Plenary Speaker: Prof. Gabriele Centi
Biography
Gabriele Centi is a Full Professor of Industrial Chemistry at the University of Messina, Italy, and President of the European Research Institute of Catalysis (ERIC). He was the coordinator of the EU Network of Excellence IDECAT and is the past President of IACS (International Association of Catalysis Societies). Previously, he served as the President of EFCATS (European Federation of Catalysis Societies). He has served as the coordinator or PI in over 30 EU projects. He recently initiated and coordinated an ERC Synergy project SCOPE on plasma catalysis. The research interests encompass the fields of applied heterogeneous catalysis, sustainable energy and chemical processes, with recent focus on the development of catalytic technologies for solar fuels, carbon circularity, and the electrification of chemical production. He has received numerous awards, the last being the EFCATS & APCATS Award M. Che in 2025. He chaired several international conferences, the last being the International Conference on Environmental Catalysis (2025). He is the author of over 650 scientific publications and 18 books and is editor of the Journal of Energy Chemistry.
Plenary Speaker: Prof. Boon Siang Yeo
Biography
Prof. Boon Siang Yeo studied chemistry at the National University of Singapore (NUS), where he received his B.Sc. (1st class Honors) and M.Sc. degrees. He obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry from the ETH Zurich in 2009, and then did his postdoctoral research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Boon Siang joined the Department of Chemistry, NUS in 2012. His research interests lies in developing electrocatalysts and processes for converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable multi-carbon chemicals and fuels like ethanol, propanol and long-chain hydrocarbons. The ultimate goal of his group’s work is to create commercially viable, environmentally friendly methods for carbon recycling and the production of industrial feedstocks and fuels, helping to build a sustainable energy economy. Boon Siang is a recipient of the Dean’s Chair (2021-2024) and multiple teaching excellence awards (2014, 2015, 2016, 2020) in the NUS. He currently serving as the Deputy Head of the Department, in charge of education.
Keynote Speaker: Prof. Jan Rossmeisl
Biography
Jan Rossmeisl is a professor in Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. Since 2020 he is head of the Danish National Research Foundation, Center of Excellence, Center for High Entropy Alloy Catalysis, and in 2024 he received an ERC synergy grant together with three others. Jan is co-author on more than 250 papers and listed on the Clarivate highly cited researchers list. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
His research focuses on how theory and simulations can provide real and valuable insight into electrocatalytic reactions. He was the first to introduce quantum mechanical simulations into electrocatalysis. He co-developed the computational hydrogen electrode in 2003, a method that includes the potential by referring protons and electrons to hydrogen molecules. His contributions extend to studying vital electrocatalytic systems, including the oxygen evolution reaction that is crucial for water electrolysis and oxygen reduction. His early papers on oxygen catalysis and the universal picture of the reactions have set the benchmark for researchers in the field. In 2020 Jan and co-workers won a Danish National Research Foundation, Center of Excellence, Center for High Entropy Alloy Catalysis based on the idea of utilizing high entropy alloys as catalysts. High Entropy Alloys represent a paradigm shift in catalysis, yielding not only intriguing catalyst materials but also profound insights into catalysis.
Keynote Speaker: Prof. Lindiwe Khotseng
Biography
Professor Lindiwe Khotseng is a C2-rated Full Professor of Chemistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa, and an internationally recognised expert in electrochemistry, electrocatalysis, and sustainable energy materials. She holds a PhD from Stellenbosch University and has over two decades of experience spanning fundamental electrochemical science and applied energy technologies.
Her research focuses on nanomaterials for fuel cells, energy storage systems, and the catalytic conversion of biomass and waste into clean energy carriers. A defining aspect of her work is the development of green, low-cost, and biomass-derived electrocatalysts and support materials for fuel cells, batteries, and biofuels, contributing directly to circular economy and decarbonisation strategies.
Professor Khotseng has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, with an h-index of 27 and over 2 000 citations. She has led and co-led major national and international research programmes funded by the NRF, BRICS, Eskom, and industry partners, and has established strong collaborations across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States.
A committed academic leader, she has supervised numerous Honours, MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral researchers, and is a passionate mentor and advocate for women and emerging scientists in STEM. Professor Khotseng is a frequent keynote and invited speaker at international conferences and actively contributes to the global electrochemistry community through editorial, reviewing, and scientific leadership roles.