EcoMat Conference 2024

EcoMat Conference 2024 aims to host a platform for an annual face-to-face meeting between scientists in academia and industry as well as policy makers around the world to exchange interdisciplinary ideas and expertise on the ever-changing environment. The objective is to bring together experts from academic institutions, industries and research organizations and professional engineers for sharing of knowledge, expertise and experience in the emerging trends related to life-changing materials research with the applications in renewable energy, circular economy and sustainable future.

The Ecomat Conference 2024 will be organized by Northumbria University and hosted in Hilton Gateshead at Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, on 8^th - 10^th July 2024 (registration starting on 7^th). Each day will start with a Plenary Lecture followed by parallel sessions focusing on the following topics:

• Symposium A: Catalysts and Catalysis
• Symposium B: Energy Storage
• Symposium C: Gas/Water Management and Circular economy
• Symposium D: Harvesting, Conversion and Applications of Thermal/Wind/Solar/Hydrogen Energy
• Symposium E: Harvesting and Transformation of Mechanical & Biological Energy
• Symposium F: Smart Soft Materials for Energy and Environmental Application

	Prof. Ben Zhong Tang is an X.Q. Deng Presidential Chair Professor and Dean of the School of Science and Engineering in the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. Prof. Tang’s coined the concept of aggregation-induced emission (AIE), and his labs are spearheading the AIE research in the world. Prof. Tang has been listed as an the Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher in both areas of Chemistry and Materials Science since 2014. He received a series of awards, such as National Natural Science Award (1st Class) in 2017, Nano Today Award in 2021, and Biomaterials Global Impact Award in 2023. He was elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009, the Asia Pacific Academy of Materials in 2017 and the World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries in 2020.
	Prof. Zaiping Guo is an Australian Laureate Fellow at School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide. Her research focuses on the design and application of electrode materials and electrolyte for energy storage and conversion, including rechargeable batteries, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells. Her research achievements have been recognized through numerous awards, including an ARC Future Professorial Fellowship in 2015, an ARC Laureate Fellowship (2021), and the Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher Award since 2018.  She was elected to Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2023.
	Prof. Yi Cui is the Fortinet Founders Professor of Materials Science & Engineering and Energy Science & Engineering, the formal Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy, the founding Director of Sustainability Accelerator at Stanford University.  He is known for reinventing batteries through nanoscience and has broad research interests on 2D materials, topological quantum materials, catalysts, thermal textile, water and air purification, and cryoEM. He is an elected member of the US NAS and European Academy of Engineering. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Materials Research Society, Electrochemical Society, and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He has been recognized with the Global Energy Prize, U.S. DOE’s Lawrence Award, MRS Medal, and Blavatnik National Laureate.
	Prof. Xuanhe Zhao is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. The mission of Zhao Lab is to advance science and technology between humans and machines to address grand societal challenges in health and sustainability. A major focus is the study and development of soft materials and systems. Dr. Zhao has won early career awards from NSF, ONR, ASME, SES, AVS, Adhesion Society, JAM, EML, and Materials Today. He is a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher. Bioadhesive ultrasound, based on Zhao Lab’s work published in Science, was named one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of the year in 2022. SanaHeal Inc., based on Zhao Lab’s work published in Nature, was awarded the 2023 Nature Spinoff Prize. Over ten patents from Zhao Lab have been licensed by companies and have contributed to FDA-approved and widely-used medical devices
	Prof. Esther Akinlabi is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and serves as Deputy Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange in Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, UK. She previously served as the Director of Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI), Ibadan, Nigeria. Prior to joining PAULESI, she had a decade of meritorious service at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa. At UJ, she served as the Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering Science and as Vice Dean for the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment. Her research interests are modern and advance manufacturing processes. She is a Fellow of the African Academy of Science (FAAS) and Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS).
	Prof. Guihua Yu is a Temple Foundation Professor of Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering at UT Austin. His research has broadly centered on nanomaterials innovation for advanced energy, environment, and sustainability technologies. Yu is a Fellow of MRS, RSC, IOP, and IAAM, and has been consistently ranked among one of the Top Highly Cited Researchers in both Materials Science and Chemistry fields by WoS. He has received many prestigious  awards and honors for research and education, including Blavatnik National Awards Honoree, RSC Horizon Prize, Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research by The Welch Foundation, Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, Sloan Research Fellow, MIT Technology Review ‘Top Innovators Under 35’ global list.Yu currently serves as Associate Editor of ACS Materials Letters, and Advisory/Editorial Board Member of over 20 international scientific journals

• Conference Chair: Professor Ben Xu (Northumbria University, UK)

