Invited speakers
Dr. Ing. Christian ADAM finished his studies of environmental engineering at the University of Technology Berlin in the year 2000. From 2000-2003 he worked as a Scientist at the Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering of the University of Technology Berlin and completed his PhD in 2004. In 2003 he started as a Scientist at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM, en: Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing). In 2008 he took over the responsibility for the working area “Thermochemical Substance Separation” at BAM. Since 2012 Christian Adam is the head of the BAM division “Thermochemical Residues Treatment and Resource Recovery”.He was a Coordinator one of the most comprehensive project on phosphorus recovery from waste such as sewage sludge and sewage sludge ash – SUSAN: Sustainable and Safe Re-use of Municipal Sewage Sludge for Nutrient Recovery implemented under FP6-SUSTDEV.
Prof. Lise APPELS (MSc Bioscience Engineering University of Antwerp, 2006, PhD Chemical Engineering KU Leuven, 2010) is Head of the Process and Environmental Technology Lab (PETLab). The research of Lise Appels mainly involves environmental biochemical engineering and concerns the development of mixed culture microbial processes for resource recovery applications. Main research lines are anaerobic fermentation of organic waste streams and wastewater to renewable chemicals & energy carriers, process yield optimization via the application of substrate/digestate treatment techniques and the recovery of renewable chemicals from waste and biomass streams via chemical processes. Associate Editor of Renewable Energy (Elsevier – IF: 6.274); Editorial Board Member of a.o. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review (IF: 12.110); Founder in 2015 of spin-off InOpSys (Mobile and flexible units for the treatment of industrial wastewater – http://www.inopsys.be), based on previous research within PETLab; Member of the organising and scientific committee of various international conferences.
Tina BENDA is the Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) manager at the EIT RawMaterials. The EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS) is designed for EU Member States and Horizon 2020 Associated Countries in Europe who are modest and moderate innovators (according to the European Innovation Scoreboard), and where Innovation Communities have few or no partners. Strategically, the scheme is an additional offer to these countries to facilitate their engagement with the EIT Innovation Communities.Tina Benda is a geologist, has 10 years of experience in project management and 8 years of experience in the field of mineral resources in the ESEE region. She was Head of department for Mineral Resources and Geochemistry at the Geological Survey of Slovenia and has also coordinated several projects related to mineral resources in the region. Tina Benda was the Member state representative for Slovenia in the Raw Materials Supply Group (under DG GROW).
Prof. Michał BODZEK was graduated at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering of the Silesian University of Technology (Gliwice, Poland). Now he is professor in Polish Academy of Science, in Institute of Environmental Engineering.He is specialist on Environmental Engineering. His research subject is connected with membrane techniques and other separation processes and their application in solving environmental problems. In particular studies are associated with the use of membrane processes primarily in hybrid systems, industrial wastewater treatment technology and treatment and desalination of water, using the membrane processes in biotechnology. He is the author of numerous publications in reputable scientific journals, monographs and books and conferences.He is a member of the Polish Chemical Society, Polish Membrane Society, European Membrane Society) and other scientific societies and the Editorial Board of scientific journals.
Anna BOROWCZYK-KURASIŃSKA is a graduate of the Poznań University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Alto University Executive MBA. For many years associated with the water and canal industry, regularly participates in the most important industry events. She has been representing Xylem Water Solutions Polska for over 10 years, responsible for its development in the municipal industry. She follows the transformations in water and sewage companies over the years, with passion and awareness of the water challenges facing our planet.
Zuzanna BORKOWSKA is a young social and climate activist. She has represented the youth during a few United Nations climate change conferences – including the COP25 in Madrid where she gained recognition after her closing statement on behalf of the Youth NGOs. She deeply believes in the ideas of dialogue and cooperation, and she plans to pursue a professional career in the fields of diplomacy and sustainable development. Founder and Head Organizer of the first edition of the LCOY Poland youth climate conference. President of the Young for Climate Poland Association.
Dr Krzysztof GALOS is the Director of the Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences. is the Director of the Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Magdalena GŁOGOWSKA is a graduate of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Silesia in Katowice, majoring in Political Science, specialization – local government, and also completed postgraduate studies in “Environmental Management” at the University of Economics in Katowice and Postgraduate Public Relations Studies at the University of Warsaw. In 2016, she obtained a PhD in social sciences in the field of environmental sociology. Since December 2015, she has been an expert – coordinator in the field of climate and environment at the National Contact Point for EU Research Programs (KPK PB UE) at the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research – PAN. She is also a Polish delegate to the Climate and Environment program committee for the Horizon 2020 Program – she represents the country at meetings of the Committee with the European Commission, contributing to agreeing the scope and conditions of work programs for this area. Since November 2020 she continues her NCP work within the structures of National Centre of Research and Development (NCRD). Magdalena Głogowska has participated in many research and development projects financed from national and European Union funds.
