KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Richard. J. (Dick) Haynes | The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
Professor Haynes works in the areas of soil and environmental science. His present research interests are in the use and recycling of industrial, agricultural and municipal wastes and minimising their effects on the environment. He has extensive experience having worked as both an applied research scientist and as a university professor and has worked in New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. He has published over 170 original research papers in international journals, over 20 review papers in international volumes as well as many conference and extension papers and contract reports. He has been an invited keynote speaker at 7 international conferences and has served on the editorial board of 4 international research journals. He has acted as principal supervisor and co-supervisor of PhD, MSc and honours students in both South Africa and Australia. Professor Haynes has carried out research in commercial horticultural, pastoral, arable and forestry production as well as in small-holder semi subsistence agriculture. He has also worked on bioremediation of soils contaminated with organic pollutants, rehabilitation of mined sites, application of organic and inorganic wastes to soils and the effects of heavy metal contaminants on soil processes. His research has been mainly in the areas of applied soil chemistry and soil microbiology/biology with links to soil physical properties and to pollution of air and water. He has specialised in working on applied problems and maintains strong links with industry. Major areas of research have included the role of grazing animals in the fertility of pastoral soils, N cycling and gaseous and leaching losses from arable and pastoral systems, soil quality and soil degradation under agricultural land use, effects of soil contaminants on soil processes, rehabilitation and remediation of contaminated, degraded and mined sites and use of wastes as soil amendments.
Speech title "Production of engineered soils – a sustainable use for industrial wastes"
Abstract-Engineered soils are materials created to perform like, or develop into, topsoil. They are typically manufactured by mechanically blending organic waste materials with inorganic wastes. They represent a bulk use for industrial and municipal wastes which would otherwise accumulate in the environment. Because of the shortage and cost of fertile topsoil, manufactured soil products are increasingly being used for landscaping (public gardens, parklands, sports and recreational areas and for roadside vegetation). In addition, during rehabilitation and revegetation of wasteland, brownfield sites and mined areas topsoil manufacture can be an important strategy. Composted municipal green waste is typically the major component of engineered soils. Green waste is produced in larger amounts in most modern cities and most of this is usually composted. Small amounts (e.g. 10-30%) of mineral material (e.g. sand, rock crushing grit, subsoil) are typically added to the composted material. Other inorganic products that have been added include fly ash (a waste of coal-fired power stations), water treatment residuals (a waste product of drinking water treatment) and blast furnace slag. A major difference between natural soils and typical engineered soils is that manufactured soils are principally composed of organic materials (e.g. > 80% composted green waste) compared with natural soils which are composed of approximately 90% inorganic mineral material and 10% organic matter. The use of a greater proportion of inorganic material (i.e. 50% or greater rather than 20%) and the use of inorganic materials that have chemically reactive surfaces (that would react with and stabilize added organic matter) would result in the formation of a more “topsoil like” material. Industrial wastes that are produced in large volumes and tend to accumulate in storage areas close to their production such as blast furnace slag, steel furnace slag, fly ash, water treatment residuals and bauxite residue could all be used. Bulk uses these wastes are required. Recent research has shown a soil produced from 90% acidified bauxite residue and 10% compost is a stable product that can support excellent plant growth.
Siroux Monica | INSA Strasbourg (National Institute of Applied Sciences), France
M. Siroux is Full Professor at INSA Strasbourg (National Institute of Applied Sciences) and at Laboratoire ICube, University of Strasbourg FRANCE. Professor Siroux is Director of the Energy and Electrical Engineering Department - INSA Strasbourg and Director of a Research Chair "Innovative Walls” . M Siroux lead a group of researchers and PhD students and the main field of research are Energy efficiency in buildings. Field of research: Energy efficiency in buildings, Renewable energy Some recent publications T. PFLUG, N. NESTLE, T. KUHN, M. SIROUX, C. MAURER Modeling of facade elements with switchable U-value, Energy and Buildings, M. CUNY, J. LIN, M. SIROUX, V. MAGNENET, C. FOND Influence of coating soil types on the energy of earth-air heat exchanger, Energy and Building
Yaning Zhang | Harbin Institute of Technology, China
Dr. Yaning Zhang is a full professor at the School of Energy Science and Engineering of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in China. He ever worked as a visiting scholar (2011-2012) and postdoctoral fellow (2013) at Dalhousie University in Canada, and a postdoctor at University of Minnesota Twin Cities in the USA (2016-2018). His research interests include biomass (mainly microwave-assisted gasification and pyrolysis), thermodynamics, etc. He has published 6 books, 10 book chapters and more than 130 journal papers with a H-index of 38. He serves as an associate editor for Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, and an editorial broad member for Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, Journal of Thermal Science, Biochar, Carbon Research, etc. He also served as a Guest Editor for Journal of Cleaner Production, Renewable Energy, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, Journal of Energy Resources Technology, Thermal Science, etc.