Prof. Karamanis Dimitrios

University of Patras, Greece

BIO: Professor of Alternative Energy Sources at the Department of Environmental Engineering of the University of Patras. He studied Physics at the University of Ioannina (1986-1990) where he submitted his doctoral thesis (1990-1997). With Postdoctoral Fellowships at CEN Bordeaux (Marie Curie 1999-2001) and at the University of Ioannina (Marie Curie 2001-2002 and until 2008), Prof. Karamanis has thirty years of research experience in the fields of alternative energy sources with special emphasis on wind and solar energy utilization technologies in the last decade. Participating in competitive National and International research programs as scientific coordinator and researcher, he has published over 110 scientific papers in scientific journals, patents and chapters in books with >3000 citations and h-index 35 (Scopus). Prof. Karamanis teaches courses on renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and RES applications in Departments of the Universities of Ioannina and Patras since 2006.

Speech Title: The role of photovoltaics in RES energy transition at the global environment

Abstract: To implement Paris agreement and keep the mean temperature increase lower than 1.5°C compared to preindustrial levels, deep decarbonization is required with the utilization of renewable energy sources. The integration of renewables in buildings is a key component in the proposed actions of WGIII and a step forward to distributed energy systems with high contribution from buildings, becoming prosumers. Since the building structure is the interface between humans and their natural environment, sustainable development requires a rethinking of the photovoltaics integration in harmony to local environmental and bioclimatic conditions. We have recently shown that the necessity of climate crisis mitigation points requires steps beyond the self-sufficient and self-consumption concepts into positive energy sharing within local communities. In this context, the SERAS concept (sufficiency, efficiency, renewables and sharing) in BIPV deployment will be presented and discussed with prioritized integration and emerging material upgrades towards carbon neutral cities.

Assoc. Prof. Norhaniza Yusof

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

BIO: Dr. Norhaniza Yusof received her PhD degree in Gas Engineering in 2013 in UTM. She is a research fellow at the Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), UTM. She is also the Deputy Head of Nanostructured Materials Research Group in UTM. Her research interests focus on the synthesis of a wide range of nanostructured materials and their composites for gas adsorption process and membrane-based separation processes.  The main focuses of her research is the applications of nanocomposite membranes for wastewater treatment and nanofibers for gas adsorption applications. Her research has been carried out with significant output in terms of publications, innovation and grant awards. To date, she has published more than 100 research papers. She has also contributed 10 book chapters and 3 edited research books. Her research publication has received about 1300 citations and her current H-index is 35. 

Speech Title: Metal-Organic Frameworks incorporated Ultrafiltration Membrane for Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Abstract: Existing membranes for water treatment, typically polymeric in nature, are still restricted by several challenges, including the trade-off relationship between permeability and selectivity, and low resistance to fouling. Nanocomposite membranes, a new class of membranes, fabricated by combining polymeric materials with nanomaterials, are emerging as a promising solution to these challenges. The advanced nanocomposite membranes could be designed to meet specific water treatment applications by tuning their structure and physicochemical properties (e.g. hydrophilicity, porosity, charge density, and thermal and mechanical stability) and introducing unique functionalities (e.g. antibacterial, photocatalytic or adsorptive capabilities). Recently, many researchers have been focused on incorporating nano-sized metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can significantly improve the overall properties of the membrane. MOFs are intensively investigated for the design of advanced composite membranes, primarily due to their favourable polymer affinity, and highly tunable porous structure and surface properties. Among the highly water stable MOFs, ferric-based MOFs like MIL-100(Fe) is preferable ascribed by its simple synthesizing method as well as its wide availability. However, the development of MIL-100(Fe) in polymeric membranes for water treatment remains in its infancy. In our recent study, we have successfully modified MIL-100(Fe) with tannic acid and then incorporated the MOF in the membrane matrix. The tannin-MIL nanoparticles have improved structures, wettability, surface roughness, and overall porosity of the nanocomposite membrane. A crossflow ultrafiltration experiment was conducted using real textile wastewater and discovered that the tannin-MIL/PES nanocomposite membrane could reduce the levels of total suspended solid (100% rejection), chemical oxygen demand (>96%) and color (>97%) while exhibiting high flux recovery rate (>90%).

Prof. Hossein Ganjidoust

Tarbiat Modares University, Iran

BIO: Hossein Ganjidoust received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas in 1976, 1st MS in Industrial Management from Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri in 1977 and 2nd MS in Sanitary Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1978 and PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1988. From March 1995 to April 1996, he was on a Year of Sabbatical Leave At The National Institute for Resources & Environment (NIRE), Tsukuba Science City, Tsukuba, and Ibaraki, Japan. For three years since March 2013, he was the Science Counselor and Iranian Student Advisor in Beijing, P.R.China assigned by the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research & Technology. 

He has over 30 years experience in teaching and research in graduate levels and is presently engaged as Full Professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty, at TarbiatModares University in Tehran, I.R. Iran. Dr. Ganjidoust’s research interests include water & wastewater, industrial and hazardous waste handling, treatment and disposal. In addition, he has given many lectures related to Culture, Archiology & Humanitey Sciences.

He has supervised more than 30 research projects, and many PhD and MS students’ thesis. At present time, he is supervisor of 6 PhD theses and 8 MS thesis.

He has published over 150 papers in scientific national and ISI Journals and over 150 conference proceedings on his research. He was engaged in the books entitled: Principles of construction debris Landfill Site Selection (Case study: Tehran), Department of Housing and Urban Development, Building and Housing Research Center, Feb. 2013 (in Persian), "Application of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) in Sanitary & Industrial Wastewater Treatment", TarbiatModares Univ. Published in February 2011 and a chapter on: “Hazardous Waste Management in Islamic Republic of Iran, HWM Policies and Practices in Asian Countries” published by Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Tokyo in October 2001.

Speech Title: Municipal Solid Waste to Energy

Abstract: Following the rapid surge in global demand for energy as well as the rising generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) worldwide, much more attention has been drawn to sustainable waste management solutions to tackle both problems. Statistics show that the global generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is increasing at an annual rate of 2–3%. Indeed, waste management has long been one of the major challenges facing urban management in big cities. Among the components constituting MSW, fraction of Organic Carbon (OC) which contains food waste, paper products, and green waste, can be decomposed through the biochemical process, inducing energy as the final product. In addition to MSW, cities also produce other types of wastes such as a large amount of sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants, which can impose substantial treatment and disposal costs on urban management organizations. In recent years, some limitations have been placed on common sewage-sludge disposal methods, such as incineration or landfilling, to prevent air and groundwater pollution. The important of obtaining biogas from MSW are discussed in this paper.