Mr. Ludwig HERMANN is the President of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) and specialist in Proman Management GmbH. He has over 35 years of experience as technology and business development consultant on 3 continents; co-inventor of ash decontamination and phosphorus recovery processes; co-founder CTO and CEO of ASH DEC AG; organised and supervised design, engineering and assembling of ASH DEC’s pilot plant; conceived and managed test programs and co-authored the patents EP 191803, EP 2016203, WO 20125035, WO 2013190116, WO 20135020, WO 20145029, WO2015189333.
Sharon JACKSON is a Founder and Director of European Sustainability Academy. Director of Carlton Consultancy Ltd. UK, Associate Faculty at Cranfield School of Management, Associate Scholar at University of Cumbria, Institute for Sustainability and Leadership, Visiting Lecturer at Murray Edwards College- Cambridge University and Visiting Research Fellow at Athens University of Economics and Business. In 2011 Sharon built ESA in Crete as a bespoke, off-grid, international centre for experiential learning in sustainability leadership. Her vision to build ESA evolved from her extensive global experiences in business and academia and a personal frustration at ‘ineffective’ approaches to leading sustainable businesses. Sharon held several Executive Board appointments and international senior executive positions over 27 years, mainly in the electronic component sector, developing business through global distribution and OEM supply chains. In 2000 she expanded her corporate career to executive education and research roles. Her strategic leadership development work includes designing bespoke programmes for business managers, leaders and entrepreneurs, including ground-breaking ‘Corporate Responsibility Leadership’, immersive learning retreat-based programmes in Tasmania and China. Sharon has been a business mentor for over 25 years and since 2019 she has been an Associate Apprenticeship Tutor for the L7 Senior Leader Masterships, UK Gov initiative to upskill business leaders, at Cranfield University. She also mentors pro-bono for ReLoad Greece (London Business School and ALBA, Athens) the international programme which prepares young Greek entrepreneurs to pitch to potential investors. Her coaching on blended – learning programmes such as Women in Sustainable Enterprise (WISE) spans cohorts across Africa, Greece, India and UK.
Łukasz KALETA ia a co-founder of LoveKrakow.pl, Office & Cowork Center, Redi Games. Involved in the development of the Polska Innowacyjna Foundation, which creates the university of the future and the innovation system focused around it. A graduate of the AGH University of Science and Technology in the field of Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Computer Engineering in Electrical Systems, an entrepreneur from the new technologies industry.
Sławomir KISZKURNO is the Proxy of the City President of Gdańsk for Circular Economy and the President of the Management Board (head of the PIU) of Port Czystej Energii Sp. z o.o. In the years 2016-2019, he was the Director of the Municipal Economy Department at the City Hall in Gdańsk. In 2011-2016, the Proxy for the Implementation of the Preparatory Project for the construction of the Thermal Waste Processing Plant for the Pomeranian Voivodeship, implemented by Zakład Utylizacyjny Sp. z o.o. in Gdańsk. Earlier, inter alia Head of the Department of Environmental Protection at the City Hall in Police, Head of the Department for Project Implementation – General Counsel, Director and Director of the Department of Environmental Information in the General Directorate for Environmental Protection, where he was also the manager of the project “Development of plans for protection tasks for Natura 2000 areas in Poland”. Socially, he has been an activist of the League of Nature Conservation for over 20 years – in the past, he was also the Secretary General of this association. Currently, he is also a member of the Council of the Gdańsk Water Foundation. He graduated from the Agricultural University of Szczecin in the field of Environmental Protection. President / member of many “environmental” councils and committees, postgraduate lecturer, consultant of publishing houses in the field of environmental protection and ecological education.
Prof. Maris KLAVINS works at the University of Latvia, Department of Environmental Sciences. He obtained his scientific degree in chemistry of biologically active compounds at the Moscow State University in 1986 but a habilitation degree at the University of Latvia in 1994. He is a member of the Academy of Sciences of Latvia, coordinator of International Humic Substances Research Society (IHSS), head of Natural Resources Reserch Centre. Research interests are related to studies of natural organic matter, wetlands and bogs, environmental pollution problems, circular economy and low carbon development.
