Dr. Florian Ausfelder heads the Subdivision of Energy and Climate with a multicultural, interdisciplinary team of 25 scientists and engineers. The focus of this subdivision is on the industrial transformation of the chemical industry, the capture and use of CO2 (CCU), use of e-fuels and e-chemicals, and development of hydrogen technologies. The team uses its expertise for scenario analyses, the analysis of industrial sites and the assessment of technologies.

As the head of Project Management and Controlling, Dr. Alexis Bazzanella has more than 20 years of experience in the design, implementation and management of complex R&D projects. His professional focus is on energy and resource efficiency, industrial transformation and material use of CO2. He co-authored several sector roadmaps for the chemical industry, including the Roadmap Chemistry 2050 for VCI.

As head of the Biotechnology Subdivision, Dr. Sebastian Hiessl has been managing both industrial commissioned projects and publicly funded projects in the field of biotechnology and bioeconomy for several years. Among other things, he deals with the evaluation of technologies and processes for the biotechnological conversion of biogenic raw, residual and waste materials into market-relevant products. He and his team carry out technology analyses, sustainability assessments and market analyses, among others. Additionally, he has supported founders in all phases of the start-up process for several years.

Dr. Kathrin Rübberdt holds a doctorate in chemistry and business chemistry. As a strategy consultant at Accenture, she worked on and managed projects in the utility and chemical industries, including pricing and distribution structures and the development of new business areas. As a manager at AMR International Ltd., she was responsible for market and competition analyses in the context of commercial due diligence in a wide range of industries. At DECHEMA, she heads the Science and Industry Division.

Dr. Thomas Track is a freshwater and wastewater expert with a focus on industrial water management and water resource management. He has been firmly integrated into the (industrial) water community for more than 25 years at the national and international level through application-oriented projects, professional networks, expert committees and advisory activities.

Katja Wendler is an environmental engineer and heads the Raw Materials Subdivision. She has several years of experience in coordinating application-oriented research projects. Her research focuses on various approaches for a circular economy – in particular the recycling of plastics.