years he has supervised altogether about 110 PhD, Diploma, Master and Bachelor Theses. He is collaborating with scientists in several countries worldwide and since 2015 a deputy teacher at the German University in Bangladesh.

Scientifically his interests are devoted to the development and optimization of analytical methods for trace determination of environmentally relevant parameters in water, soil, and air. A particular focus of his work relates to the integration of sample preparation into analytical chemical methods.

Wolfgang Frenzel has published about 100 papers in peer reviewed journals and has written several book chapters. He is, among other positions, the managing editor of the analytical journal Microchimica Acta and editorial board member of the Journal of Flow Injection Analysis and Archives of Environmental Protection. For many years he has been the chairman of a biannual international conference on ion analysis (ICIA) and in 2014 he has initiated a biannual symposium on Ultrafine Particulate Matter, the 5th one is planned for 2024.

Dr. Mònica Escolà Casas

IDAEA-CSIC, Spain

Title: Removal of Trace Organic Contaminants with Nature Based Solutions: Assessment via non-Target Analysis

Mònica has a PhD in Environmental Sciences (Aarhus University, Denmark). Her research journey started investigating the efficiency of diverse biofilm reactor setups, including sand filters and Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBRs), to mitigate micropollutants in wastewater. As a postdoctoral researcher she used MBBRs to probe micropollutant attenuation mechanisms by biofilms. Later on, she transitioned from academic research to the private sector, joining the startup MS-Omics Aps (Denmark), which specializes in conducting metabolomics analyses for third parties. She moved to Spain in 2019, where she resumed work in wastewater treatment at the Institut Català de Recerca de l’Aigua with the SCOREwater project. In this capacity, she employed her expertise in analytical chemistry and wastewater to conduct the group's inaugural study on sewage epidemiology. In February 2020, she commenced work at the Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua – CSIC with her own project. In this role, she employs metabolomics to analyze micropollutants and root exudates, with the goal of enhancing the efficacy of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. Currently, she employs these non-target analytical techniques to explore the removal of trace organic contaminants by different Nature Based Solutions as well as to study the effects of applying wastewater or biosolids on agricultural crops.

Dr. Ana I. Calvo

University of León, Spain

Title: Will update soon

Ana I. Calvo is an Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Chemistry and Physics at the University of León (Spain). She earned a PhD in Environmental Science from the University of León in 2009 and from January 2010 to September 2013 she benefited from a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre of Environmental and Marine Studies in Aveiro (Portugal). She carried out several research stays working with different European research groups (Toulouse, Granada, Cambridge, Aveiro, Lyon, Leipzig and Linköping).

Her main research area is air quality, mainly aerosols (physical-chemical properties) and aerosol-precipitation interaction. She has participated in 25 projects and has coordinated (as IP) a regional and a national project. Thus far, she has authored or coauthored 62 articles published in JCR journals, 2 book chapters and more than 150 communications to international conferences with referees.

Dr. Fabián G. Fernández

University of Minnesota, USA

Title: The role of nitrogen management in subsurface-drained corn fields to mitigate nitrogen loss to the environment

Dr. Fabián G. Fernández is a Professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Fernández was born and raised in the Pampas region of Argentina. He earned his Ph.D. degree from Purdue University in 2006, and M.S. and B.S. degrees from Brigham Young University in 2002 and 2000, respectively. The research and extension education programs of Dr. Fernández focus on soil nutrient management and plant mineral nutrition. His current work at the University of Minnesota concentrates primarily on environmental issues related to nutrient management for corn cropping systems. He seeks to identify and implement nitrogen management practices that are sustainable in terms of both minimizing negative environmental impacts to water and air, and improving crop yields. Fernández graduated 5 Ph.D. and 11 M.S. students and is currently advising 3 Ph.D. and 1 M.S. students. He is an associate editor for Soil Science Society of America Journal, has published more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, co-authored 4 book chapters, over 45 proceedings papers, more than 150 abstracts for scientific conferences, over 160 extension publications and research reports, over 240 extension presentations, and hundreds of local, national and international presentations.

Keynote Speakers