Speakers

Prof. Cyrille Boyer is a professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at UNSW Sydney. His research spans polymer chemistry, photoredox processes, nanomedicine and advanced functional materials.

Prof. Kiyotaka Nakajima is a professor at Hokkaido University’s Institute for Catalysis. His research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, solid acid and base catalysts, and catalytic conversion of renewable carbon resources.

Prof. Vivian Tam is a Distinguished Professor at Western Sydney University. Her research focuses on sustainable construction, circular use of construction materials, recycled concrete and life-cycle approaches for the built environment.

Prof. Guoxiu Wang is a Distinguished Professor and ARC Industry Laureate Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney. His research focuses on advanced materials for batteries, electrochemical energy storage and clean-energy technologies.

A/Prof. Hamid Arandiyan is an associate professor at RMIT University. His research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, environmental catalysis, energy conversion and the design of functional nanostructured materials.

Dr Munkhbayar Batmunkh is a Senior Lecturer and ARC Future Fellow at Griffith University. His research develops nanomaterials and interfaces for solar cells, energy storage and sustainable energy technologies.

Professor Caitlin Byrt is a researcher in the Research School of Biology at the Australian National University and a group leader in membrane transport engineering. Her work investigates membrane proteins and transport processes to advance selective separation, nutrient recovery and crop resilience. She co-founded Membrane Transporter Engineers, which develops engineered protein components for filtration and resource recovery from complex aqueous streams. Her research connects plant biology and biotechnology with sustainable treatment technologies, including applications in water quality and critical-resource recovery.

Prof. Po-Chun Chen is a professor in the Department of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering at National Taipei University of Technology. His research explores bioelectronic materials, flexible electronics and heterogeneous nanocatalysts for electrochemical reactions. His areas of interest include the oxygen reduction reaction and electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction, linking functional materials design with sustainable energy and chemical conversion. His work connects materials characterization, electronic device applications and electrocatalytic performance, with a focus on developing useful functions at engineered material interfaces.

Prof. Zhong-Hua Chen is a professor and ARC Future Fellow at Adelaide University. His research investigates plant stress physiology, ion transport, crop resilience and sustainable agricultural systems.

Prof. Xiao Hu is a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Nanyang Technological University. His research spans polymers, sustainable textiles, materials circularity and environmental materials.

Prof. Longbin Huang is a Professorial Research Fellow at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute. His research addresses ecological engineering, mine-waste rehabilitation, biogeochemistry and sustainable resource recovery.

A/Prof. Zhongfan Jia is an associate professor at Flinders University. His research focuses on precision polymer synthesis, RAFT polymerisation, polymer bioconjugation and functional materials for biomedical applications.

Prof. Do Heui Kim is a professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Seoul National University. His research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, reaction engineering and catalytic processes for energy and environmental applications.

Prof. Chi-Ching Kuo is Dean of the College of Engineering at National Taipei University of Technology and leads research spanning electrospun nanofibres, optoelectronic polymers, sensing devices, biomedical polymers and smart textiles.

A/Prof. Fengwang Li is an Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Sydney. His research develops electrocatalytic materials and electrochemical processes for renewable fuels, carbon conversion and sustainable chemical manufacturing.

Dr Mengran Li is a researcher at The University of Melbourne working across chemical and electrochemical engineering, including catalytic and electrochemical pathways for sustainable chemical production.

Prof. Qin Li is a professor at Griffith University. Her research spans carbon dots and graphene, photocatalysis, chemical sensing, water treatment and functional nanomaterials for energy and environmental applications.

Dr Wenxian Li is a Senior Lecturer and ARC Future Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at UNSW Sydney. His research spans catalysis, electrochemistry, chemical recycling and functional materials for sustainable energy and chemical conversion, including waste-plastic upcycling and green-hydrogen technologies. He completed his PhD in Materials Engineering at the University of Wollongong, joined UNSW in 2022, and was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship in 2023.

