Speakers 2020: Young Energy Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Dastan Bamwesigye

• PhD candidate, Department of Forest and Wood Products Economics and Policy, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
• Currently visiting scholar at LSU AgCenter Global Network, Louisiana State University, USA
• Master’s degree in Regional Development, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic; BA, Kyambogo University, Uganda

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Benginur Bastabak

• PhD student and Agricultural Engineer, Biomass Energy Systems and Technologies Centre, Ege University, Turkey
• Research experience in seed technology and biomass energy Technologies
• MSc in Biogas Technologies, BSc in Agricultural Engineering

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Noémie Chagnon-Lessard

• Researcher, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Université Laval, Canada
• Research experience in the field of geothermal power plants and waste heat recovery Systems
• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, BSc in Engineering Physics

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Nayrana Daborer-Prado

• Researcher, Research Group ASIC/University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
• Research experience in sorption storage systems and thermal solar Energy
• MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems, BSc in Petroleum Engineering

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Dana Darwish

• Research Assistant, Piston and Combustion Engines Research Department, University of Rostock, Germany
• MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering and Management, University of Freiburg, Germany; BSc in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Nicola Di Fidio

• PhD student in Chemistry and Material Science, University of Pisa, Italy
• Vice-Coordinator and Organisational Manager of "Associazione Dottorandi e Dottori di Ricerca Italiani" (ADI-PISA), Italy
• MSc and BSc in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnologies, University of Bari, Italy

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Andrea Di Giuliano

• Research Fellow on biomass gasification, University of L’Aquila, Italy
• Work experience in synthesis and characterisation of catalytic and sorbent materials and in pyrolysis and gasification of biomass
• Joint PhD in Chemical Engineering, University of L’Aquila/Italy and Chemistry University of Strasbourg/France

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Alex Epik

• Senior Consultant SEC "Biomass" and Researcher, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU)
• Work experience in the fields of climate change and energy policies and of pyrolysis and solid biomass combustion investigation 
• MSc and BSc in Thermophysics

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Muir Freer

• PhD student in Environmental Engineering, Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester, UK
• Research experience in the field of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)
• MSc in Carbon Management, University of Edinburgh UK; BSc in Geology, Royal Holloway University of London, UK

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Elif Göderkmerdan

• PhD candidate on biofuels and biopolymer, Solar Energy Institute, Ege University, Turkey
• Research experience in the fields of biofuels, thermochemical conversion process, biopolymer and polymeric membranes
• Master’s degree in Biomass Energy, Ege University, Turkey

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Olha Haidai

• Senior Consultant on resources and sustainability, SEC "Biomass" and Senior Researcher, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU)
• Experience in biomass potential assessment, sustainability, life-cycle assessment and renewable energy Policy
• PhD in Renewable Energy Sources, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Norbert Harmathy

• Assistant Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of Building Energetics and Building Service Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary
• Work experience in the field of smart buildings and Artificial Intelligence
• PhD in Architecture, University of Novi Sad, Serbia

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Prashant Kamble

• Experience in process and control engineering in the field of bioenergy for academia and industry
• Specialised in instrumentation and control systems, biofuel production, biomass gasification and in the design and development of gasification, torrefaction and pyrolysis test rigs
• PhD student in Mechanical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Scotland; MSc in Petroleum Refining System Engineering, University of Surrey, UK; BEng in Chemical Engineering, Shivaji University, India

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Mohsen Kandidayeni

• PhD student, Hydrogen Research Institute, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Canada
• Research experience in transportation electrification, energy storage, fuel cell, intelligent transport systems and vehicular systems Control
• MSc in Mechatronics

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Annekatrin Koch

• Energy Expert, Tichelmann und Barillas TSB Ingenieure, Germany; Researcher and Lecturer, TU Darmstadt, Germany
• Architect, Energy Consultant for residential and non-residential buildings and member in Bundesstiftung Baukultur, Germany
• PhD in energy efficient building refurbishment

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Simon Lavergne

• Research Engineer on pelletising optimisation and combustion issues, RAGT Energie, France
• Previously, Research Assistant in biomass, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• PhD candidate in Process Engineering, Université Grenoble Alpes, France; Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Icam, Toulouse, France

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference​​​​​​​

Kah Haw Law

• Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, Malaysia
• Work experience as Lecturer at HELPCAT, as Research Assistant at University of Nottingham Malaysia and as Electrical Technician at Samling Plywood BARAMAS, Malaysia  
• PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Nottingham, Malaysia; MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Nottingham, UK

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Paseka Mabina

• Research Engineer, "The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research" (CSIR), South Africa
• Research experience in the field of energy efficiency and demand response focusing on building energy management systems
• MEng in Electrical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and BScEng in Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Mai Marzouk

