Biomass, Biofuels, Biochemicals: Circular Bioeconomy—Current Developments and Future Outlook

Professor Ashok Pandey is currently Distinguished Scientist at the Centre for Innovation and Translational Research, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, India. His major research and technological development interests are industrial & environmental biotechnology and energy biosciences, focusing on biomass to biofuels & chemicals, waste to wealth & energy, etc. He has 16 patents, edited 125 books, and authored over 1000 papers and book chapters.

Prof. R. D. Tyagi is an internationally recognized Professor of Biochemical Engineering and biotransformation with ‘Institut national de la recherché Scientifique - Eau, terre, et environnement’, (INRS-ETE), University of Québec, Canada. He also holds Adjunct Professor position at the University of Missouri-Columbia, USA. Prof Tyagi has published over 600 papers/communications, which include 21 books, 75 book chapters, 10 research reports, nine patents, etc. He is Associate Editor of ‘‘Practice Periodical of Hazardous, Toxic & Radioactive Waste Management- Am.Soc.Civil Engineering’’ and serves on the editorial board of Process Biochemistry and Bioresource Technology. He has been recognised by many national and international awards and honours. He is member of ‘‘European Academy of Sciences and Arts’’. He conducts research on hazardous/solids waste management, water/wastewater treatment, and wastewater sludge treatment/disposal, bioconversion of wastewater and wastewater sludge into value added products.

Dr. Sunita Varjani is Scientific Officer at Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Her major areas of research are Industrial and Environmental Microbiology/Biotechnology. She has worked as visiting scientist at EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland. Dr. Varjani has authored more than 110 publications, including research and review papers, books and book chapters. She has won several awards, including Young Scientist Awards from Association of Microbiologists of India, International Society for Energy, Environment and Sustainability and AFRO-ASIAN Congress on Microbes for Human and Environmental Health, New Delhi; Top Reviewer Award - 2017, Bioresource Technology, Elsevier and Best Paper Awards in national and international conferences in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2018. She is member of editorial board of Journal of Energy and Environmental Sustainability and has served as guest editor of special issues of Bioresource Technology, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, ASCE- Journal of Environmental Engineering and others. She is Management Council Member of the BRSI (www.brsi.in).