Prof. Dan Liu is a professor in the School of Science at RMIT University. Her research explores functional two-dimensional nanomaterials and nanocomposites for water purification, thermal management and wearable energy storage, with an emphasis on scalable fabrication and practical applications.

Prof. Porun Liu is a professor and ARC Future Fellow in the School of Environment and Science at Griffith University. His research develops functional nanomaterials, catalysts and electrode interfaces for clean-energy conversion and environmental applications, with a focus on converting carbon dioxide into useful fuels and chemicals.

Prof. Yuerui (Larry) Lu is a professor in the School of Engineering at the Australian National University. He is a chief investigator and program manager in an ARC Centre of Excellence for quantum computation and communication technology. His research investigates two-dimensional quantum materials, optoelectronic and photonic devices, micro- and nano-electromechanical sensors, energy harvesting and biomedical technologies. His work brings together materials physics, device fabrication and fundamental light–matter interactions. He received the 2023 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year and the 2023 Pawsey Medal.

Dr Shuhua Peng is a senior lecturer and ARC Future Fellow at UNSW Sydney. His research covers polymer nanocomposites, colloidal and interface science, surface droplets, and micro- and nanofabrication, including the development of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials.

Prof. Hongqi Sun is University Professor of Chemistry and Director of the UWA Centre for Future Catalysis. His research develops catalytic materials and processes for solar energy utilisation, hydrogen production, water treatment and the sustainable use of resources.

Prof. Hang Ta is a Professor and ARC Future Fellow at Griffith University. Her research develops nanomedicine, biomaterials and targeted therapeutic platforms for cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases.

Prof. Dan Tsang is a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at HKUST. His research develops waste-to-resource technologies, carbon management, sustainable remediation and circular-economy solutions.

Prof. Fenglong Wang is a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shandong University. His research focuses on functional materials, interfacial chemistry and materials for energy and environmental applications.

Prof. Qilin Wang is a professor at the University of Technology Sydney. His research develops water and wastewater technologies that improve treatment performance, recover energy and resources, reduce emissions and support carbon-neutral urban water systems.

Associate Professor Peter Wich leads the UNSW Research Lab for Functional Biopolymers in the School of Chemical Engineering at UNSW Sydney. His research sits at the intersection of macromolecular chemistry, bioorganic chemistry and nanotechnology. The group modifies natural biopolymers to create multifunctional and biocompatible materials, with applications in drug delivery, nanomedicine and biocatalysis. His work integrates molecular design and biomaterial engineering to develop functional platforms for healthcare and biological technologies.

Prof. Hongwei Wu is a professor of chemical engineering at Curtin University. His research focuses on thermochemical processing of coal, biomass and waste, including biomass-derived fuels, biochar, green chemicals and low-emission pathways for heavy industry.

A/Prof. Chun Xu is an associate professor at The University of Sydney. Research interests include functional biomaterials, surface engineering and materials for biomedical and dental applications.

Dr Francois-Marie Allioux works on advanced materials, liquid-metal-enabled technologies and environmental processes, with interests spanning resource recovery, separation and sustainable materials engineering.

Dr Xiaowan Bai is a research fellow at Adelaide University. Her research contributes to advanced functional materials and sustainable energy and environmental technologies.

Dr Lei Bao is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering at RMIT University. Her research explores functional materials, interfaces and nano–soft matter systems for applications in energy, the environment and health. She investigates how interfacial interactions influence the behaviour of responsive and adaptive materials, linking the fundamental design of soft materials with practical devices. Her work includes smart biomedical systems, environmental sensing and sustainable technologies, with an emphasis on developing functional materials that can respond to their operating conditions.

Dr Jingqu Chen is a researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Melbourne. Her work focuses on bioactive nanoparticle engineering and the design of nanoscale materials for therapeutic delivery. Her research spans nanotechnology, bioengineering and nano–bio interactions, including how nanoparticles interact with biological systems and how those interactions can be controlled. She contributes to the development of functional delivery platforms and advanced materials for nanomedicine, connecting chemical and materials engineering with biomedical applications.

