From Crops and Wastes to Bioenergy Current Status and Challenges

He holds a B.Sc. degree in Thermal Power Plants from Odessa Polytechnic University (1981) in Ukraine, a M.Sc. degree in Thermal Power Plants - from the same institution and a Ph.D. degree in Steam Generators and Reactors Design from St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (1988) in Russia. In 2014 he did a Visiting Professor internship at Washington State University with a Fulbright /CAPES Visiting Scholar scholarship. He is currently a full professor at the Federal University of Itajubá and Coordinator of the Center for Excellence Group in Thermal Power and Distributed Generation - NEST. He has experience in the field of Mechanical Engineering, with emphasis on Thermoelectric Generation, working mainly on the following topics: thermochemical conversion of biomass, cogeneration, solar thermal, thermoelectric power plants, thermoelectric generation and life cycle assessment - LCA. He has 151 articles in journals, 15 books and advised 27 doctoral theses and 66 master's theses.

Professor and Chair of Biological Systems Engineering at Washington State University, is a chemical engineer with nearly 30 years' experience in thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic materials, reactor design, biofuels and sustainable materials. He now focuses on selective carbonization of unconventional oils and supply chains for sustainable aviation fuels.

Prof. Osvaldo J. Venturini graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Federal University of Itajuba - UNIFEI (Brazil), in 1993, and received his Ph.D. degree from UNIFEI in the field of Energy Conversion. Currently is Full Professor of Thermal Science at UNIFEI, where he has been developing research activities and coordinating projects in areas related to alternative energy sources; modeling and optimization of thermal systems; hybrid biomass-solar systems; LCA; biomass carbonization, waste valorization, oil sludge gasification; sewage sludge drying and gasification, etc. He has published 48 papers in journals, 03 books, 23 chapters in books, supervised 10 Ph.D. and 30 master's theses. Since, 2017 Prof. Osvaldo has been acting as the president of the Support Foundation for Teaching, Research and Development of Itajubá. (FAPEPE). He also is a Productivity Fellow of the Brazilian National Research Council - CNPq