Agenda

ASME

2024 ASME Dedicated Service Award

Dr. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder of Convergent Science, an industry-leading computational fluid dynamics software company. He is a visiting professor at the University of Oxford, an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a co-founder and director of the Computational Chemistry Consortium (C3). Dr. Senecal is a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the Combustion Institute (CI).

He is currently Chair of the executive committee of the ASME ICE Division. Recent accolades include the 2019 ASME ICE Award, the 2023 SAE John Johnson Diesel Engine Research Medal, and the 2024 ASME Dedicated Service Award.

Dr. Senecal has long been an advocate of creating cleaner propulsion systems, with a particular focus on using CFD and HPC to enable faster design. Starting with his TEDx talk in late 2016, he has promoted a diverse mix of transportation technologies through invited talks, articles, and social media. Dr. Senecal is co-author of the book Racing Toward Zero: The Untold Story of Driving Green, winner of the 2022 Independent Press Award for Environment.

AECC

Senior Technical and Scientific Manager 

Joachim Demuynck is the Senior Technical and Scientific Manager of the Association for Emissions Control by Catalyst (AECC). He started working at AECC as a Scientific Officer in October 2015.

Prior to joining AECC, he worked as a powertrain engineer at the R&D centre of Toyota Motor Europe (2013-2015). Joachim holds a Master of Science (2008) and a Ph.D. (2012) in Mechanical Engineering from Ghent University.

Team Leader

Department of Emissions Research

Mechanical engineering studies at Graz University of Technology, specialising in engine and drive technology, graduated in 2015

Doctoral studies at TU Graz, title of dissertation: Emission Models for Heavy Duty Vehicles, completed in 2020
Research assistant at the Institute of Internal Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics (IVT) in the Department of Emissions Research at Graz University of Technology, 2015 – 2016

 Forschungsgesellschaft für Verbrennungskraftmaschinen und Thermodynamik mbH, spin-off company and cooperation partner of the Institute of Thermodynamics and Sustainable Propulsion Systems (ITnA, formerly IVT) at Graz University of Technology

Research associate in the Department of Emissions Research, 2016 – 2020

Team leader for measurement and simulation of heavy duty vehicles and NRMM in the Department of Emissions Research since 2020

• Technical advisor to the EU Commission on Euro 7 in the CLOVE consortium
• Project manager for the road transport emission factors manual
• Project manager in many duty vehicle and non-road mobile machinery projects
• Supervisor of many bachelor and master theses

Senior Product Manager

HCV/NRMM at NGK Europe GmbH

Reza Torbati is currently working as a senior product manager for HCV/NRMM at NGK Europe GmbH, managing technology activities and providing technical support and solutions to key customers within the European region. Having obtained his PhD in chemistry with focus on heterogeneous catalysis from University of Manchester, he has worked over 20 years in automotive emission control system technologies within various multinational industries.

His main activities ranged from product development (R&D) and commercialisation of automotive catalysts for exhaust after-treatment systems at Johnson Matthey to development activities, from concept design to validation and industrialisation of after-treatment systems at Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT) Industrial.

Catalyst research team

Dinex

Thomas Wolff studied physics and received his PhD in polymer physics from the University of Marburg in Germany. In 1996 he started his career at helsa-automotive with the development of cabin air filters for passenger cars. In that function he developed activated carbon-based honeycomb filters to reduce emissions from gasoline vehicle tank ventilation systems.

From 2005 – 2008 he used this technology to develop a porous silicon-carbon honeycomb by a melt infiltration process.

In 2006 he took over the responsibility for the R&D at helsa-automotive and in the following years this silicon-carbon product was developed into a new high porous SiC filter substrate.

From 2008 to 2011, he worked with Notox and in 2011, he joined Dinex.

When Dinex took over Ecocat in Finland in 2013, he took over the responsibility for the catalyst research team.
Since 2015, he is responsible for research and development of catalysts and substrates for the entire Dinex Group. 

Chief Strategy Officer

eFuel alliance

Dr. Tobias Block is an industrial engineer and Chief Strategy Officer at the eFuel alliance. He is an all-rounder when it comes to technical, economic and political challenges at the interface between renewable energies and the automotive industry.

