Dr. David Blekhman is a professor of Sustainable Energy and Transportation in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology and a founding technical director for the Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility at Cal State LA. The station is the only facility in the world on an academic campus that produces its own hydrogen via electrolysis. An internationally recognized expert in hydrogen transportation, Blekhman has received multiple awards for his contributions to clean transportation research and community outreach. He was also selected for the prestigious 2019-20 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Alternative Energy Technology at Chalmers University, Sweden. Furthermore, he received a 2022 Cal State LA Outstanding Professor and 2023 CSU-wide Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Scholarship. As a PI and Co-PI, Dr. Blekhman has helped to secure multi-million funding for projects in hydrogen infrastructure and advanced transportation from NSF, DOE, CEC, CARB, ANL, and others, including most recently a grant from the California Energy Commission to collaborate with Cerritos College on hydrogen workforce development. Blekhman earned his BS and MS degrees in Thermal Physics and Engineering from Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University in Russia and a PhD. in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo.

Roger is Emeritus Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering at Cardiff University,Chair Professor at Hohai University, China, and an Independent Water-Environmental Engineering Consultant. He has held posts at the universities of Birmingham (1977-86), Bradford (1987-97), and Cardiff (1997-18) and has managed a wide range of research projects on water and environmental modelling. He has been involved in over 100 EIA studies worldwide and has published extensively in the field of water engineering and management. He advises industry and UK and international government agencies on water related topics, and regularly lecturesand participates in media and TV interviews on key topics such as: tidal energy, flooding and global water security. He is a Fellow of the: Royal Academy of Engineering,Chinese Academy of Engineering (Foreign Member),Learned Society of Wales and Institution of Civil Engineers. He is an Honorary Member and Past-President of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering &Research (2011-15).

Ivan De Crescenzo has been a professional in the energy industry for almost two decades and currenty is a financial analyst in a large Italian utility. He holds a M.Sc. in Economics from University of Naples “Federico II” in Italy and a Masters in Euopean Accounting and Finance from University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He’s been a student of the School of Limes, Italian School of Geopolitics and Government. He’s currently enrolled in a Ph.D programme at the PhD School in Social Sciences and Economics at “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Italy. His research topics revolve around the interconnections between energy commodities markets and geopolitics. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Chartered Accountant) in the Italian Professional Accounting Association of Certified Public Accountants, Auditors and Advisors and member of the Commission “Finanza Agevolata e Internazionalizzazione” within the same professional association. He is also a member of the EMEA Treasury Council and of the Corporate Treasury Research Council since 2021. He’s been invited as a speaker at two sessions of the European Conference on Operational Research with regards of risk management in the energy sector, energy market instability and energy transition.

Maria Dos Santos holds her PhD in Economics; MA in Economics, Bs+2 in AE. She is an Associate Professor at ESCS and a Researcher at the ISCTE-Institute University of Lisbon- DINÂMIA´CET. Now, she is a Portuguese Delegate of COST Action supported by the European Commission. She was also a National (Portuguese) Delegate for three other COST programs/Actions (HORIZON 2020 from European Commission). She was/is an External Evaluator of the European Commission - HORIZON EUROPE, serving several times by invitation. She evaluated Scientific Projects from "Agence de La Researche Français". She was a Special Advisor in Agricultural Economics Policies at the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 from the EU and before a Portuguese Participant in a Project supported by the European Parliament. She is a Member of the Editorial Board of Ecocycles Journal (SCOPUS) and various other journals and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Agricultural Research and Natural Resources. She was also the Coordinating Leader and the author of the Development part 1st MedECC Assessment Report (MAR1) from MedECC. Maria Dos-Santos is/was an Invited Keynote Speaker from many universities worldwide (e.g., American University, Institute of Business and Management, etc...). "Dr Maria Dos-Santos is also an active researcher with publications in Applied Economics scored in Q1 and TOP 5 SCOPUS journals" with various scientific national and international awards. Her research interests include applied economics and agricultural economics, namely, eco-efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability.

Prof. Eugene Eteris, a Danish citizen is a lawyer by profession; he is a practitioner senior adviser, social sciences’ researcher and university professor. He got his Ph.D. in comparative politics from Moscow State University and post-doctoral in environmental policy from Danish Roskilde University Center. Mr. Eteris has been most active in the European studies during last 30 years writing extensively on various aspects of European socio-economic integration. He has been employed in numerous Danish companies; since 2001 as a scientific director in the European Integration Institute/Denmark. Presently –senior researcher at Turiba University

Philippe Destuynder is a distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of La Rochelle, renowned for his significant contributions to the field of engineering. He is affiliated with the LaSIE lab, where his research has focused on various advanced engineering topics. Professor Destuynder has an extensive academic and professional background, with numerous publications and contributions to scientific knowledge.

With a Masters Degree as an Agricultural Biologist and as a trained Master Farmer, Michael Köttner is professionally involved in Biogas and Bioenergy Technologies for over 30 years. His portfolio ranges from professional services as a scientist, expert trainer and consulting engineer in the field of biogas, biomethane, organic waste treatment in Germany, Europe, Canada and South Africa, to being the founding member and CEO from 1991 to 2000 in Europe’s biggest organisation the German Biogas Association with almost 5000 members today. Since 2000 he is CEO and senior expert consultant of the International Biogas and Bioenergy Center of Competence IBBK and Vice-chairman of the German Society for sustainable Biogas and Bioenergy Utilisation GERBIO. The main focus of his work is expert, consulting and training work in all aspects of biogas and bioenergy technology as well as ecological sanitation in a regional, national and international context. In the ColdSpark project his tasks are the input of biogas/biomethane knowledge, contact and dissemination of the results within the biogas industry.

