Michael Greenhalgh joined Edinburgh Napier University as Vice Principal International in August 2019, and is currently interim Dean of the School of Computing and the School of Engineering and Built Environment.
Michael has over 25 years’ experience of achieving business goals in challenging and varied environments; from Higher Education Institutions, to private companies and FTSE 100 plc’s. His record of achievement is based upon strategic planning, creative thinking, managed implementation, effective leadership and is supported by strong commercial acumen.
Michael has operated within the Education Sector for a number of years, providing a strategic and commercial approach to student recruitment and marketing. Prior to joining Edinburgh Napier University, Michael worked in various roles at the University of Manchester, the University of Hertfordshire, Robert Gordon University, University of the Arts in London, and the University of Bradford.
Professor Tariq Muneer BEng (Hons) MSc, PhD, CEng, FCIBSE, Millennium Fellow
Professor Muneer is a senior ‘Energy Engineering’ academic in Scotland. He was instrumental in setting up the Masters and Doctoral research and study programmes at Edinburgh Napier University. He also led the installation of charging stations for EVs at Napier and has extensively researched the performance of EVs. He is the author of Elsevier’s monograph ‘Electric Vehicles’ that was published in 2017.
Dr Stathis Tingas is a Lecturer in Mathematics at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU). He received his PhD and MSc from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece, in 2016 and 2012, respectively, and his BSc from the Hellenic Air Force Academy, in 2005. He worked as an aircraft engineer with specialty in jet engines at the Hellenic Air Force, from 2005 to 2016. In 2016, he joined KAUST’s Clean Combustion Research Center, in Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a postdoctoral research associate. In 2019, he became Lecturer in Engineering and Aviation at the University of the Highlands and Islands (Perth College) and Programme Leader for the Aircraft Engineering. Dr Stathis Tingas’s research focuses on the areas of high-fidelity simulation of turbulent reacting flows (with an emphasis on hydrogen, biofuels and alternative fuels) and the mechanistic analysis of multiscale systems in the fields of reacting flows, chemical kinetics, biology and population dynamics. Through his work, he aims to investigate problems related both to fundamental aspects and practical applications.
Dr Viviani Onishi is a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the School of Engineering & the Built Environment of Edinburgh Napier University. She has a strong publication record, which includes numerous peer-reviewed articles on top-tier journals of her field. She is a Topic Editor for the journal Processes, has led different special issues as Guest Editor for the journals Sustainability and Processes, and serves as an Ad-Hoc Reviewer for over 30 international renowned journals. She has also been involved in several high-profile projects, including a major H2020 project.
Professor Radwan A Almasri graduated from Mechanical Engineering college, Aleppo University, Syria in 1982. Between 1983-1988, he completed his Ph.D. at the Thermodynamics Department, College of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University – Chemnitz, Germany. Also, he completed Habilitation from the same Department in 2019. He worked as a professor at the Albaath university, Syrian 1997 -2011, and is working as a Professor at Qassim University from 2012 until the present. His research interest includes energy efficiency and solar energy applications.
Professor Koji Matsubara, Niigata University (Japan)
Koji Matsubara have studied convective heat transfer problems including radiation-convection-conduction interactive transport in porous material as a professor of Niigata University, Japan after graduation from Kyoto University. He developed and analyzed a high-temperature solar volumetric receiver irradiated by concentrated light. His invention covers application of a solar receiver to a solar concentrating reactor for returning carbon dioxide into fuel using thermochemical splitting. He contributes for international exchange through coordination of 11th SOLARIS held in Tokyo, September, 2021 as a conference chair.