• Deputy Chair: Professor Ximin He (UCLA, US)
• Deputy Chair: Professor Zijian Zheng (Hongkong PolyU, Chair of EcoMat conference series, HK)
• Secretary: Dr Muhammad Wakil Shahzad
• Committee Member: Dr Terence Liu
• Committee Member: Dr Sherry Chen
• Committee Member: Dr Yifan Li
• Committee Member: Dr Yunhong Jiang
• Committee Member: Professor Martin Birkett

Guideline for your abstract submission

Submission Deadline: 31 May 2024

1) Preparing an Abstract

• Abstract should adhere to the style and formatting requirements in the following template: Download here
• When you are submitting the abstract, the file name of abstract should be in this format:

(Name)_(symposium).docx (e.g. J. Doe_Energy storage.docx)

 2) Submitting an Abstract

• Once you complete the abstract with proper content, please submit it to ecomat2024.conference@northumbria.ac.uk

3) Review and Acceptance Process

• The conference team will review and assess the submission time by time, the outcome of your submission will be released by email from Dec 1^st, 2023.
• Selected type of presentation and symposium will be granted whenever possible; conference team reserve the final right to modify arrangements.

 4) Award

• EcoMat Young Researcher Award - Three researchers will be selected. The award recipient will be presented with an award certificate and a cash prize of £ 500. For detailed guideline: Download here
• EcoMat Mid-career Researcher Award - one researchers will be selected. The award recipient will be presented with an award certificate and a cash prize of £ 1000. For detailed guideline: Download here
• There will be a number of oral presentation and poster awards, which will be assessed by the award committee and announced during the conference dinner.

Conference registration 

Registration is now open.

Registration Fees

Register Here

Link will close at 23:00 on Monday 24th June 2024.

Methods of payment

On the registration form, you will be asked how you plan to pay your registration fee, and then redirected to our Payment Methods page to make your payment. We accept payment by card online (preferred), BACS payment (bank transfer), or Internal Transfer (for Northumbria University staff/students only). Please make your payment as soon as possible.

Accommodation

Our partners at Newcastle Gateshead Initiative have put together an accommodation booking web page with preferential rates for delegates:

www.newcastlegateshead.com/EcoMat2024

The host venue, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead also has special rates available for delegates. Please click the link below to book.

https://eventsathilton.com/show/65fadd2b46c19c693ca5270e

Important Notes to Registrants

·      Fee includes admission to all symposia and lunch vouchers valid on 7-10, July 2024.

·      Only VISA and Mastercard credit cards are accepted.

·      Registration fees are non-refundable.

·      Presenters with abstract accepted should complete registration by 31 May 2023 or their presentation will

be removed from the program.

·      Your participation in EcoMat Conference 2024 constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed and to

the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any recorded media of your appearance, voice, and

name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with the Conference organizers and their initiatives, including, but not limited to, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising.

·      Registrants must accept personal responsibility for insurance against travel risk, injuries and loss of property.

·      Participants of excursion activities agree to indemnify the conference organizers and The Northumbria University against any claims arising from injury or loss sustained during the conference.

Travel Grant and Hardship Fund

We do have some travel grant and hardship fund available, the application form will be available soon.

Conference Venue, Direction and Transport

Hilton Gateshead overlooks the Tyne Bridge and are less than a mile from Gateshead metro station and eight minutes from the A1 motorway. The Quayside area is a short walk away, home to nightlife hotspots, Sunday markets, and art exhibitions. Utilita Arena and St James’ Park are within two miles. 

The hotel address: Bottle Bank, Gateshead, NE8 2AR, United Kingdom

Getting to Hilton Gateshead

From the Newcastle International Airport

• 1.1 By Metro Transit Railway (Metro): Take the Metro from Newcastle International Airport to Gateshead, then walk for 10 min. Fee: less than GBP £ 5; Transit time: ~40 minutes
• 1.2 By bus: Please check google map. Fee: less than GBP £ 5; Transit time: ~40 minutes
• 1.3 By Airport Taxi: Fee: ~ GBP £ 30; Transit time: ~20 minutes

From the Newcastle Central Train Station

• 2.1 By Metro Transit Railway (Metro): Take the Metro from Newcastle Central Station to Gateshead, then walk for 10 min. Fee: less than GBP £ 3; Transit time: ~15 minutes
• 2.2 By Walking: Please check google map, Fee: GBP £ 0; Transit time: ~15 minutes
• 2.3 By Taxi: Fee: ~ GBP £ 15; Transit time: ~15 minutes

If you have any queries, please E-mail EcoMat2024 Conference team: ecomat2024.conference@northumbria.ac.uk

Or you can directly email the conference chair on: ben.xu@northumbria.ac.uk