Aleksandra Petrovič is a researcher and currently the substitute leader of a research programme P2-0421 (Sustainable technologies and the circular economy) at FKKT UM. She received her PhD in 2016 in the field of Chemical Engineering. Her research work includes research in the field of biochemical and thermo-chemical treatment of biomass and waste, the acquisition of value-added products from biomass, recovery of nutrients and other components from biomass or waste, biological water treatment and removal of pollutants from waters by different adsorbents. She gained international research experiences during her 3-month visit of the Technical University of Graz in Austria. She also obtained 2-year work experiences in the industrial sector (Vitiva and Ikema companies) and on many research projects (FKKT UM).

She was leader of the 3-year research project “Processing and use of sewage sludge for the production of secondary raw materials”, which was held in cooperation with the IKEMA d.o.o. company. As a researcher she worked on various bilateral projects (SLO-CRO project INTEGRES, SLO-CRO project BIOVARES, SLO–CZE project CIRCULAR PLASTICS). She was/is member of the research team of the research programmes Heterogeneous processes on solid surfaces for sustainable technologies (2019-2021) and Sustainable technologies and Circular Economy (2022 – current). Aleksandra is author and co-author of 16 original peer reviewed scientific articles (and 3 more are in the process of publication), including the number of scientific papers presented at the conferences (27). She co-supervised 9 bachelor’s theses (5 completed, 4 in progress) and 2 master’s theses. She is reviewer for several scientific journals (Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, Water Research, Journal of Cleaner Production, etc.).

She will be responsible for the management of the project at Slovenian side and for the coordination between all project partners (WP5). She will perform experimental studies on pre-treatment and thermo-chemical treatment processes and advanced use of obtained value-added products (WP2 and WP3) .

Assoc. Prof. Ph.D. Lidija Čuček is an associate professor at FKKT UM. She is a leader of a research programme at UM (P2-0421) and she was working on various projects as a leader or one of the main persons (Complementary scheme of ERC, FP7 project EFENIS, SCOPES project (Swiss NSF), project sponsored by NRF South Africa, several applied research projects and other). She was visiting professor at De La Salle University, Philippines (2019) and at University of Cape Town, South Africa (2017). She has obtained valuable experiences from various universities and institutes in the EU, South Africa, and the Philippines. Lidija supervised or co-supervised around 50 bachelors, master and PhD degree students and postdocs at University of Maribor, University of Cape Town and University of Zagreb. Her research field is footprint reduction, sustainable resource use, circular economy, waste minimization, sustainability metric development, and development of generic models, algorithms and concepts for various applications. Lidija is a co-author of 112 original peer-reviewed scientific and academic articles which have attracted almost 3500 citations. Several of her articles were among most cited or most frequently downloaded articles including papers ranked on Top25 Hottest articles. She is ranked on the list of TOP2% of researchers according to Stanford University and Elsevier (September, 2022) and in 2022 she received the Zois recognition for important achievements in the field of Process Systems Engineering, awarded by the Slovenian government. She received numerous other recognitions, such as Recognition of UM for scientific research, artistic and educational work in 2020, Danubius Young Scientist Award 2017 for Slovenia, Excellent in Science 2016 for Technical sciences and other. In the project she will be responsible for LCA analysis and process modelling (WP1 and WP4).

Prof. Ph.D. Mojca Škerget from FKKT UM has demonstrated extensive knowledge and experience in the field of the design and optimization of separation processes and hydrothermal processes for the decomposition of organic waste into useful products. Within the Strategic Development Innovation Partnership – “SRIP Networks for Transition to the Circular Economy”, established within Slovenian Smart Specialization Strategy S4, she is a head of the pillar Functional Materials; she has collaborated & coordinated several projects (EU projects, bilateral projects, Slovenian Research Agency projects, projects for the industry). She is currently leading an industrial project on the decomposition of plastic and lignocellulosic waste. In 2012 she was awarded with the Zois Certificate of Recognition of the Republic of Slovenia for significant achievements in chemical engineering and in 2013 she got the Award of the University of Maribor for extraordinary achievements in scientific research. In 2017, she received recognition for ranking among the 1% of the most cited authors in her field (Highly Cited Researcher 2017 (WoS, Clarivate Analytics). She published more than 120 original scientific papers in journals with high impact factors (JCR), h-index WoS/Scopus: 33. In the project she will focused on hydrothermal treatment and supercritical extraction of value-added components from organic residues of VOI (WP2).

Damjan Krajnc (Ph.D.) holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Maribor. He is an experienced researcher with a proven track record in sustainability indicators and metrics, Life Cycle Assessment, eco-design, sustainable process design and environmental management. He has published several scientific and applied papers and chapters in books. He has transferred scientific research activities into industrial practice through several projects, primarily international. These include integration, innovation, development and marketing of environmentally friendly products and processes and sustainable sugar industry. He was the coordinator of the ECO-HUB project in cross-border cooperation between the countries Slovenia and Hungary. He has participated in two British Council “Partnership in Science” projects. For his research work, he received the Krka Award for Excellence in Research, 2006. He is the recipient of financial support from the World Federation of Scientists, 2004. In the proposed project application, he will be responsible for data collection, life cycle assessment (LCA analysis) and assessment of environmental impact of thermo-chemical and biochemical treatment technologies (WP1 and WP4).

