Biographical note

Prof. Ashok Pandey is currently Executive Director, Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability-India, Lucknow. His major research and technological development interests are industrial and environmental biotechnology and energy biosciences, focusing on biomass to biofuels and chemicals, waste to wealth and energy, etc. Professor Duu-Jong Lee is currently Life-Time University Professor of Chemical Engineering at the National Taiwan University (NTU), Taipei, Taiwan. His areas of specialization are environmental biological processes with special reference to aerobic and anaerobic treatment of wastewaters and solid wastes and their conversion to materials and energy. Prof. Lee has authored one book, nine book chapters, 12 review papers, five patents, 600 research papers, etc. He has been a recipient of Outstanding Fellow award from National Science Council, Taiwan (2009), Chang-Kang Scholar award (2007), Scientific Chair Professor award of YZH Foundation (2012), etc and is Associate Editor of Bioresource Technology. Dr. Jo-Shu Chang is Deputy Director of Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy and University Chair Professor of Department of Chemical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. degree from University of California, Irvine (USA) in 1993. His research interests cover biochemical engineering, environmental biotechnology and applied microbiology with a recent focus on microalgae-based CO2 reutilization, biofuels production, and biorefineries. He is Fellow of American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and has received numerous prestigious domestic and international academic awards. He has published nearly 400 SCI-indexed journal papers with a total citation of over 38,300 times and an h-index (Web of Science) of 100. He also serves as executive committee member of Asia Federation of Biotechnology (AFOB). He was honoured with Distinguish Research Award by the National Science Council, Taiwan. He is Associate Editor of Bioresource Technology. Yusuf Chisti is Professor of Biochemical Engineering at Massey University, New Zealand. Professor Chisti holds MSc and PhD degrees from University of London, England, and University of Waterloo, Canada, respectively. He received an honorary doctorate from Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Romania, in recognition of his many contributions to chemical and biochemical engineering. In 2014, University of Waterloo honored him with its Engineering Alumni Achievement Medal for academic excellence. Professor Chisti’s research focuses on sustainable production of chemicals, materials and fuels. He has produced nearly 300 highly cited publications. Chisti is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, UK. Professor Carlos Ricardo Soccol is the research group leader of DEBB (Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Biotechnology) at the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil, with twenty years of experience in biotechnological research and development of bioprocesses with industrial application. He is graduated in Chemical Engineering (UFPR, 1979), Master in Food Technology (UFPR, 1986) and Ph.D. in Genie Enzymatique, Microbiologie et Bioconversion (Université de Technologie de Compiègne,- France, 1992). Postdoctor at Institut ORSTOM/IRD (Montpellier, 1994 and 1997) and at the Université de Provence et de la Méditerranée (Marseille, 2000). He is HDR Professor at Ecole d'Ingénieurs Supériure of Luminy, Marseille-France. He has experience in the areas of Science and Food Technology, with emphasis on Agro-industrial and Agroalimentary Biotechnology, acting in the following areas: bioprocess engineering and solid state fermentation, submerged fermentation, bioseparations, industrial bioprocesses, enzyme technology, tissue culture, bio-industrial projects and bioproduction. He is currently Coordinator of Master BIODEV-UNESCO, Associate Editor of five international journals and Editor in Chief of Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology Journal. Professor Soccol received several national and international awards which include Science & Technology award of the Govt. of Paraná (1996), Scopus/Elsevier award (2009), Dr. Honoris Causa, University Blaise Pascal-France (2010), Outstanding Scientist – 5th International Conference on Industrial Bioprocesses, Taipei, Taiwan (2012), Elected Titular Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (2014). He is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies and scientific journals in Brazil and abroad. He has supervised and formed 96 Master Science students, 48 PhD students and 14 Post-Doctorate Students. He has 995 publications/communications which include 17 books, 107 book chapters, 270 original research papers, 557 research communications in international and national conferences and has registered 44 patents. His research articles until the moment were cited (Scopus DataBase) 5600 Times with Index h=36.