Mr. George KREMLIS is Honorary Director in the European Commission (EC) mandated by DG ENV for Circular Economy and Insularity. Former Head of the “Cohesion Policy and Environmental Impact Assessments” Unit in the Directorate-General for the Environment of the European Commission. He has joined as a Head of Unit DG Environment in 1995 and has served since then as the Head of the Legal and the Governance Units. He is the Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister for energy, climate, environment and circular economy, Greece. President of the Circle the Med Forum. He is a Member of the Board of the Espoo Convention, and elected Chair of the upcoming MOPs in 2019 and 2020. He has also served as a member of the Board of the National Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development in Greece, and as a member of the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE).
Prof. Jadwiga KRÓLIKOWSKA graduated of the Faculty of Sanitary and Water Engineering at the Cracow University of Technology. She received a doctorate in technical sciences in 1997. She obtained the postdoctoral degree in technical sciences in the field of environmental engineering in 2011 at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering of the Cracow University of Technology. She works at the Cracow University of Technology in the Department of Water Supply, Sewerage and Environmental Monitoring. The area and scope of her scientific interests include the functioning and safety of sewage systems, the possibility of raising it, management of rainwater, reducing the negative effects of rainwater on the reservoir and the protection of water resources in accordance with sustainable development. She took part in a research project, the main aim of which was to assess the suitability of a hydroseparator, an overflow with a curved overflow crown and a tangential overflow inlet, for pre-treatment of rainwater and she is co-autor textbook entitled “Rainwater – drainage, management, pretreatment and use”, awarded with the team award of the Rector of the Cracow University of Technology, 1st degree, and she is co-autorship a monograph entitled “Water meter management. Challenges and Opportunities “.
Dr Jolita KRUOPIENE is a professor and researcher at Kaunas University of Technology, Institute of Environmental Engineering. She obtained her PhD in environmental engineering in 1999. Research interests are related to risk management of chemicals, management of natural resources and waste, environmental impact assessment. She is an editor-in-chief of Environmental Research, Engineering and Management journal. She is the local coordinator of the InPhos project (EIT Raw Materials) in Lithuania.
Prof. Jacek MĄKINIA is the Head of the Department of Sanitary Engineering at the Gdańsk University of Technology. He graduated from the Faculty of Hydrotechnics at the Gdańsk University of Technology in 1989, obtaining a master’s degree in environmental engineering. He obtained his doctorate in 1998 at Portland State University (USA), and habilitation (with honors) in 2007 at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Gdańsk University of Technology. In 2013, he was awarded the title of professor of technical sciences. In 2012, he was elected Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Innovation at the Gdańsk University of Technology (2012-2016). Author of over 220 publications, including 1 independent book and 2 monographs on technology and modeling of wastewater treatment processes. Supervisor of 4 doctors and tutor of 6 doctoral students (including from Yemen and Iran). Member of the Gdańsk Scientific Society and TAU BETA PI in the USA, secretary of the Management Committee of the “Nutrient Removal and Recovery” specialist group within the International Water Association (IWA), IWA Fellow (2016), chairman of the Polish Section of IWA, chairman of the Gdańsk Branch of Societas Humboldtiana Polonorum, member working groups of the German Water Association (DWA) and the Water Environment Research Foundation in the USA.
Rūta OZOLA-DAVIDANE is a researcher at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences. She has participated and been scientific manager in various national and international projects under EIT Raw Materials, ERDF, Interreg as well as the State Research programs. R.Ozola-Davidāne develops and reads lectures to higher education students; has also supervised bachelor’s and master’s thesis. The major field of study (H-index: 5) includes development of innovative clay-based composite materials for wide applications in food, medicine, and waste treatment industries. R.Ozola-Davidāne has won first place in EIT Food Innovation Prize 2019 competition and is one of developer of “Smart Packaging” – sensor for food quality control. She is one of the founders and Vice Chairman of the Board of “Latvian Clay Science Society”.
Dr Tomáš PAVLIK is a researcher at the Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies (FBERG), Technical University of Košice. He has been involved in scientific research, education and industrial projects since 2013. The majority of them focus on the issue of raw materials and mining topics. He currently works as the Head of the Project department at the FBERG and the Director of the EIT RawMaterials Regional Center Košice, where he focuses on the development of a regional innovation strategy in the conditions of the local ecosystem for the chosen East and South East countries.