Sanja Potrč received her PhD from the University of Maribor in 2023. She is currently a researcher in the Laboratory for Process Systems Engineering and Sustainable Development at UM FKKT. Her main research interests include synthesis and optimization of sustainable supply networks, integration of renewable energy and alternative sources, sustainable process design and environmental management. She received the Henkel Maribor Fund Award for her PhD thesis, the Dean’s Award for the best bachelor thesis, the 3rd Best Paper Award at the 4th SEE SDEWES Conference and the 2nd Best Presenter Award at the 4th Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory Scientific Conference: Energy, Water, Emission & Waste in Industry and Cities. She has published several scientific papers and presented her research at several national and international conferences. In the proposed project, she will be responsible for optimizing the management of residues from the vegetable oil industry, focusing on the concept of biorefinery and industrial symbiosis (WP1).

Maja Čolnik (Ph.D.) from FKKT UM received her PhD in 2021. Her research interests include decomposition of organic and plastic waste into useful products using sub- and supercritical technologies, including hydrothermal treatment. She received two awards for her PhD thesis: the Henkel Maribor Fund Award and the award for The best PhD thesis in the field of sustainable chemistry – Expert Committee of the Slovenian Chemical Society. She has published about 70 scientific and conference papers in the fields of chemical recycling of plastic waste, hydrolysis of biomass, removal of heavy metals from wastewater, extraction of proteins and enzymes from fungi and other. In the project she will be responsible for experiments on extraction of value-added components by hydrothermal treatment and supercritical extraction (WP2).

Dr. Bojan Pahor is an experienced Senior Project Coordinator and Head of Research Department at Saubermacher Slovenia with many years of experience in cooperation and management of national and international projects related to environmental protection. In the past he was head of research at Perutnina Ptuj and ZRS Bistra Ptuj where he lead and worked on numerous research and applied projects. He designed waste treatment, biogas and rendering plants. At the Faculty of Polymer Technology he is lecturing the subject Waste recycling. At Saubermacher he is responsible for the preparation of new projects on waste recycling. He holds a PhD degree from FKKT UM, where he focused on process synthesis, design, and optimization.

Prof. Marina Tišma, PhD is a full professor at Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, University of Osijek. She received her PhD in 2010 from the Faculty of Food and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, in the field of biotechnology. In 2011, she completed pedagogical-psychological and didactic-methodological training at the Faculty of Education, University of Osijek, and in 2021, the Executive Programme Circular Economy & Sustainability Strategies at the University of Cambridge in the UK. She is an expert in the field of development of sustainable biofuel production processes and high-value products from lignocellulosic biomass.

Prof. Kristina Mastanjević, PhD. is an associate professor at the Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, University of Osijek. She received her PhD in Biotechnology from the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology at the University of Zagreb in 2015. In 2015, she completed pedagogical-psychological and didactic-methodological training at the Faculty of Education, University of Osijek. She is an expert in malting and brewing, analysis of food contaminants and new technical solutions in grain analysis.

Dr. Jelena Parlov Vuković a research associate at the NMR Centre, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb. She received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Zagreb in 2011. From 1998 to 2022 she worked in the oil company INA d.d., where she was Head of the Laboratory for Water, Hydrocarbons and Materials Testing (2016-2019), Laboratory Senior Expert and Team Leader for NMR Spectroscopy (2004-2022) and Team Leader of the Spectroscopy Group in the Central Testing Laboratory (2019-2022). She is an expert in the analysis of complex mixtures such as crude oil samples, asphaltenes, polymers, pyrolytic oils, biomass, animal fats and biofuels by NMR, AAS and IR/UV spectroscopy, corrosion and anticorrosion testing.

Prof. Mohammad Taherzadeh, PhD, is a full professor at the Swedish Centre for Resource Recovery, University of Borås, Sweden. He received his PhD in Biosciences from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. He is an expert in the development of processes for converting waste and residues into energy and value-added products with a focus on pre-treatment and fermentation using filamentous fungi and bacteria. Many of his results have also been used industrially by companies. He has been a mentor in founding and/or managing several chemical engineering and biotechnology companies in Sweden, Iran, India and Indonesia (Isfahan Copolymer, Sepahan Biorefinery, Faratech, Valenlime AB, Scandir Chemicals AB, FOV Biogas, Mycorena, Millow, Waste Recovery, …). He collaborates with several other companies in Sweden and abroad, e.g. Lantmännen Energi, Agroetanol, Borås Energi & Miljö, FOV Fabrics, Scandir Chemicals, Cewatech, Lyckeby Starch, Stora Enso Nymölla Mill, Pro-con, etc. within ethanol, biogas, animal feed, food and biopolymers from waste and residues.

Dora Bjedov, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek. She received her doctorate in 2023 at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb in the field of natural sciences – biology. The main areas of research are ecotoxicology, biomonitoring, physiology, xenobiotic metabolism and risk assessment. She completed scientific training at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim (Norway, 2019), Aarhus University (Denmark 2019, 2020) and the University of Lisbon (Portugal, 2024). In 2021, she completed the Pedagogical, Psychological, Didactic and Methodological Training program at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek.