Prof. Dr. Narendra Kumar is a Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, where he has been affiliated since 1990. He received his Dr. Tech. in Chemical Engineering from Åbo Akademi in 1996. His research encompasses catalysis, catalytic materials, synthesis and characterization, microporous and mesoporous materials, petrochemicals, oil refining, biofuels, environmental catalysis, and the synthesis of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemicals. He has authored 498 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals and holds an H-index of 47. He has co-supervised over 75 Doctoral, Licentiate, and MSc theses. In recognition of his three decades of service, he was awarded the Åbo Akademi University Bronze and Silver Medals. Dr. Kumar has evaluated doctoral dissertations and served as opponent and examiner for universities in Finland, Sweden, Italy, and Spain. He is a member of scientific committees for FEZA, IZA, the International Conference on Waste and Biomass Valorization, and major catalysis symposia, and serves as a reviewer for these events. He is also an expert evaluator for EU projects and Horizon Europe (2021–2027). He holds memberships in the Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers, Finnish Catalysis Society, EFCE, British Zeolite Association, and IZA. He reviews for over 35 journals from Elsevier, ACS, RSC, Springer Nature, MDPI, and other publishers. His editorial roles include board membership for Universal Journal of Catalysis, Catalysis Research, Current Catalysis, Waste and Biomass Valorization, J. American Chemical Engineering, Catalysts, and Explora Environment Resource. He serves as Academic Editor for Catalysts, Guest Editor of a Special Issue, and Associate Editor, Review Editor, and Topic Editor for Frontiers in Chemical Engineering.

Prof. Albin Pintar is head of the research programme group “Integrated Approach to Water Pollution Prevention” at the National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia. His research covers heterogeneous and environmental catalysis, catalytic reaction mechanisms in multiphase reactors, wastewater treatment, hydrogen production from renewables, and process intensification. He has authored over 200 scientific publications and several international patents (h-index 53) and is the recipient of a national award for scientific achievements in chemical engineering. Prof. Pintar serves as Chairman of the Catalysis Division of the Slovenian Chemical Society, and member of the editorial boards of Catalysts and Molecules. He has chaired numerous international conferences, including CAMURE-5 & ISMR-4, EAAOP-6, the 2020 EFCATS Summer School, Ceria 2024, and NPM-8 & PAOT-9.

Carmelo Lo Vecchio is a senior researcher at CNR ITAE, specializing on the synthesis and chemical-physical and electrochemical characterization of catalysts and semiconductors for various applications, including direct electricity production through direct alcohol fuel cells, green hydrogen production via alkaline electrolysis, photoelectrolysis, alcohol electroreforming, and CO₂ photoreduction for the production of high-value-added chemicals (methanol, ethanol). He has published extensively on fuel cell technologies, renewable energy materials, and catalyst design, contributing to the advancement of low-carbon energy solutions.

Prof. Topakas received his Chemistry degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and his PhD in Industrial Biotechnology from NTUA in 2004. After research appointments in the UK and Sweden, he was promoted stepbystep and became Professor of Industrial Biotechnology at NTUA in December 2023. He also holds a visiting associate professorship at Luleå University of Technology, Sweden. His research focuses on industrial enzymes, biorefineries, secondgeneration biofuels, wastebiomass valorization and plastic upcycling via omics and proteingenetic engineering. He has taken part in 39 national and European projects, publishing over 200 peerreviewed works and presenting at more than 300 conferences. He serves as editorinchief and associate editor for multiple journals, and heads NTUA’s IndBioCat research group advancing the bioeconomy while supervising students across degree levels.

Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Genoa (Italy), Section Editor-in-Chief, Section Industrial Catalysis, Catalysts (MDPI Publishing). Author of one book (Heterogeneous Catalytic Materials, Elsevier, 2014), and 540 scientific documents with 41300 citations, Hirsch index 103 (Scopus). Ranked n. 1404 in 2024 World’s Top 2% Scientists list for 2023 (n. 9 in the main scientific field Physical Chemistry; n.15 among all Italian scientists). Ranked n. 12 in Top Italian Scientists in Engineering, n. 1 in Chemical Engineering.

Prof. Raffaella Mancuso received her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry at University of Calabria (Italy) in 2002 and her first PhD in “Methodologies for the Development of Molecules of Pharmacological Interest” at the some university in 2006. Prof. Mancuso won a “young investigator research project” in 2007 at the University of Calabria. In 2008 she was a post-doc researcher at Iowa State University (USA) with Prof. Richard Larock. In 2012 she joined the group of Prof. Daniel Solé (University of Barcelona-Spain) as invited researcher. Prof. Mancuso received a “Research Award” in September 2017 in the field "Innovation in Organic Synthesis". In 2018 she received her second PhD degree in “Environmental, Construction and Energy Sciences and Engineering” at the University of Calabria. In 2018 she was Researcher in Organic Chemistry at University of Calabria. From 2021 she is Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Calabria (Italy). Prof. Mancuso current scientific production include 167 papers in international peer-reviewed journals (h-index: 41), 8 patents, 9 book chapter and more than 260 communications in national or international conferences. She is an international referee in the field of Multidisciplinary and Organic Chemistry, an editorial board member of reputed international journals. Her current research interests include organometallic catalysis for the synthesis of high value molecules of pharmacological interest, use of nonconventional solvents in advanced organic synthesis and synthesis of novel materials for advanced applications and for cultural heritage.