For the last 37 years, Howard has worked on process plant all over the world, from downstream petrochemicals and refining through midstream to upstream onshore and offshore, from roles as a technician to executive consultancy. As his seniority increased, he became increasingly involved in technical readiness and technical due diligence assessments, informing corporate acquisitions and recently guiding start ups using new energy technology applications. Howard is known for his book 'Simplicity from Complexity' and his ability to provide clarity where others struggle.

Associate Professor Jianfeng Mao is an ARC Future Fellow, Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher and the Discipline Lead in Materials Engineering at the School of Chemical Engineering, the University of Adelaide. His current research interests are in developing advanced electrolytes and materials for next-generation batteries, as well as the green battery recycling methods for promoting the sustainability of battery supply chain. He has published over 130 papers (70+ as the first or corresponding author) in the leading discipline journals, such as J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem., Adv. Mater., Energy Environ. Sci., Nat. Commun., Sci. Adv., and so on.

R.M.N. Sulochani (MPhil., BSc.) is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at RMIT University, Australia. As she identifies waste as a valuable resource, she is currently working in the field of waste-to-value-added materials development. With a passion for transforming waste into value-added materials and a circular economy, she has authored and co-authored several research papers, book chapters, and international conference proceedings in waste management and waste-derived composite materials.

Dr. Kali Sanjay, Chief Scientist and Head of the Hydro, Bio & Electrometallurgy Department at CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneswar, has over 30 years of experience in extractive metallurgy. He specializes in recovering critical and non-ferrous metals from low-grade ores, industrial wastes, and secondary resources. His notable work includes sustainable technologies for extracting valuable materials from red mud, fly ash, and spent catalysts. Dr. Sanjay has successfully commercialized nickel and cobalt recovery processes in India. He leads India’s deep-sea mineral metallurgy program and collaborates internationally, including CSIRO and the University of South Australia. He also teaches at AcSIR as a Professor.

Dr. Abdul Rauf Sheik is a Principal Scientist at CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar, specializing in hydrometallurgical process development and upscaling. He has played a vital role in preparing basic engineering process packages and techno-economic feasibility reports for metal recovery technologies. He handles large-scale projects with significant funding, leading initiatives such as the recovery of tellurium and selenium from copper anode slimes and process improvement for chromite overburden while managing sub-teams. As Co-leader for deep sea minerals metallurgy, he is also developing advanced facilities for solvent extraction and molten salt electrolysis to support India's critical minerals value-chain.

Dr. M.G. Sujana is Chief Scientist at the Environment and Sustainability Department of CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar, India. Her research focuses on water and wastewater treatment, with notable contributions to environmental materials. Using synthetic and geo-materials, she has extensively studied fluoride and arsenic removal from potable water. Dr. Sujana has also contributed to developing nanomaterials for optical and energy applications. Her core interests include treating and reusing industrial effluents, valorising industrial residues, and promoting a circular economy through sustainable material utilization and waste-to-resource innovations.