Plenary Speakers_Basel 2025

Fabio Fava

Fabio Fava is Full Professor of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology at the School of Engineering of the University of Bologna since 2005, has over than 210 international peer-reviewed publications in the fields of Bioeconomy, in which he coordinated 2 european FP7 collaborative projects and other national projects. He is the Italian Representative in various panels of the European Commission (Brussels), among others, the “Strategic Committee” and the Cluster 6 Programming Committee of Horizon Europe, the “European Bioeconomy Policy Forum” and the “States Representatives Group” of the Public Private Partnership “Circular BioBased Europe” (CBE JU). He is also the Italian Representative in the Working Party on Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Converging Technologies of the OECD (Paris).

Maria Reis

Maria Reis is a Full Professor in Environmental Biotechnology at FCT-UNL. Main research interests have been in the area of Environmental/Industrial BioEngineering, with special focus on the development of sustainable bioprocesses for the removal of pollutants from water and wastewater streams and for the exploitation of industrial wastes for the production of biopolymers and bulk chemicals, in the scope of circular economy. She created and is the head of the research group BIOENG at FCT-UNL comprising 42 members ( http://sites.fct.unl.pt/bioeng/people/maria-m-reis). Within this research area, published more than 300 papers in scientific journals with peer review. H index 69. She is the co-author of 18 Book Chapters. Presented more than 200 oral presentations in international conferences. Is co-author of 4 National patents and 6 International patents and she has coordinated (as team leader) 28 international projects (20 in the last 10 years) and participated as a team member/coordinator in 34 national research projects. Eight projects were co-funded by industrial companies. Co-supervised 30 PhD students and is currently co-supervisor of 10 PhD students. Co-supervised 15 PostDoc and is currently co-supervisor of 9 PostDoc/Researchers. Her scientific contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the prestigious Solvay & Hovione Ideas Challenge SHIC’08 Prize-Solvay prize in 2008. She was nominated and elected to the Portuguese Academy of Engineering in 2009 and elected as IWA Fellow in September 2010. Maria Reis also serves as an Editor of Water Research (Elsevier).

David Robert Newman

David Robert Newman is a distinguished leader in sustainability and environmental advocacy. With a First Class B.A. Honours in Modern History and Economics from Manchester University, David has built a dynamic career spanning over four decades. Currently, he serves as the Founder and Chairman of the European Bioeconomy Bureau (EBB) in Brussels, where he drives policy innovation to advance the circular bioeconomy. He is also a partner in two CBE JU funded projects, BRILIAN (www.brilian.eu) and PROSPER (www.prosperbioplastics.eu) responsible for policy development, communications and dissemination. David was the Founder and Managing Director of the Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) from 2015 until 2022. As MD of BBIA, he was responsible for the Stakeholder Platform of the Res Urbis project (www.resurbis.eu), financed by European Union Horizon 2020 program, and led communications and stakeholder platform for the Usable Packaging Project (www.usable-packaging.eu), financed by the European Union BBI JU. From November 2016 until July 2021, David served as President of the World Biogas Association, where he promoted biogas solutions, advocated for renewable energy, and supported the sustainable treatment of biodegradable waste globally. Since 2014, he has worked as a Waste Management Advisor for various companies and entities through his own company, Jordanglia Ltd. In September 2020, David published his first book “Everything is Connected: understanding a complicated world” in which he draws on 30 years of environmental activist experience to explain, in simple language, why humanity is destroying our environment and what we must now do to stop the ecological breakdown. Through his company and numerous leadership roles, David has demonstrated unparalleled expertise in project management, policy advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, leaving an enduring impact on the global drive for a sustainable future.