📅 Agenda
Monday, May 12 – Anderson-Clarke Center, Glasscock School of Continuing Studies
7:00–8:15 AM
Check-in & Breakfast
Anderson-Clarke Commons
8:15–8:30 AM
Welcoming Remarks
Anderson-Clarke Auditorium
- Marie Contou-Carrere – Executive Director, Sustainability Institute—Rice University
- Luay Nakhleh – William and Stephanie Sick Dean, George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing—Rice University
- Matteo Pasquali – Director, Carbon Hub—Rice University
8:30–8:40 AM
Framing the Sustainability Challenge
Anderson-Clarke Auditorium
- Kenneth B. Medlock, III – Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute—Rice University
8:40–9:25 AM
Accelerating Materials & Technology Introduction via Public-Private Global Partnerships
Anderson-Clarke Auditorium
- Jeff Miller – Program Officer — The Kavli Foundation
- Lasse Rosendahl – Executive Director — Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center
- David Hatrick – VP, Strategic Marketing & Innovation — Huntsman Advanced Materials
- Ed Holgate – Commercial Partnership Development Manager — Shell
- Moderator: Marie Contou-Carrere – Executive Director, Sustainability Institute — Rice University
9:25–10:10 AM
Introducing Advanced Materials into Applications
Anderson-Clarke Auditorium
- Dhaval Shah – GM, Corporate Technology & Innovation — SABIC
- Luca de Rai – VP, R&D Energy — Prysmian Group
- Claudio Santoni – Engineering Director — Aston Martin
- Bryan Hassin – CEO — DexMat
- Juan José Castellón – Assistant Professor of Architecture — Rice University
- Moderator: Mark Banash – President — Neotericon
10:10–10:40 AM
BREAK — Anderson-Clark Commons
10:40–11:25 AM
The Big Science Questions
Anderson-Clarke Auditorium
- Mike Reynolds – Principal Science Fellow, Catalysis — Shell Catalysts and Technologies
- Adam Boies – Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, — Stanford University
- Eric McFarland – Professor, Chemical Engineering — University of California – Santa Barbara
- Juan José Vilatela – Head, Multifunctional Nanocomposites Group — IMDEA Materials Institute
- Vanessa Sanchez – Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering — Rice University
- Moderator: Geoffrey Wehmeyer – Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering — Rice University
11:25 AM
Closing Remarks
Anderson-Clarke Auditorium
- Marie Contou-Carrere – Executive Director, Sustainability Institute — Rice University
11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Lunch + Fireside Chat
Anderson-Clarke Commons
🕧 12:30–12:50 PM – Fireside Chat: Matteo Pasquali, Director, Carbon Hub — Rice University
Moderator: Scott Nyquist – Senior Director Emeritus — McKinsey & Co
1:00–4:30 PM | Parallel Scientific Sessions
Note: The following three sessions run concurrently across different rooms.