Dr Sam (Xianjue) Chen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Science at the University of Newcastle. The research creates functional materials through new synthesis approaches, with expertise in carbon materials, materials chemistry and nanoscience. Dr Chen received a chemistry PhD from the University of Western Australia in 2014 and held research positions at Flinders University, the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea and UNSW before joining Newcastle.

Dr Wei-Cheng Chen is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Science and Engineering at National Taipei University of Technology. His research focuses on soft semiconductors, conjugated polymers, perovskite materials and flexible optoelectronic devices. He develops low-power electronic and neuromorphic systems, including phototransistors, optoelectronic memories, sensors and light-emitting devices. His work examines how polymer–semiconductor interfaces and device architectures can be engineered to improve electronic performance, mechanical flexibility and energy-efficient operation.

Dr Brendan Dyett is a Senior Research Fellow at RMIT University and works in colloid, interface and soft-matter science. His research combines microscopy and scattering techniques to investigate processes at nano- and microscale interfaces. Earlier work examined non-wetting thin films and the formation and behaviour of surface nanobubbles and nanodroplets. His current projects focus on lipid nanoparticle interactions with cells and biological barriers, with the aim of developing improved nanocarrier systems for therapeutic delivery.

Dr Guocheng Fang is a Research Fellow and Cancer Institute NSW Early Career Fellow in biomedical engineering at the University of Technology Sydney. His research develops intelligent organoid-on-chip platforms for disease modelling and drug screening. It combines microfluidic engineering, optical microcavity sensors and machine-learning approaches to monitor cellular and tissue behaviour. Before joining UTS, he held a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship at Nanyang Technological University. His work aims to translate biophotonic sensing and engineered tissue models into practical biomedical technologies.

Dr Changkui Fu is a UQ Amplify Senior Fellow at The University of Queensland. His research focuses on polymer chemistry, nanomaterials and functional soft materials for biomedical and advanced-material applications.

Asst. Prof. Xianbiao Fu is an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore. His research focuses on electrocatalysis, electrochemical engineering and sustainable energy-to-chemical conversion. In particular, he develops approaches to electrochemical ammonia synthesis, nitrogen activation and ammonia utilisation, combining catalyst design with electrochemical reaction engineering. His work investigates reaction mechanisms and reactor concepts that could support scalable, low-carbon ammonia production and chemical energy systems.

Dr Jessica Yajie Jiang is a Senior Lecturer at UNSW Sydney. Her research focuses on advanced materials and processes for sustainable energy, resource recovery and circular-economy applications.

A/Prof. Chih-Yu Kuo is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at National Taipei University of Technology. His research focuses on polymeric nanostructures, biomaterials, hydrogels and the self-assembly of block copolymers. He studies responsive polymer systems and multifunctional coatings for biomedical applications, including material interfaces relevant to controlled delivery and biological interactions. His work combines polymer synthesis, materials processing and characterization with the development of functional nanomaterials and engineering approaches to biomaterial performance.

Dr Chang Lei is an ARC DECRA Fellow at The University of Sydney. Her research develops nanomaterials, biomaterials and nanoscale interfaces for biomedical and translational applications.

Dr Martina Lessio is a Scientia Fellow in the School of Chemistry at UNSW Sydney. She uses computational chemistry to investigate the structure, behaviour and function of molecules and materials for sustainability applications. Her research has included catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion, functional materials and metal–organic frameworks. She combines theoretical and computational methods to study molecular interactions and guide the design of new materials. Her work connects fundamental chemical modelling with challenges in energy conversion, materials performance and environmental technologies.

Dr Feng Li is an ARC DECRA Fellow at the University of Queensland's Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation. The research spans carbon dioxide capture and electrolysis, connecting catalyst design with membrane and electrolyser development. He completed his PhD in chemistry at the University of Waterloo in 2022, studying catalyst transformations through multiscale modelling, and subsequently worked on electrochemical technologies at the University of Toronto.