After studying energy and environmental management at the University of Flensburg he obtained his doctorate on eFuels business models at the University of St. Gallen. Following his studies, he worked for more than five years in the technical development department of AUDI AG. As the success of synthetic fuels depends more on the political framework conditions than on technical solutions, he joined the German Association of the Automotive Industry (Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V.) in the summer of 2018 and coordinated the political activities related to renewable fuels for more than two years – initially in Berlin and later from Brussels.

Director

OEM Sales Proventia OY

Dr. Toni Kinnunen serves as Sales Director at Proventia. He is charge of key OEM accounts and business development activities. Additionally, his role is to act as a senior expert on the field of emission aftertreatment.

Dr. Kinnunen has over 20 years of experience in the development of emission control technologies and tailoring customer applications on various roles and responsibilities in R&D and sales. Prior joining Proventia Dr Kinnunen held various positions at Ecocat and Dinex.

Toni received a doctoral degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Joensuu, Finland in 2002. Dr. Kinnunen has been an author for about 40 refereed scientific articles and has given tens of conference presentations in the field of emission purification and catalysis during the latest years.

Associate Professor

University of Oxford

Felix Leach is an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford. He researches emissions and efficiency in thermal propulsion systems, sustainable fuels, and air quality. He also aims to influence policy towards rapid decarbonisation of the transport sector. He has published widely on these topics. Felix is the author of the award-winning SAE book “Racing Toward Zero” about decarbonising transportation rapidly. 

CEO

ZeBeyond

“CEO Wiktor Dotter has a corporate development background from OEMs and tier 1 & 2 automotive suppliers. With a proven track record, he has guided boards of directors in both public and private companies, facilitating critical decision-making processes.

Wiktor's intercultural and generalist background equips him to communicate effectively across diverse disciplines. Like ePOP, he possesses a comprehensive system understanding spanning multiple fields rather than specialising deeply in one area. This breadth enables him, much like ePOP, to unify data and people, fostering fact-based decision-making—particularly vital in the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainable transport, where accurate information is crucial for managing uncertainty effectively.”

Head of R&D

Products and Application at Neste

Dr. Teemu Sarjovaara works as Head of R&D, Products and Application at Neste. He has more than 15 years’ R&D leadership experience – both in
industry and academia.

His organisation is responsible for the development of Neste’s fuel and chemical products. His own technological expertise is related to engine combustion and emission formation with various fuels. Lately he has been actively working also on regulatory and business landscape related topics.

Managing Director

APT Strategic Consulting Ltd

Managing Director of APT Strategic Consulting Limited, a strategy and technology consultancy specialising in the off road and heavy duty sector.

Group Director of Powertrain at J C Bamford Excavators Ltd (now retired).

Earlier career included various powertrain product roles with Ford Motor Co; Fiat Group companies; The European Engine Alliance and Perkins Engines Co.

Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in physics from the University of Oxford, and is a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Head of Business Strategy

Flannery Plant Hire

Chris stands at the forefront of the UK's plant industry, steering one of the nation's largest plant providers into a future driven by innovation and sustainability. With a profound commitment to advancing alternative fuels and digital technologies, Chris has propelled the company to the forefront of the industry's evolution.

As a speaker at the Emission Analytics 'Off Highway' Future Fuels Conference, Chris brings invaluable insights gained from years of hands-on experience and visionary leadership. His expertise lies in seamlessly integrating alternative fuels into plant hire operations while leveraging cutting-edge digital solutions for enhanced efficiency and performance.

Under Chris's guidance, the company has spearheaded the deployment of alternatively fuelled plant machinery, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future. His forward-thinking approach has not only reduced environmental impact but also positioned his company as a trailblazer in the transition towards cleaner energy solutions whilst building market share and strong returns on investment.

With a proven track record of innovation and a passion for driving positive change, Chris Matthew embodies the spirit of progress in the plant industry. His vision and expertise are invaluable assets in shaping the future of off-highway machinery and sustainable fuel technologies.