Laurent Sauvanaud studied chemical engineering in Nancy (France) and earned his Ph.D. in 2004 from the UPV. El equipo Microdowner desarrollado durante la tesis fue licenciado a la empresa hte Gmbh para su explotación comercial. His research focuses on refinery back-end conversion processes (catalytic cracking, hydrocracking), the direct conversion of crude oil to petrochemicals, and the co-processing of biomass derivatives—such as pyrolysis oils or hydrothermal liquefaction oils—for fuel production. He has participated in projects with companies such as Total, BP, Exxon, Saudi Aramco, Licella, Nalonchem, and MOEVE.

Ignacio Vayá is a Full Professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Valencia (2002) and a Ph.D. from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (2007, Social Council Award), and conducts his research at the Institute of Chemical Technology. His work focuses on photochemical reactivity and photoinduced processes resulting from the interaction of UV-visible radiation with organic compounds—primarily drugs—and photoactive nanomaterials in biomolecular environments.

He has secured funding through competitive grants (VALi+D, Juan de la Cierva, Marie Skłodowska-Curie, and Ramón y Cajal) and projects as principal investigator (Marie Curie CIG, UPV, the Valencian Regional Government, and MICINN).

Dr. Alfonso Carrillo del Teso holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Salamanca, a master’s degree in Renewable Energy from the University of León, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rey Juan Carlos University. After completing his doctoral thesis at IMDEA Energía, he undertook postdoctoral fellowships at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (U.S.), where he was an Eni-MIT Energy Fellow.

He has received various awards, including the Emerging Investigator 2024 distinction from Chemical Communications (RSC), a Leonardo Fellowship from the BBVA Foundation, the Caixa Junior Leader Award, the Juan de la Cierva Award, and an energy research grant from the Iberdrola Foundation.

María A. Arribas earned her Ph.D. from the Polytechnic University of Valencia in 2003 and, since 2004, has been working at the ITQ (UPV-CSIC) as a Senior Research Support Technician, with recognized research capabilities. Her work focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, particularly the design, synthesis, and characterization of bifunctional metal-based catalysts supported on zeolites and metal oxides.

Her research addresses the transformation of hydrocarbons and the production of advanced fuels, including processes such as hydrogenation, isomerization, and oligomerization. In recent years, he has focused on the development of liquid biofuels, including SAF.

Dr. Pablo P. Boix is a Research Scientist at the ITQ (CSIC-UPV). His research focuses on metal halide perovskites, exploring new materials and device architectures for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications, with a special emphasis on stability, interfacial engineering, and sustainability.

He leads multiple regional, national, and international projects, including an ERC Consolidator Grant aimed at designing self-healing solar cells. His impact is reflected in more than 110 publications, several patents, and recognitions such as Emerging Researcher (PCCP) and Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate) on multiple occasions.