Professor Matteo Chiesa
Mechanical Engineering
As a material scientist working on creating and implementing technologies necessary to adapt the current energy system into a more sustainable, competitive and secure one, I design and investigate engineered nanomaterials for solar energy conversion and storage systems. Currently I focus my research on tackling specific challenges related to the deployment of renewable energy under arctic conditions through a synthetic and symbiotic approach. I cultivate interdisciplinarity and combine technologies to create optimal solutions while ensuring their harmonious integration in a societal context to achieve sustainable living and the wellbeing of people. This approach has characterized my research at Masdar Institute (now KU) where, since 2007 I have systematically tackled several of the major challenges related to solar energy implementation in desert environment. The outcome of my research has been pivotal in the realization of photovoltaics projects promising electricity at record-low prices with PPA (power purchase agreement) bids reaching as low as 1.35c/kWh. In terms of scholar contribution I have built a dynamic team that is recognized by my community for consistently attempting to enhance the capability of the AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) in characterizing not only morphological variations in the surface, but also identifying chemistry and even distinguishing material phases that are not straightforwardly identified by traditional techniques.
Dr Parimita Mohanty, Programme Manager, Renewable Energy, Asia Pacific Office, UNEP
Dr Parimita Mohanty works for the UN Environment Programme as their Programme Management Officer, Renewable Energy in the UNEP Office for Asia and the Pacific. She has more than 18 years of experience in sustainable energy, women’s economic empowerment and climate change and has worked on evidence-driven, gender inclusive policies and strategies, technology transfer and climate action plans in more than 15 countries. She has worked extensively in project design, development, on the ground implementation and management, particularly in renewable energy for both urban and rural sectors. She also has experience on formulation of various policies and regulations related to sustainable and renewable energy in south and south east Asia as well as market development and industry collaborations. Prior to joining UNEP, Parimita worked with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in India where she led the technology unit of the Lighting a Billion Lives campaign and advanced renewable energy and smart micro grid initiatives for the socio-economic benefit of communities. She led the implementation of first of its kind smart mini-grid project in India. She received the National Association of Software and Service Companies social innovation award in 2010 She has been a visiting researcher at universities in the US and Europe and authored or edited 7 books and more than 25 peer reviewed publications on renewable energy, climate change and sustainable development. She holds a M.Tech degree in Energy Science and Technology and a PhD on Micro-Grids and smart grids from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. Aside from her work on climate change, she is also a national-level cricket player from India.
Nigel Holmes, Chief Executive of the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA)
Scotland is one of the leading locations in Europe for deployment of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell into developing low carbon energy systems. Highlights include the expanding hydrogen bus fleet in Aberdeen and the Acorn project at St Fergus, hydrogen vehicles in Fife and plans for a 100% hydrogen demonstration network, and innovative projects in the Western Isles. The Orkney Islands are widely seen as exemplar clean energy islands, and are host to an increasing portfolio of hydrogen projects including the FCH-JU supported BIGHIT, the H2020 supported HySeas III development of the world’s first ocean-going roll-on-roll-off hydrogen ferry, Surf ‘n’ Turf, HyDime, ITEG, ReFLEX, as well as the iconic HyFlyer and HySpirits projects.
The rapid growth of offshore wind in the North Sea together with the increasing demand for low carbon energy presents a very significant opportunity. Scotland has the potential to become a key supplier of low carbon hydrogen for decarbonisation of heat, transport, power, and industry around the North Sea.
Dr Johannes Schmidt is Associate Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Economic Development at BOKU University in Vienna. He is mainly interested in understanding likely and desirable future spatial allocations of renewable energies, integrating bio-physical, technical, economic, and environmental dimensions into his modeling studies. During his Post-Doc years, Johannes visited the Netherlands, Sweden, and Brazil for longer research stays. Brazil and Europe continue to be his main regions of interest. In 2017, he won an ERC Starting Grant for the project “reFuel” which assesses the implications of trade streams in renewable, synthetic fuels.
Diletta Zeni, Advisor – Energy & Climate Change, WindEurope
WindEurope is the voice of the European wind industry. With more than 400 members, it represents the entire value chain of wind power, including turbine manufacturers, power utilities, project developers, financial institutions and research institutes. WindEurope actively promotes wind energy, engaging in discussions with Governments and European institutions on policy and regulation that affect wind power and its integration in the energy system.
Diletta started as Public Affairs Advisor in WindEurope in May 2017. Previous work experiences include Project Management dealing with EU-funded research projects in WindEurope and the European Commission. Diletta holds a MA in European Law and one in Environmental Sciences and Management.