Hu Li is currently associate Professor at Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals, Guizhou University (GZU), China. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow with a research topic on biomass upgrading at Tohoku University (Japan) and Nanjing Agricultural University (China) under supervision of Prof. R. L. Smith and Prof. Z. Fang, respectively. His research focuses on the catalytic conversion of biomass into chemicals and biofuels with functional catalytic materials. Dr. Li has more than 60 peer-reviewed papers (H-index 16), 6 patents, 1 co-edited Springer book and 2 book chapters on biomass valorization. He is a guest editor of Current Organic Chemistry, and recently was award by the Fok Ying-Tong Education Foundation, Ministry of Education (2018).
Dr. S. Saravanamurugan is currently Scientist-E at Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB), Mohali, India. Formerly, he was working as Senior Researcher at Centre for Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark since 2010. He moved to Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in South Korea as Research Scientist in 2005 after obtaining his Ph.D from Anna University, Chennai in the same year. He also worked as post-doctoral fellow at Inha University, South Korea between 2006 and 2007 before moving to Denmark in January 2008. He has more than sixteen years of research experience and his main research topics include synthesis and modification of zeolite and zeotype materials, biomass transformations and ionic liquids. He has 54 peer reviewed publications; two book chapter contributions, and eight patents filed/granted with more than 2000 citations (h Index 21). He has co-authored an article in the prestigious journal Science in 2010, related to conversion of sugars to lactic acid derivatives with Lewis acid containing zeolites. He is visiting professor of Guizhou University, China. He received a DST-DAAD Fellowship during his doctoral studies in 2004.
Professor Ashok Pandey is currently Distinguished Scientist at the Centre for Innovation and Translational Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, India and Executive Director (Honorary) at the Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability – India. Formerly, he was Eminent Scientist at the Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Mohali and Chief Scientist & Head of Biotechnology Division and Centre for Biofuels at CSIR’s National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Trivandrum. His major research and technological development interests are industrial & environmental biotechnology and energy biosciences, focusing on biomass to biofuels & chemicals, waste to wealth & energy, industrial enzymes, etc.
Professor Pandey is Adjunct/Visiting Professor/Scientist in universities in France, Brazil, Canada, China, Korea, South Africa, and Switzerland and also in several universities several in India. He has ~1425 publications/communications, which include 16 patents, 90 books, >700 papers and book chapters, etc with h index of 105 and ~48,800 citations (Goggle scholar). He has transferred several technologies to industries and has done industrial consultancy for about a dozen projects for Indian/international industries.
Professor Pandey is the recipient of many national and international awards and honours, which include Highest Cited Researcher (Top 1% in the world), Clarivate Analytics, Web of Science (2020, 2019 & 2018); Top scientist in Biotechnology (#1 in India and #8 in the world), Stanford University world ranking (2020); Fellow, World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies (2020); Fellow, Indian Chemical Society (2020); Distinguished Scientist, VDGOOD Professional Association, India (2020); Distinguished Professor of Eminence with global impact in the area of Biotechnology, Precious Cornerstone University, Nigeria (2020); IconSWM Life-time Achievement Award 2019, International Society for Solid Waste Management, KIIT, Bhubaneshwar, India (2019); Yonsei Outstanding Scholar, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea (2019); Life-Time Achievement Award from the Biotech Research Society, India (2018); Life-Time Achievement Award from Venus International Research Awards (2018), Most Outstanding Researcher Award from Career360 (2018), Life-Time Achievement Award from the International Society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (2017); Fellow, Royal Society of Biology, UK (2016); Felow, International Society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (2016); Academician of European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Austria (2015); Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, India (2012); Fellow, Association of Microbiologists of India (2008); Honorary Doctorate degree from Univesite Blaise Pascal, France (2007); Fellow, International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (2007); Thomson Scientific India Citation Laureate Award, USA (2006); Fellow, the Biotech Research Society, India (2005); UNESCO Professor (2000); Raman Research Fellowship Award, CSIR (1995); GBF, Germany and CNRS, France Fellowships (1992) and Young Scientist Award (1989), etc.
Professor Pandey is Founder President of the Biotech Research Society, India (www.brsi.in); Founder & International Coordinator of International Forum on Industrial Bioprocesses, France (www.ifibiop.org), Chairman of the International Society for Energy, Environment & Sustainability (www.isees.in), Editor-in-chief of Bioresource Technology (http://ees.elsevier.com/bite/), Honorary Executive Advisor of Journal of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (www.jees.in), Journal of Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing (https://www.springer.com/journal/43393), Journal of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (http://neerijese.org/editorial-board/), Subject Editor, Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, India (https://www.springer.com/life+sciences/journal/40011) and Associate Editor, Biologia – Section Cellular and Molecular Biology (https://www.springer.com/journal/11756/editors) and editorial board member of several international and Indian journals.
Dr. Elumalai is currently a research scientist at the Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB), India. He obtained his PhD in Chemical Engineering discipline from the Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. He then moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison (USA) for gaining the post-doctoral experience. His current research at CIAB, Mohali focuses on the thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass materials to high-value platform molecules (bulk chemicals). The principal activities of his research work include the development of protocols for the selective isolation of biomass constituents like lignin and hemicellulose for the synthesis of low molecular weight compounds, catalytic conversion of cellulose/glucose to fructose and further to levulinic acid and its kinetic modelling. He has about 20 peer reviewed publications, three book chapter contributions, and two patents filed and one granted patent.