Invited Speakers
Dr. Manfred Scriba
PhD in Experimental Physics from the University of Cape Town on the Synthesis and characterization of doped silicon nanoparticles.
He is the manager of the DST-CSIR Nanomaterial Industrial Development Program at the DST-CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre and leads a team of researchers and engineers that develop nanomaterials and nanocomposites and also support the industry to develop and scale up processes in nanomaterials. He was responsible for the development of the DST National Nanotechnology Strategy and its initial stages of implementation.
Dr. Mike Scurrell
Mike Scurrell is Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering at the University of South Africa and Emeritus Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He was previously Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Research Associate, UNISA (University of South Africa) , Applied Research Manager, Anglo American Research Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg, South Africa, Programme Manager – Catalysis, Division of Energy Technology, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa, Divisional Head – Catalysis, former National Institute of Chemical Engineering, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby (Copenhagen), Denmark. He has had visiting positions at academic institutions and research institutes in the USA and Italy and is currently a visiting professor at Cardiff University in the UK.
He gained PhD and DSc degrees from the University of Nottingham, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and Chartered Chemist, Member South African Chemical Institute 2000, Member American Chemical Society and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa in 2006.
His Research and professional interests include Catalysis and surface chemistry, engineering aspects of catalytic technologies. Synthetic fuels and processes for catalytic production and upgrading of fuels. Direct conversion of natural gas and C1 chemistry, including methanol and DME synthesis, conversion routes to hydrocarbons via methanol and DME, catalytic processing in the petroleum, chemical and energy fields, catalytic processing of biomass, physical chemistry of the solid state and solid state transformation processes, including minerals processing, application of spectroscopic methods to the characterization of the bulk and surface and catalytic properties of solids, novel technologies for the fabrication of microstructures and the processing of solids
Ms. Jacquelene Friedenthal
Jacquelene Friedenthal has a Master’s in Public Health. She commenced at the Science and Technology Counsellor at the Swiss Embassy in South Africa in 2010 where she initiated the science and technology programme between Switzerland and South Africa beyond the joint research projects. Jacquelene has 17 years’ experience in International Collaboration commencing in 2000 at the Danish Embassy in South Africa. Her focus at the Danish Embassy was the fostering of collaboration in environmental management working in South Africa and selective SADC countries. At the Danish Embassy she spear headed Danida support for renewable energy and energy efficiency in South Africa overseeing support for the Darling Windfarm and the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol. She moved on to the Department of Science and Technology in 2005 where she was responsible for science diplomacy amongst the European and Gulf States. She was responsible for the initiation of a number of science and technology agreements including the Swiss South Africa Science and Technology Agreement that was signed in 2007.
Prior to a career in international collaboration was her focus on environmental health. A highlight of her career in environmental health was her position at the City of Johannesburg where she provided strategic direction for the nearly two hundred environmental health practitioners. Jacquelene was also responsible for the conceptualisation and development of the Gauteng Environmental Health Pollution Programme, the development of the Gauteng Integrated Schools Sanitation Improvement Programme, the conceptualisation, development and implementation of a rural health and hygiene sanitation programme and the Ekurhuleni Community Environment and Health Education Programme. She also developed the environmental health content for the first geographical information system in the City of Johannesburg.
Dr. Storm Victoria Potts
Dr Storm Victoria Potts was born and raised in Durban. She completed her undergraduate and post graduate studies at the University of Stellenbosch. In 2009 Dr Potts completed her MSc studies with her dissertation entitled “Structural analysis of transition metal complexes of Imidazole-derived ligands”. She then went on to do her PhD studies in the fields of Supramolecular Chemistry and Single Crystal X-ray diffraction. During her PhD studies she was fortunate to spend a portion of her time at the University of Cambridge where she investigated the properties of organic radicals encapsulated within porous metal-organic frameworks.
Dr Potts completed her PhD studies in 2011 with the thesis entitled: “Inclusion studies of Metal Organic Hosts”. In 2012 Dr Potts joined the Analytics group within Sasol Group Technology where she specialized in nuclear and magnetic resonance techniques. She is currently working in the Environmental Group within Sasol Group Technology in the area of environmental offsets. She is also currently studying towards the completion of her MBA degree at GIBBS.
Dr. Mohammed Khenfouch
The founder-chairman of Africa Graphene Center. The director of ScieTechs Press publishing Group. The Chair of the 1st International online Conference on nanoscience and Nanotechnolog
Dr. Mohammed Khenfouch, a 35 years old nano materials scientist and professional Physicist, originally from the North African country of Morocco, holds a PhD in Graphene materials for optoelectronic applications.
His research is focusing on the synthesis of novel materials for applications in energy conversion, efficiency and storage inc. Solar cells, LEDs and Gas sensors.
Mohammed has gained some 10 years of in-depth knowledge and experience in the multi-disciplinary field of nano sciences and nanotechnology, with a specific focus on photonics, optics, optoelectronics and smart nanomaterials including Graphene materials.
Mohammed has produced around 40 peer-reviewed research papers and book chapters. Being involved in numerous international organizations, Mohammed is an active member of:
- The World academy of Science Engineering and Technology
- The American association for science and technology (AASCIT)
- NanoAfrican Network
- Unesco-Unisa Africa Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (U2ACN2)
- The Arab Scientific Community Organization (ARSCO).
In addition, Mohammed served as adjudicator for many prestigious International programs (L’Oreal-Unesco) and reviewed for many prestigious publishing groups. Moreover, he participated in the organization of many scientific events.