Prof. Majeti NARASIMHA VARA PRASAD is currently Emeritus Professor, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India. Formerly Dean, School of Life Sciences. Formerly Head, Dept of Plant Sciences. Formerly Co-ordinator, Biotechnology Program. Formerly Co-ordinator of PG Diploma in Environmental education and management. He did M.Sc (Botany) from Andhra University, Waltair 1973-75;Ph.D (Botany) Lucknow University, Lucknow 1975-79. (Research conducted at Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, An autonomous Inst. Under the Dept. of Sci & Tech, Govt. of India). Lecturer, June 1980-85, Department of Botany, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. University of Hyderabad, School of Life Science, Lecturer, 1985-86, Lecturer (Senior Scale) 1986-90; Reader, February 1990-98, and Professor since August 1, 1998 to May 10, 2018 in the Department of Plant Sciences. Made significant contributions to the field of plant-metal interactions, bioremediation, and bioeconomy. He has published 216 research articles in peer-reviewed Journals, 141 book chapters.
Dr Klara RAMM graduated from the Faculty of Precision Mechanics at the Warsaw University of Technology. He also holds an Executive MBA diploma. She obtained a doctorate in technical sciences in the specialization of environmental engineering. She completed post-graduate studies at the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw, as well as studies conducted by HEC (School of Management) in Paris and the Warsaw School of Economics. For several years she has been associated with the environmental protection sector, especially water and sewage management, gaining experience in Warsaw waterworks, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, the National Water Management Board, Veolia. Since 2006, he has been actively cooperating with the Polish Waterworks Chamber of Commerce. She represents the Polish water and sewage industry in the EurEau federation, which brings together the European community of this sector. As a member of the EurEau General Assembly, she participates in activities to protect water resources and improve the functioning of water supply and sewage services in the EU. She is a member of the Water Supply and Sewerage Technical Committee at the Polish Committee for Standardization, a member of the Board of the Horizon Europe Mission for healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters.
Dr. Monika SADY, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International Management at Cracow University of Economics. She is the Coordinator of University Social Responsibility and received numerous awards for her social and charity engagement, especially for the “SSR – Students’ Social Responsibility” project, which she runs since 2007. She is a member of several European Union international scientific and educational projects in the fields of social entrepreneurship, MOOCs, and startup-corporate collaboration. She has a European Consultant of Social Economy certificate. She was a guest lecturer at AGH Technical University (Cracow, Poland), Grand Valley State University (USA), Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), International Black Sea University (Georgia), Montpellier Business School (France).Her research interest lies in management, social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, startups, lobbying and stakeholders relations. These are also her teaching and consultancy areas. She is a reviewer for several international journals and organizes international scientific conferences.
Dr Marzena SMOL is the Head of the Division of Biogenic Raw Materials at the Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences (IGSMiE PAN). She completed a master’s degree in Environmental Protection at Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa and a master’s degree in International Project Management at the Częstochowa University of Technology. She completed the PhD in technical sciences – Environmental Engineering, 2015, Częstochowa University of Technology. Manager and contractor in national and international projects in the field of biogenic raw materials management in the context of the implementation of the principles of sustainable development (SD), circular economy (CE) and the strategies for the Green Deal in the water and sewage, fertilizer and agri-food sectors. Founder of the Division of Biogenic Raw Materials at IGSMiE PAN, member of the Scientific Council of IGSMiE PAN. She participated in the work on the preparation of the Roadmap Transformation towards circular economy in Poland (Ministry of Development). Holder of the Minister’s Scholarship for Outstanding Young Scientists.
Magdalena SZCZEPANEK is a member of the Presidency of the Young for Climate Poland Association, co-organizer of LCOY Poland 2019, active in various local initiatives. An expert of project logistics, a skilled team worker, ready to support all crazy ideas.
Prof. Magdalena WDOWIN is the Head of Division of Applied Geochemistry and Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland. In 2004 she graduated from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, Poland – Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, obtaining a master’s degree in engineering in mining and geology, specialization: mineralogy and applied geochemistry. After completing her education, she began doctoral studies at the same faculty, obtaining in 2010 the title of Doctor of Earth Sciences, in field of geology, specialization: mineralogy. In 2015, at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering of the Lublin University of Technology, she obtained the academic degree of dr hab. Eng. in the field of technical sciences in the discipline of environmental engineering. Since 2007, she has been an employee of Mineral and Energy, Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences in which she has been the head of the Division of Applied Geochemistry and Environmental Engineering since 2016. During her professional career, she specialized in waste management, in particular the use of combustion by-products in engineering and environmental protection. In 2020 she was awarded by Intelligent Development Center as Meritorious for Intelligent Development at scope of circular economy activities.