Dr Wenyi Li is an NHMRC Investigator and a leader of a chemical biology and peptide chemistry research group at La Trobe University. His research develops antimicrobial peptides and related therapeutic approaches to address bacterial and fungal infections, including infections associated with antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Rijia Lin is a UQ Amplify Senior Research Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland and an Australian Research Council DECRA recipient. His research investigates porous materials for selective gas separation and advanced membrane technologies. Topics include metal–organic frameworks, membrane-based gas separation and porous glass materials. He explores the engineering of new material structures and their transport properties, with applications in carbon dioxide capture, resource-efficient separation and cleaner industrial processes.

A/Prof. Yan-Cheng Lin is an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University. His research develops conjugated polymers for organic field-effect, photonic and electrochemical transistors, alongside functional polymers for high-frequency electronic applications. He also investigates insulating materials, ion-exchange membranes and the influence of molecular structure on device characteristics. His group links polymer synthesis and materials engineering with electronic, optoelectronic and energy-related applications, including emerging flexible and low-power devices.

Dr Haijiao Lu is a UQ Amplify Senior Research Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland. The work brings together materials design and chemical engineering to develop catalysts for sustainable energy and chemical production. Research interests include photocatalytic and photothermal carbon dioxide conversion and green hydrogen production. She held an ARC DECRA Fellowship from 2023 to 2026.

Dr Zhipeng Ma is a Lecturer in chemical engineering at UNSW Sydney, where he received his PhD in 2022. The research develops electrocatalytic processes that convert carbon and nitrogen feedstocks into useful chemicals, including ammonia, urea and carbon-based products. He studies catalyst surfaces and reaction pathways alongside reactor and process design, aiming to improve selectivity, stability and the potential for scale-up.

Dr Xin Mao is an ARC DECRA Fellow and Lecturer in the School of Chemistry and Physics at Queensland University of Technology. His research applies computational chemistry and machine-learning approaches to electrocatalysis and sustainable carbon conversion, including electrolyte design and the selective electrochemical transformation of carbon-containing molecules.

Dr Hong (Marco) Peng is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland and leads the Sustainable Extraction Engineering Lab. His research examines crystallisation, nucleation and process engineering for sustainable resource recovery. His projects include mine-waste utilisation, urban mining and the transformation of spent batteries and solar panels into valuable materials. He also investigates connections between critical-metal recovery and carbon capture and utilisation, bringing chemical engineering approaches to circular resource systems.

Dr Hangjuan Ren is a Lecturer in the School of Chemistry at Monash University. Her research focuses on functional molecular materials, polymer chemistry and responsive systems for advanced applications.

Dr Xueqian (Queenie) Sun is a Research Fellow and ARC DECRA Fellow in the School of Engineering at the Australian National University. Her research investigates excitonic states and light–matter interactions in atomically thin semiconductors and van der Waals heterostructures. She combines optical spectroscopy, nanoscale device fabrication and materials engineering to control light emission and exciton transport. Her work aims to enable low-power optoelectronic devices, quantum light sources and emerging sensing technologies through advances in nanoscale photonic materials.

Dr Wenjie Tian is a Senior Lecturer and ARC Future Fellow at Adelaide University. His research focuses on photocatalysis, solar-energy conversion and functional materials for environmental and energy applications.

Dr Helena Wang is a Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow at The University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on advanced materials and interfaces for sustainable electrochemical and energy technologies.

Dr Nana Wang is a Senior Lecturer and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney. Her research develops advanced electrode materials and electrochemical systems for batteries and sustainable energy storage.

Dr Xingquan (Jasmine) Wang is a lecturer in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney. Her research applies computational methods and artificial intelligence to problems in civil engineering and sustainable construction materials. Her interests include modelling the behaviour of cementitious and composite materials, understanding materials across length scales, and improving engineering decisions through data-driven analysis. This work connects materials design and modelling with resource-efficient construction and the development of more sustainable built-environment technologies.

Dr Chien-Hsin Wu is an assistant research fellow at the Advanced Research Center for Green Materials Science and Technology at National Taiwan University and leads the Poly/Sus Laboratory. His work focuses on polymer synthesis, polymer architecture, structure–property relationships and the design of functional materials from renewable and recycled resources. His research includes polyurethane chemistry, waterborne materials and coatings, and polymer recycling. The group develops scalable approaches to sustainable polymer materials, connecting molecular design with practical processing and reuse.