Dr. David Blekhman is a professor of Sustainable Energy and Transportation in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology and a founding technical director for the Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility at Cal State LA. The station is the only facility in the world on an academic campus that produces its own hydrogen via electrolysis. An internationally recognized expert in hydrogen transportation, Blekhman has received multiple awards for his contributions to clean transportation research and community outreach. He was also selected for the prestigious 2019-20 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Alternative Energy Technology at Chalmers University, Sweden. Furthermore, he received a 2022 Cal State LA Outstanding Professor and 2023 CSU-wide Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Scholarship. As a PI and Co-PI, Dr. Blekhman has helped to secure multi-million funding for projects in hydrogen infrastructure and advanced transportation from NSF, DOE, CEC, CARB, ANL, and others, including most recently a grant from the California Energy Commission to collaborate with Cerritos College on hydrogen workforce development. Blekhman earned his BS and MS degrees in Thermal Physics and Engineering from Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University in Russia and a PhD. in Mechanical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo.

Dr. Zakaria Qassem Moh’d Al-Qodah is an accomplished biochemical and chemical engineer with over four decades of academic and professional experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from Sofia University of Chemical Technology, Bulgaria, and has served in various academic leadership roles, including Vice President for Colleges Affairs at Al-Balqa Applied University and Dean of multiple colleges. His extensive contributions to chemical engineering research are evident in his numerous publications and participation in international conferences. A distinguished researcher and recipient of prestigious awards, including being recognized among the top 2% of global researchers by Stanford University and Elsevier, Dr. Al-Qodah has been actively involved in numerous national and international committees, editorial boards, and research projects focused on environmental sustainability and wastewater treatment.

Dr. Hashem Mohd Ali Al-Mattarneh is a Professor of Civil Engineering specializing in structural and material engineering, with extensive expertise in nondestructive testing and concrete rehabilitation. He holds a B.Sc. from Yarmouk University, an M.Sc. from Universiti Teknologi Mara, and a Ph.D. from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Dr. Al-Mattarneh has held significant academic positions at institutions including Yarmouk University, King Khalid University, and Najran University, and has chaired over 20 international conferences. His research and teaching contributions are recognized through numerous awards, including multiple gold medals at international competitions. He has published extensively and supervised many graduate students. Dr. Al-Mattarneh is an active member of professional organizations like ASNT and ACI.

Ivan De Crescenzo has been a professional in the energy industry for almost two decades and currenty is a financial analyst in a large Italian utility. He holds a M.Sc. in Economics from University of Naples “Federico II” in Italy and a Masters in Euopean Accounting and Finance from University of Gothenburg, Sweden. He’s been a student of the School of Limes, Italian School of Geopolitics and Government. He’s currently enrolled in a Ph.D programme at the PhD School in Social Sciences and Economics at “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Italy. His research topics revolve around the interconnections between energy commodities markets and geopolitics. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Chartered Accountant) in the Italian Professional Accounting Association of Certified Public Accountants, Auditors and Advisors and member of the Commission “Finanza Agevolata e Internazionalizzazione” within the same professional association. He is also a member of the EMEA Treasury Council and of the Corporate Treasury Research Council since 2021. He’s been invited as a speaker at two sessions of the European Conference on Operational Research with regards of risk management in the energy sector, energy market instability and energy transition.

Jean Paul Ghogue is a former researcher (more than 100 scientific publications), now specialized in environmental and biodiversity conservation. He holds a PhD in Systematic botany and Phytogeography. He is a member of IUCN’s SSC (Species Survival Commission), founder member of the IUCN Freshwater Plants Expert Group and CARLA (Central Africa Redlist Authority). He is author or co-author of 214 conservation status in the IUCN Redlist of threatened species. He is the founder and current director of Green Connexion, which is an environmental group, currently the most active in Central and West Africa, and which campaigns for the production of cleaner energy, since it provides its expertise in the protection of freshwater species threatened by the construction of hydroelectric dams, ranging from impact studies to the implementation of environmental and social management plans. Among others, Jean Paul Ghogue has supported with his team for around ten years, the efforts of the Nachtigal hydroelectric dam in Cameroon, to have zero loss in terms of biodiversity from the construction phase until the entire duration of the exploitation phase.

Prof. Djamila Halliche is a distinguished scholar in the fields of catalysis, environment, natural gas, and hydrogen, holding a DES/Magister State Doctorate. Since 1996, she has been a dedicated teacher-researcher at USTHB, where she has also served as a Research Director and University Professor. Prof. Halliche has supervised numerous doctorate, magister, and master's projects, contributing significantly to academic and scientific advancements. Her extensive publication record includes numerous national and international papers and communications. Prof. Halliche has held several prominent positions, including Director General of the National Agency for the Promotion of Research and Technological Development Results and President of the Algerian Chemical Society (SAC). She has also served as an advisor and later director at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Startups and as an expert at WIPO, with expertise in innovation, patent filing, and support. In addition to her academic and advisory roles, Prof. Halliche has been instrumental in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. She managed and created the Techinnov incubator and was responsible for valorization and entrepreneurship at USTHB University. Currently, she is the Director responsible for the valorization of research results, the promotion of innovation, and the strengthening of skills at the National Council for Scientific Research and Technology. Prof. Halliche's career is marked by her commitment to advancing scientific research, innovation, and knowledge transfer in Algeria and beyond.