Session 1 | RM 107 | 1:00 – 2:40 PM
Synthesis & Reactor Design
Chair: Robert J. Headrick Methane Pyrolysis Program Manager, Lead Researcher — Shell
- 1:00 PM – Eric McFarland Professor, Chemical Engineering — University of California-Santa Barbara
- 1:20 PM – Michael Bronikowski Associate Professor, Chemistry — University of Tampa
- 1:40 PM – Arthur W. N. Sloan NRC Postdoctoral Fellow — Air Force Research Lab
- 2:00 PM – Matteo Pasquali AJ Hartsook Professor in Chemical Engineering; Director, Carbon Hub — Rice University
- 2:20 PM – Matteo Cargnello, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering — Stanford University
Session 2 | RM 108 | 1:00 – 2:40 PM
Applications: Soil Amendment, Environmental Impact, and Properties
Chair: Sylvia Dee Assistant Professor, Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences — Rice University
- 1:00 PM – Carrie Masiello W. Maurice Ewing Professor of Biogeochemistry; Director, Sustainability Institute — Rice University
- 1:20 PM – Pedro J. J. Alvarez George R. Brown Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering — Rice University
- 1:40 PM – Daniel Cohan Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering — Rice University
- 2:00 PM – Mijin Kim Assistant Professor, Chemistry & Biochemistry — Georgia Institute of Technology
- 2:20 PM – Pulickel M. Ajayan Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor in Materials Science — Rice University
Session 3 | ANDERSON–CLARKE AUDITORIUM | 1:00 – 2:40 PM
Catalyzing a Carbon Revolution: Commercializing the Carbon Nanotube Value Chain
Abstract
As dispersed nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have reached an inflection point because of their use in batteries and conductive plastics. Macroscopic CNT materials – fibers, yarns, wires, fabrics, tapes, etc. – are rapidly growing and attracting interest across critical industries, from energy infrastructure to aerospace and next-generation electronics. As demand for high-performance, low-footprint materials accelerates, macroscopic CNT materials offer a rare combination of strength, conductivity, light weight, and sustainability. Moreover, macroscale CNT materials can be easily integrated into applications and products. Yet, material production capacity must grow and costs and prices must reduce accordingly to accelerate penetration.
This session will bring together companies that manufacture macroscale CNT materials and their nanoscale precursors, as well as the investors providing capital to scale production and the producers of end-use products driving commercial adoption. We will examine progress in cost reduction via manufacturing intensification and capacity scale-up. What technical and financial barriers still stand in the way of scale and mass adoption? What capital models are best suited to unlock exponential growth by funding capacity growth, process efficiencies, and market development?
Importantly, this session will dovetail with a separate discussion the following day featuring macroscale CNT product end-users, from aerospace OEMs to automotive suppliers and electronics manufacturers, offering a complementary view of rapidly emerging demand signals. Together, these sessions will chart the path to a robust, well-capitalized CNT ecosystem poised for global impact.
Facilitator
Adrian Tromel, Associate VP, Innovation Strategy & Investments — Rice University
CNT Producers
Terrance Barkan, Executive Director — Advanced Carbons Council
Ian Fellows, Chief Executive Officer, Americas — OCSiAl
John Fraser, Commercial Director, MIRALON® Technology — Huntsman Corporation
Luca de Rai, VP, Research & Development Energy — Prysmian Group
Hari Harikumar, VP & General Manager, Advanced Carbons — CHASM Advanced Materials
CNT Materials
Bryan Guido Hassin, CEO — DexMat
Investors
Ionel Nechiti, Investment Director — Aramco Ventures
2:40 – 3:10 PM — BREAK
Session 1 | RM 107 | 3:10 – 4:30 PM
Synthesis & Theory
Chair: Jason Adams, Assistant Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering — Rice University
- 3:10 PM – Thomas P. Senftle, Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering — Rice University
- 3:30 PM – Evgeni Penev (Boris Yakobson Group), Associate Research Professor, Materials Science & Nanoengineering — Rice University
- 3:50 PM – Mauro Bracconi, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering — Politecnico di Milano
- 4:10 PM – Matteo Maestri, Professor, Chemical Engineering — Politecnico di Milano
Session 2 | RM 108 | 3:10 – 4:30 PM
Applications: Soil Amendment, Environmental Impact, and Properties
Chair: Micah Green, Professor, Chemical Engineering — Texas A&M University
- 3:10 PM – Gianni Royer Carfagni, Professor of Solids and Structural Mechanics — University of Parma
- 3:30 PM – Vanessa Sanchez, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering — Rice University
- 3:50 PM – Juan José Castellón, Assistant Professor, Architecture — Rice University
- 4:10 PM – Mark Goulthorpe , Associate Professor, Architecture — MIT; Founder — DECOi Inc
4:30 – 6:00 PM
Student Poster Session & Startup Display
Anderson-Clarke Commons
View Startup Company Showcase →
6:30 – 8:00 PM
Networking Dinner
Faculty Club, Cohen House, Rice University