Mark van Loosdrecht is Professor in Environmental Biotechnology at Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands since 1988. His research is characterized by the combination of scientific understanding of engineered microbial ecosystems and development of new processes. In particular, he has been instrumental in the development of several new commercialized processes related to wastewater treatment and resource recovery. The research has resulted in several processes currently applied on full scale including the Nereda process. Technologies that are currently in a commercial scale-up (demonstration scale) are production of bioplastics (PHA) from wastewater, production of biopolymers (Kaumera) from waste sludge and recovery of phosphate.

Mark van Loosdrecht is an honorary member of the International Water Association (IWA – distinguished fellow). He was Editor-in-Chief of Water Research (2009-2019). He was awarded several prizes for his work, including the Lee Kuan Yew Singapore Water Prize and the Stockholm water prize. He is member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Dutch, USA and Chinese Academy of Engineering. He received a honorary doctorate from ETH Zurich and University Gent. He has published over 1000 scientific papers, has over 25 patents and has supervised over 85 PhD students.Cees J.N. Buisman (Keynote speaker).

Paul Webb (Keynote Speaker)

Since 2021 Paul Webb is the Head of the "Green Europe" Department at the European Research Executive Agency. This Department is the European Commission service responsible for the implementation of Cluster 6 of the Horizon Europe Research Framework programme (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment), as well as the Research Fund for Coal and Steel and the Agricultural Promotion programme. These programmes and funds support the major changes needed in a transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient circular and sustainable economy. 

Previously he worked in various positions within the European Commission, including in the Directorates General for Research and Innovation, for Budget, and for Agriculture and Rural Development. 

Menachem Elimelech

Menachem Elimelech is the Nancy and Clint Carlson Professor at Rice University, holding joint appointments in the Departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering.

His research focuses on membrane-based processes for energy-efficient desalination and wastewater reuse, the development of advanced materials for next-generation separation and water decontamination technologies, and the environmental applications of nanomaterials.

Professor Elimelech has received numerous prestigious awards for his research contributions, including the 2005 Clarke Prize for excellence in water research, election to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2006, and the 2015 Eni Prize for 'Protection of the Environment.' He was also elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering (2017), the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (2021), and the Canadian Academy of Engineering (2022).

Throughout his career, Professor Elimelech has mentored 52 PhD students and 50 postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now hold leadership roles in academia and industry. His dedication to teaching and mentoring has been recognized with several awards, including the W.M. Keck Foundation Engineering Teaching Excellence Award (1994), the Yale University Graduate Mentoring Award (2004), and the Yale University Postdoctoral Mentoring Prize (2012).