Brian A. Korgel is the Director of The University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute and the Rashid Engineering Regents Chair Professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. He also directs the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for a Solar Powered Future (SPF2050), the Nanotechnologies area of the UT Austin Portugal Program at UT, and serves as Associate Editor of the journal, Chemistry of Materials. He is a former Fulbright Fellow and has been Visiting Professor at the University of Alicante in Spain, the Université Josef Fourier in France and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from UCLA in 1997 and was a post-doctoral fellow at University College Dublin, Ireland, in the Department of Chemistry. He has given more than 260 invited talks and published more than 280 papers. He is also an artist, exploring language and human/technology cohabitation.

He has co-founded two companies, Innovalight and Piñon Technologies, and received various honors including the 2012 Professional Progress Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and election to Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

Allen (Al) Toweill is a Hydrogen Delivery Manager within the Innovation group of the Chevron Technology Center and has been with Chevron for 25 years. His current focus areas include hydrogen and other lower carbon fuels.

Before joining CTC, Al managed Chevron’s Biofuels Compliance Strategy (including California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard compliance program), was a project manager for the West Coast Supply Chain Optimization group and held positions of increasing responsibility within Richmond and El Segundo refineries in process engineering and planning. 

Al joined Chevron in 2000 as a Chemical Engineer from University of Washington. Al enjoys backpacking and other outdoor endeavors.

Susan M. Shifflett has over 25 years of experience in the clean fuels industry, with a deep commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions across Texas and beyond. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Texas Hydrogen Alliance, where she leads efforts to expand hydrogen markets, including transportation infrastructure and refueling stations throughout the state.

In her role, Ms. Shifflett works closely with Alliance members to develop and promote hydrogen-related legislation at both the state level. She leverages a strategic mix of industry partnerships, government programs, energy education, and community relations to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen technologies.

Prior to this position, she served as President of the Texas Clean Fuels Alliance (formerly the Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Alliance), where she was instrumental in advancing alternative fuel initiatives. She is also the founder of S3 Services, a consulting firm offering safety training, permitting support, and grant writing services to public and private entities transitioning to clean, sustainable fuels.

Ms. Shifflett’s previous roles include Marketing Coordinator for the Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division at the Railroad Commission of Texas.

She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Texas Christian University. She currently resides in Burton, Texas.

Dr. Saleh received a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991. He joined Shell Development Company in Houston in 1991 and served as a research engineer until 2003 focusing on research in seismic data processing and interpretation.  From 2004 to 2008, Dr. Saleh led the New Detection Methods R&D team in Shell International E&P Inc. with responsibility for research on controlled-source electromagnetics, remote sensing systems, and high-resolution gravimetric and magnetic capabilities.  From 2009 to 2018, Dr. Saleh was General Manager of Shell’s Integrated Geoscience R&D program, focused on the application of computational science and machine learning methods to integrate advances in geology, geophysics, and petrophysics.  From 2019 to 2021, Dr. Saleh was Professor in the Practice at Rice University in Houston. Since 2021, he has been a faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin where he holds the positions of Research Consultant at the Bureau of Economic Geology, and Professor of Practice at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.

Dr. Thomas Lavertu is a Senior Engineer in the Advanced Engine Technologies group at Wabtec Corporation. He has been with Wabtec/GE for the past 17 years which includes 10 years at GE Global Research and the past 7 years at GE Transportation/Wabtec. Dr. Lavertu’s career has been focused on engine performance and emissions. At GE Global Research he led multiple projects aimed at improving engine fuel consumption and emissions for locomotive engines. This includes being the project leader for the Tier 4 engine development for which he was an integral part in defining an industry leading engine capable of meeting Tier 4 emissions regulations without the need for aftertreatment. Dr. Lavertu has continued to develop engine technologies for reduced fuel consumption and emissions at Wabtec and he is currently focused on investigating alternative fuels and technologies to improve engine efficiency for freight locomotives. He has a demonstrated track record of innovation, demonstrated by his 63 patents across an array of engine technologies in current products. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers where he currently serves as the Senior Vice President for the Technical and Engineering Communities Sector. Prior to his professional career, Dr. Lavertu obtained a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University.