• PhD candidate and Assistant Lecturer, Department of Architecture, Ain Shams University, Egypt
• Experience as Executive and Architect for the IUSD – UCL (Urban Climate Lab), Ain Shams University, Egypt and as Senior Researcher and Project Manager
• MSc in Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design, University Stuttgart/ Germany and Ain Shams University/Egypt; BSc of Architecture, Ain Shams University/Egypt

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Aikaterini Mountraki

• Postdoc at Aarhus University, Denmark
• Experience as Research Assistant, Compagnie Industrielle de la Matière Végétale (CIMV), France
• PhD in Process Systems Engineering and MSc in Computational Mechanics, NTUA, Greece; Greece Engineering Diploma in Chemical Engineering, AUTh, Greece

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Richard Nowak Delgado

• Research Assistant and PhD Student, Chair for Energy Systems, Technical University Munich, Germany
• Previously, working student at Linde Gas Production
• MSc and BSc in Chemical Engineering

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference

Vasiliki Dagonikou Ntagkonikou

• Chemical Engineer, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
• Member of HydPro of CPERI/CERTH participating in hydroprocessing experiments for biofuels production
• PhD candidate in catalytic hydrotreating for hybrid fuels production, National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference

Valeria Palomba

• Researcher, Institute of Advanced Energy Technologies, National Council of Research (CNR ITAE) Messina, Italy
• Research experience in thermal energy conversion and storage, CNR ITAE, Italy 
• PhD in Engineering and Chemistry of Materials and Structures

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Anthony Peters

• Pilot and Aerospace Engineer, United States Navy and PhD candidate in Energy Engineering, University of North Dakota, USA
• Research experience in spacecraft photovoltaic array development
• MSc in Aeronautics and Electrical Engineering, BSc in Applied Electrical Engineering

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Lurian Pires Klein

• PhD student on sustainable energy systems, University of Coimbra/MIT Portugal Initiative, Portugal
• Work experience as Project Manager & Innovation Analyst, Virtual Power Solutions (VPS), Portugal, and Operations Director at Movimento 90o, Brazil
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Diego Alejandro Quan Reyes

• Master’s student at TU Delft, The Netherlands
• CEO of Quantum Energy and Engineering
• MSc in Mechanical Engineering, TU Delft, The Netherlands

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference

Omer Salim

• Master’s student, King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia; Developmental Engineer, Bashayer Pipeline Company (BAPCO)
• Work experience as Teaching Assistant, Sudan University of Science & Technology (SUST), Sudan
• BSc in Mechanical Engineering

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference

Christian Schneider

• PhD candidate and Researcher in the field of industrial energy efficiency, University of Stuttgart, Germany
• Experience as Researcher, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA 
• MSc in Industrial Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Alexis Sevault

• Research Scientist on thermal energy storage, SINTEF Energy Research, Norway
• Research focus on designing thermal batteries using phase change materials (PCM) for heat and cold energy storage systems in buildings and industrial processes
• PhD in laser diagnostics, NTNU, Norway; MSc in Aerospace Engineering, ISAE-ENSMA, France

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Stella Santos de Sousa

• Master’s student in Energy Systems Planning, University of Campinas, Brazil
• Work experience as energy efficiency public policies researcher at the University of Campinas and as contributor for the creation of a Brazilian energy efficiency database (MonitorEE) at International Energy Initiative Brazil
• Degree in Industrial Engineering

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Jovana Stanišić

• PhD candidate on implementation of bioclimatic and energy efficient traditional architecture in contemporary design, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
• Work experience at 'Ecocenter' Energy efficient design and housing, Croatia
• MSc and BSc in Architecture, University of Novi Sad, Serbia

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Szymon Szufa

• Assistant Professor and R&D Manager, Lodz University of Technology, Poland 
• MBA in the energy sector, Lazarski University Warsaw, Poland
• PhD in Mechanical Faculty, Lodz University of Technology, Poland

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference

Laura Vargas

• PhD student in Energy Engineering, UNAM, Mexico
• Work experience at the National Institute of Electricity and Clean Energy (INEEL), Mexico, as Chemical Engineer at NOPALIMEX and as Professor Assistant at UNAM, Mexico
• MSc in Energy Engineering, UNAM, Mexico; Chemical Engineer, UAEM, Mexico

Speaker of the Young Biomass Researchers Conference

Charlotte Verhaeghe

• PhD student in Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings, University of Antwerp, The Netherlands
• Research experience in sustainable built environment, University of Minho, Portugal
• MSc and BSc of Civil Engineering Technology, University of Antwerp, The Netherlands

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference

Naveen Yalagalawadi Somashekaraiah

• Project Coordinator, Saahas, Bangalore, India
• Master’s degree in Water Resources and Environmental Management, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany; Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Siddaganga Institute Of Technology (SIT), India

Speaker of the Young Energy Efficiency Researchers Conference