Professor of Electrobiochemistry 
University of Greifswald, Germany 

Prof Uwe Schröder is a leading professor of biochemistry and electrobiochemistry. He explores microbial electrochemical technologies, green chemistry, and microbial fuel cells. His work focuses on turning waste streams into useful resources through bioelectrochemical systems that can support cleaner water, materials, and energy cycles. 

Uwe has contributed fundamental insights into extracellular electron transfer and the design of bioelectrochemical reactors, helping bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and real-world application. He has played a central role in shaping the field through his interdisciplinary collaboration and previous roles such as executive director of the Institute of Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry, at the Technical University of Braunschweig. He is Field Chief Editor for Frontiers in Energy Research. 

Co-Head of Department and Professor for Electrobiotechnology
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ, Germany and Leipzig University 

Prof Falk Harnisch is an expert on microbial bioelectrocatalysis and bioelectrotechnology. His research focuses on developing bioelectrotechnological processes that combine microbiology and electrochemistry to transform wastewater and other side streams into energy, chemicals, and sustainable fuels. He has made significant contributions to understanding extracellular electron transfer and advancing microbial electrochemical technologies (METs), supporting the transition from fundamental science to scalable environmental solutions. 

Falk has helped shape the field of bioelectrochemical systems, driving innovation at the interface of microbiology, electrochemistry, and engineering, and launched the first book on bioelectrosynthesis. He is a fellow and past president of the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology.

Lecturer in Environmental Engineering and Director of Research, School of Engineering
Newcastle University, UK

Dr Elizabeth Heidrich is a leading researcher in microbial electrochemistry, developing bioelectrochemical systems that enable the direct conversion of organic matter into electrical current—and vice versa. Her work focuses on wastewater treatment, with the overarching goal of transforming the sector from a major energy consumer into a platform for resource recovery. She has led international efforts to advance these technologies from laboratory research to pilot-scale deployment under real-world conditions.

Her METzero project, which aims to support the water sector’s transition to net-zero using microbial electrochemical technologies, has secured a £1.2M Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council award. Building on this work, she has co-founded a university spin-out company to commercialize these systems, attracting support from Innovate UK and the Ofwat Innovation Fund in collaboration with leading UK water companies. Her research is driven by the ambition to better understand and ultimately harness microbial communities for sustainable engineering applications.

Senior Scientist and Project Manager 
Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Belgium 

Dr Deepak Pant’s research focuses on advancing sustainable bioelectrochemical systems for resource recovery and carbon utilization. His work centers on electrosynthesis and the development of innovative electrochemical systems for CO₂ conversion and microbial processes. He has played a key role in over 25 international projects, including major European initiatives under FP7, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe.  

Together with his team, Deepak has developed and upscaled the production of gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs), enabling more efficient microbial fuel cells and CO₂ electroreduction technologies for circular, low-carbon energy systems. Deepak is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Biotech Research Society, and the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology as well as editor of Bioresource Technology Reports and the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 

Center Director and Professor, Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology 
Arizona State University, USA 

Prof Bruce Rittmann is Regents’ Professor of Environmental Engineering at Arizona State University. A pioneer in environmental biotechnology, his research focuses on the science and engineering of managing microbial communities to deliver critical services to society, including renewable energy generation, water and soil remediation, and improvements in human health. 

Author of over 850 publications, Bruce co-authored the foundational textbook Environmental Biotechnology: Principles and Applications and holds 21 patents. His achievements have been recognized with major honors, including the Stockholm Water Prize, the Clarke Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Water Science and Technology, and the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors Founders Award. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences.