Professor Hywel Thomas CBE, FRS, FREng
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Principal Investigator
Project Coordinator
Dr. Sivachidambaram Sadasivam
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Project Coordinator-Contact
Siva is a Research Fellow at Cardiff University. Siva is a visionary multidisciplinary researcher who adeptly tackles complex energy and environmental challenges by harnessing the power of chemical sciences and engineering principles with 10 years of post-PhD research experience. Siva is a chemical and environmental engineer. His doctoral research work is focused on the physico-chemical characterisation of mineral materials for engineered barriers to retain nuclear wastes in deep geological repositories. After completing the PhD, he joined the Geoenvironmental Research Centre (GRC), Cardiff University in April 2013 as a member of the SEREN project to study the environmental and experimental aspects of the unconventional energy extraction methods and continued the work as part of the FLEXIS project under Unconventional Gas work package. He is experienced in conducting laboratory scale experiments, field-scale demonstration and exploration studies and passionate to conduct field scale experiments to understand the UCG, CBM operations and geologic disposal of CO2.
Dr Shakil Al Masum CSci FGS
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Project Coordinator
Work Package Lead: WP1, WP3, WP4, WP6
Shakil is a research fellow in School of Engineering, Cardiff Univrsity, Wales, UK. He leads the subsurface geomicrobial research activities of FLEXIS (Flexible integrated energy system) project and responsible for coordination, management, and delivery of the ROCCS project. He was a Ser Cymru fellow of National Research Network for Low Carbon Energy and Environment (NRN-LCEE) via the Geo-Carb-Cymru cluster, and a postdoctorate fellow of Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) funded Long-lived Radionuclides in the Surface Environment (Lo-RISE) project. His primary research interests involve coupled subsurface flow, deformation, and reaction processes, geomicrobial and bio-/geochemical processes. He has extensive experience in numerical modelling of near-field processes of high level nuclear waste repositories, plant-soil-mycorrhizal fugal interactions, carbon sequestration in coal and saline aquifers.
Shakil has been elected as a Fellow of the Geological Society London in 2020. He has been validated as a Chartered Scientist from the United Kingdom Science Council in 2022.
Dr Thomas Kempka
Helmholtz Zentrum Potsdam Deutschesgeoforschungszentrum, Germany
Co-investigator
Work Package Lead: WP5, Task Lead: T6.1
Thomas Kempka is a Working Group Leader at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam and Lecturer at the University of Potsdam. He studied Waste Management Engineering and received his PhD with honours from the RWTH Aachen University, Germany, in 2008. Since then, Thomas participated in and coordinated a multitude of international R&D projects related to sustainable utilisation of the geological subsurface and greenhouse gas emission mitigation. His research activities focus on the development and application of numerical simulation models to quantify and predict coupled processes in the geological subsurface.
Priscilla Ernst
Helmholtz Zentrum Potsdam Deutschesgeoforschungszentrum, Germany
Work Package: WP5, Task Lead: T5.1, T5.2, T5.3
Priscilla Ernst is a Research Scientist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam. She studied hydrogeology at the University of Botswana. She has contributed to research and provided support in management of EU-funded projects. Currently her research focus is on the techo-economic modelling and economic uncertainties in context of energy and subsurface gas storage.
Mr Bartłomiej Bezak
Polska Grupa Gornicza S. A., Poland
Co-investigator
Task Lead: T2.6, T2.7
Bartłomiej is an experienced manager with a proven track record in the mining and metal industries. He has skills in IT service management, IT strategy, management, team management and IT management. A strong manager with the title of MSc. focuses on Technical Physics at the Silesian University of Technology (SUT) - specialization in environmental physics. He coordinates research and development projects of RFCS funds and the Polish National Center for Research and Development. Head of the Team of Innovation and New Technologies, Project Manager at Polska Grupa Górnicza S.A.
Dr Natalie Nakaten
Helmholtz Zentrum Potsdam Deutschesgeoforschungszentrum, Germany
Task Lead: T5.1, T5.2, T5.3
Natalie Nakaten is a Research Scientist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam. She studied Economic Geography, received her PhD from the RWTH Aachen University, Germany, in 2014 and contributed with her research work to four EU-funded RFCS projects, so far. Her main research activities are focused on techno-economic modelling and economic uncertainty assessment in the context of energy systems and subsurface gas storage.
Dr Kamil Stańczyk
Central Mining Institute, Poland
Co-investigator
Work Package Lead: WP2
Kamil graduated from the Silesian University of Technology in 2015, in the field of Power Engineering. After graduation, he started working at the Central Mining Institute in the Department of Post-industrial Areas and Waste Management. Currently, he is employed as an engineer at the Department of Acoustics, Electronics and IT Solutions.
His interests and research work are focused on issues related to clean coal technologies, energy storage techniques and modelling. He participated in research projects related to dry coal beneficiation (AMSEP), production of alternative fuels (BIOALT), and underground coal gasification (TOPS, COAL2GAS). In 2020 he was awarded a PhD for research on dry coal beneficiation and modelling of the process incorporating newly designed pneumatic separator. Currently, his work focuses on the topic of CO2 geological storage (in frame of the ROCCS project) and energy storage technologies, including modelling of dynamic thermal and electrical energy systems.
Dr Min Chen
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Research Associate
Min is a Research Associate in School of Engineering in Cardiff University, Wales, UK. He is involved in the numerical modelling tasks of the ROCCS project. He received his PhD degree from Geoenvironemntal Research Centre of the School of Engineering in Cardiff University. Prior to that he completed his MSc in China University of Mining and Technology and BSc from Taiyuan University of Technology. His research interests lie in the computational modelling of the coupled physical and chemical behaviour of geomaterials, with particular focus on the geomechanics, fractured and dual porosity flow modelling, and high performance computing.
Dr Christopher Otto
Helmholtz Zentrum Potsdam Deutschesgeoforschungszentrum, Germany
Task Lead: T4.3
Christopher Otto is a Research Scientist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam. He studied Geology and received his PhD in 2017 from the University of Potsdam, Germany. To date, Christopher participated in three EU-funded RFCS projects. His current research work focuses on the numerical analysis of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical processes in geological subsurface utilisation.
Dr Krzysztof Kapusta
Central Mining Institute, Poland
Task Lead: T3.5
Krzysztof has worked as a researcher in the Central Mining Institute (GIG) since 2005. Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Installations of the GIG's Clean Coal Technology Centre. His background is in chemistry. In 2013 he received the degree of Doctor of technical sciences. His main areas of scientific interest are thermochemical conversion of biomass and coal, including gasification, liquefaction, pyrolysis as well as gas processing and purification technologies. He has been deeply engaged in several flagship European and national level research projects oriented on the development and implementation of clean coal technologies (HUGE, HUGE2, CTL Europe, TOPS, Coal2Gas, ODYSSEUS, HYDROCOALPlus, ROCCS). Coordinator of MEGAPlus research project (2018-2021, EU RFCS).
Dr. Robert Hildebrandt
Central Mining Institute, Poland
Robert graduated in 2004 from the Silesian University of Technology at the Faculty of Mining and Geology with major in Electrical Engineering in Mining obtaining at the same time the title of technologist. In 2008 he graduated from complementary master studies at the Faculty of Materials Science and Metallurgy at the Silesian University of Technology, management and production engineering with major in Safety and Occupational Hygiene.
In 2009 he graduated from complementary master studies – High Efficiency Longwall Complex at AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, and in 2013 complementary studies regarding Mining Aerology and Mine Rescue at the faculty of Mining and Geology of the Silesian University of Technology. The title of PhD in engineering in the area of mining and geology was given to him in 2017.
In 2005 he started working for the Katowice Coal Holding Company in the Coal Mine ‘Wesoła’ in Mysłowice, where he continued gaining his professional experience for the next 5 years at the position of supervisor in the exploitation departments.
At present he is employed in the Experimental Mine ‘Barbara’ of the Central Mining Institute as a Deputy Director of the EM ‘Barbara’ as well as a head of the Department of Underground Research and Surface Maintenance being the main technical and research specialist. He also holds the position of mine operation manager.
The scope of interests and research activity of Robert Hildebrandt focus on the tasks related to modern solutions for the mining industry when it comes to the mining of coal resources, methane capturing and occupational safety.
Dr. Eng. Marian Wiatowski
Central Mining Institute, Poland
Marian graduated in 1986 from the Silesian University of Technology in the field of chemical coal processing. In 1987-2006 he worked at the Carbochemistry Department of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gliwice, and then, until 2009, at the Center of Polymer and Carbon Materials of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Zabrze. Since 2009, he is still employed as an assistant professor at the Department of Air Protection and Energy Saving of the Central Mining Institute of the Central Mining Institute in Katowice. In 2005 he was awarded the doctorate in technical sciences at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering of the Krakow University of Technology. His interests and research concentrate mainly on issues related to the processes of underground coal gasification and liquefaction. He has participated in several projects related to coal gasification processes (HUGE, HUGE 2, TOPS, COAL2GAS, MEGA +). Currently, his work is focused on the topic of geological storage of CO2 (ROCCS project), research on hydro-drilling technology (HBM Hydraulic Borehole Mining) under the HydroCoal Plus project and Catalytic Direct Hydrothermal Conversion of Biomass and Lignites to Liquid Fuels (project HyCon).
Dr. Sebastian Iwaszenko
Central Mining Institute, Poland
Sebastian started his professional career in the Department of Environmental Protection and Biological Renewal in 1991 as an IT specialist. In the years 1996 - 2005, he was employed at the Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas in Katowice. In 2005, he started working at the Central Mining Institute, first as a Specialist, and from 2010 as an Assistant Professor. In the years 2009-2017 he was the Manager of the Information Technology and Modeling Laboratory, and in 2014-2016 acting as Head of the Department of Post-industrial Areas and Waste Management. In 2018, he was the Manager of the Innovative Products and Information Technologies Development Laboratory, and since 2019, the Manager of the Electronics and IT Solutions Laboratory and the deputy head of the Department of Acoustics, Electronics and IT Solutions.
He obtained his Master's degree in Computer Science, at the Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, 1995. PhD in Environmental Engineering, awarded by the Scientific Council of the Central Mining Institute, 2008.
Professional experience includes the creation and development of software, including database systems, conducting research and development.
Dr. Maram Almolliyeh
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Maram is a GeoEnvironmental Researcher. Maram's research passions are on energy and the environment. Maram graduated from Cardiff University in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Maram's PhD research was on CO2 adsorption in Welsh coals and geomaterials, and it was financially supported by the Sêr Cymru- Low Carbon Energy and Environment Research Network Wales project, which was partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund and administered by the Welsh Government. Maram has international work expertise, having worked as an Assistant Engineer-project coordinator for an environmental infrastructure development project in Hong Kong. Maram works on the experimental components of the ROCCS project and helps the management team achieve the milestones and deliverables.
Mr. James Black
Cardiff University, United Kingdom
James is a geologist and expert in developing subsurface geological model and subsurface process models. He completed his MSc degree in Applied Environmental Geology from Cardiff University and prior to that he completed his BSc in Geology from Cardiff University.
ROCCS is funded by the European Union Research Fund for Coal and Steel (EU- RFCS) under the grant agreement No 899336
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