Associate Professor Tianze Wu is a tenure-track academic in the Global Institute of Future Technology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research focuses on electrocatalytic hydrogen production, spin-related electrochemical processes and smart electrolysis systems. He investigates how catalyst structure and magnetic effects influence reactions such as water oxidation, while developing electrochemical platforms with improved efficiency and functionality. His work also addresses opportunities to integrate hydrogen production with value-added reactions and sustainable chemical processes.

Dr Mu Xiao is an ARC DECRA Fellow at The University of Queensland. Research interests include electrochemistry, electrocatalysis and functional materials for sustainable energy and chemical conversion.

Prof. Linli Xu is an Assistant Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research focuses on functional molecular and polymeric materials for energy, catalysis and environmental applications.

Dr Doudou Zhang is a Macquarie University Research Fellow in the School of Engineering. Her research focuses on photoelectrochemical and electrochemical catalysis for sustainable chemical-fuel production. She develops low-cost catalysts, functional thin-film coatings and scalable electrolyser technologies, with particular interest in solar-driven energy conversion. Before joining Macquarie University in 2024, she worked as a Research Fellow at the Australian National University. Her work links materials design and electrochemical engineering to support more sustainable fuel and chemical production.

Dr Huayang Zhang is an ARC Research Fellow at Adelaide University. His research develops catalytic and photoelectrochemical materials for sustainable energy conversion and environmental applications.

Dr Jinqiang Zhang is a Lecturer in the School of Molecular Sciences at the University of Western Australia and an ARC DECRA Fellow. The research develops nanostructured catalysts for solar fuel production and photothermal conversion of one-carbon molecules. He completed his PhD at Edith Cowan University and undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Adelaide before joining UWA in 2025.

Dr Jinqiang Zhang is a Chancellor's Research Fellow and ARC DECRA Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney. His research addresses materials and reaction mechanisms for electrochemical energy storage and conversion, including advanced batteries, water splitting and fuel cells. He also works on carbon dioxide capture and electrochemical reduction, with an interest in reactive capture and selective catalyst design. His projects combine functional organic molecules, atomically dispersed catalysts and electrochemical systems to improve efficiency and stability in sustainable energy technologies.

Dr Meng Zhang is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW Sydney. His research focuses on metal halide perovskite materials and perovskite solar cells, including phase evolution, device stability and scalable fabrication. He was awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award in 2022.

Dr Tianqi Zhang is an ARC DECRA Fellow at The University of Sydney. His research focuses on plasma-enabled chemical processes, catalysis and electrified pathways for sustainable chemical manufacturing.

Dr Yong Zhao is a Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow in the School of Science at the University of Newcastle, where he leads the Electrochemical Interfaces and Systems Group. His research focuses on the electrochemical conversion of small molecules, including CO₂, CH₄, O₂ and H₂, and on energy-efficient catalysts and reaction systems. Before joining Newcastle, he was a Research Scientist at CSIRO Energy, leading work on integrated CO₂ capture and electrolysis.

Dr Yijun Zhong is an ARC DECRA Fellow and research fellow in the Western Australian School of Mines at Curtin University. His research combines chemical engineering, materials chemistry and electrochemistry to advance energy storage and conversion. He leads research on high-voltage proton batteries that can operate at ultralow temperatures and contributes to work on solid-state battery interfaces. His studies connect the design of functional electrode and electrolyte materials with the practical performance and reliability of emerging electrochemical energy systems.

Dr Shujie Zhou is a Lecturer in chemical engineering at UNSW Sydney, where she completed her PhD in 2023. She develops electrochemical and photoelectrochemical approaches for converting solar energy into fuels and useful chemicals. The work combines catalyst design, reaction mechanism studies and reactor development to improve performance and scalability. She is affiliated with the ARC centres for the Global Hydrogen Economy and Carbon Science and Innovation.