Prof. Dr. Michael Dornbusch is Professor of Coatings Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein in Krefeld, Germany. With many years of experience in both academia and industry, his work focuses on sustainable corrosion protection, innovative coating technologies, and interface processes. Before joining academia, he held research and leadership positions at BASF Coatings and Dörken MKS, contributing to the development of advanced protective coating systems for the automotive and industrial sectors.

Andreas Fischer, born in 1983, studied chemistry at the TU Dortmund and the Ruhr University Bochum. In his doctorate, he deepened his focus on organic chemistry and then switched to the Institute for Wood Technology in Dresden. Here he develops bio-based binders for coatings and adhesives in the chemistry department. Other fields of research are reactive flame retardants for polyurethane-based binders.

Jitte Flapper is an experienced R&D leader at AkzoNobel, where he currently manages the Expertise Center Advanced Technologies within Coatings Technology. With more than 15 years of experience spanning industrial innovation and academic research, his work has focused on advanced materials, polymer chemistry, catalysis, and coating technologies. Prior to joining AkzoNobel, Jitte held research positions at the University of Melbourne, Eindhoven University of Technology, and the University of Amsterdam, building a strong multidisciplinary background in organic, inorganic, and supramolecular chemistry.

Ece Karaarslan is a Materials Informatics Engineer at Citrine Informatics, where she collaborates with industry teams to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to complex materials science challenges. She supports customers in leveraging the Citrine Platform to accelerate materials development, improve data quality, and build predictive models for materials performance. Ece holds a Master’s degree in Materials Science from TU Darmstadt, where her research focused on lithium-ion battery cathode materials,  using atomistic simulations to study chemomechanical behavior. Prior to her work in materials informatics, she worked in digital R&D teams in the hair care industry, contributing to data-driven product development in hair color technologies.

Jasmin Meurer is an accomplished polymer chemist who earned her promotion in polymer chemistry from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in 2013. She began her career focusing on oil recovery chemicals, where she gained valuable experience in formulating effective solutions for the oil and gas industry. Since 2018, Jasmin has been a Product Development Manager at Evonik, where she has worked across various departments, specializing in lubricant additives and specialty methacrylates. Currently, her primary focus is on the development of new sustainable methacrylates that provide performance benefits for customers. Jasmin is passionate about integrating sustainability into product design, ensuring that her innovations not only meet market needs but also contribute to environmental stewardship. Her work exemplifies a commitment to advancing sustainable chemistry, positioning Evonik as a leader in developing eco-friendly solutions.

Dr Shannon North is the Technical Manager at PALEUS. She completed her PhD in Polymers, Soft Matter and Colloids at the University of Sheffield, where her research focused on the development of novel aqueous pigment dispersants. Following her doctorate, she continued this work as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sheffield, specialising in sustainable polymer development. She later transitioned into industry as a Senior R&D Chemist at Sherwin-Williams, where she formulated coatings for paints and woodcare applications. Since joining PALEUS in January 2024, Dr North has led the R&D development programme, working closely with customers to deliver innovative solutions for the CASE industry.

Dr. Wienke Reynolds is Co-Founder and CTO of Lignopure GmbH, where she leads technological innovation, product and process development, and the implementation of sustainable production technologies. With a background in bioprocess engineering and a PhD from Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), her research focused on the modeling and scale-up of hydrothermal pretreatment processes for lignocellulosic biomass. Prior to co-founding Lignopure, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at TUHH in the field of biorefinery technologies. Dr. Reynolds brings deep expertise in sustainable materials, biorefinery processes, and technology transfer from research to industry.

M.Eng. Daniel Sandvoß is a Ph.D. student in Physical Chemistry and Coatings Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen and Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, working in collaboration with the Altana Institute. His current research focuses on sustainable polyester synthesis for coating applications. Daniel completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Coatings Engineering at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. His academic work has covered topics including dispersant additives based on phytic acid and the influence of polyacrylate structures on the flow properties of powder coatings.

Kathrin Schilling, Founder and Director of BioPowder.com is a serial entrepreneur and specialist in waste-to-value business models. After 15 years in solid biofuels manufacturing, she created a new business line of powder additives from renewable sources in 2017. This involves innovative functional fillers, texture particles, color flakes and matting agents for bio-based coating applications. Kathrin has participated in numerous R&D initiatives, e.g. at Fraunhofer IVV, U.S. Department of Agriculture, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and University of North Dakota. Here latest venture is the creation of Olea Coatings – a bio-based premium flooring system from upcycling sources.

Stuart Walker is a Sustainability Assessment specialist and Research Fellow at the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Sheffield, where he leads a growing team focused on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and related methodologies. He directs and delivers research and consultancy projects spanning bio-based materials, low-emission systems and international sustainability initiatives, while contributing to global collaborations such as UNEP. Previously, Stuart was a Senior Net Zero Consultant at the Energy Saving Trust, where he led emissions measurement and target-setting work across Scopes 1–3 and developed LCA services for clients. His expertise centres on advanced LCA, including social and economic dimensions, alongside strong experience in project leadership, stakeholder engagement and applied sustainability research.

Editor, European Coatings

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