Innovating our future
Evening 1: Quid quantum and AI?
14/10/2025
Session Chair: Prof. dr. Steven Latré - Chief AI Officer @ Openchip – UAntwerp Dept. Informatics
1. Ir. Niels Vandervoort – J&J - Director Digital Transformation Lead
Benefits of AI in a chemical industrial context
2. Dr. Heike Riel – IBM - Executive Director Research Frontiers Institute and Director IoT Technology & Solutions
Quantum Computing
3. Prof. Dr. José Oramas – UAntwerp – Professor department of Computer Science
AI in all its aspects: the merits and the (ethical) challenges
Evening 2: Recycling and circularity: what is the best solution?
4/11/2025
Session Chair: Dr. Ann Dierckx - Essenscia – Director innovation and circular economy
1. Dr. Karen De Boeck - Veolia – Value Chain Manager
Current and innovative waste recycling technologies
2. Prof. dr. Pieter Billen – UAntwerp – Professor Applied Engineering
Recycling versus biodegradation
3. Dr. Werner Bosmans – European commission – DG Climate
Challenges in regulations
Evening 3: Powering the future
9/12/2025
Session Chair : Dr. Ir. Tine Schaerlaekens – Catalisti - Managing Director
1. Ir. Rombout Keldermans & Ir. Frank Vanwynsberghe - BASF Antwerp
Energy transition and electrification of the chemical industry: challenges and opportunities
2. Prof. dr. Siegfried Waldvogel - Max Plank Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion
A broad view of innovation in electrochemical processes
3. Ir. Denis Dumont - Tractebel - CEO
The possible role of nuclear energy in the future
Evening 4: Doughnut economics, carbon realities and sustainability
10/2/2026
Session Chair: Prof. dr. Steven Van Passel – UAntwerp – Vice-rector Valorisation and Development
1. Prof. dr. Tom Kuppens – UHasselt – Professor Business Economics and Education
Doughnut economics
2. Dr. Miet van Dael and Dr. Metin Bulut – VITO (Flemisch Institute for Technological research)
Carbon capture and storage technologies – MAP-it CCU
3. Dr. Walter Vermeiren – Total Energies – Head of Technology and Scientific Intelligence
Acata non verba – transitioning to sustainable production
Evening 5: Improving health by monitoring, prevention and therapy
10/3/2026
Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Greet Schoeters - UAntwerp – Department of biomedical sciences
1. Dr. Sven Van den Berghe - PanTera - CEO
Radionuclide production for cancer treatment
2. Ir. Nicolas de Menten – Fytofend – Regulatory manager
Improving immunity to prevent disease and harmful product use
3. Prof. dr. Adrian Covaci – UAntwerp – Department of Pharmaceutical sciences
Checking the impact of consumer goods on human-biomonitoring.
Evening 6: Debate: Transforming problems into challenges and solutions
31/3/2026
Session Chair: Mevr. Indra Dewitte – Editor-in-Chief Mediahuis
Panel members:
Ilham Kadri (TBC)
Dr. Jan Remeysen – Chair Essenscia – CEO BASF Antwerp
Kurt van den Berghe – European Commission – Director General DG Climate
Dr. Leen Govaerts – VITO NV – Director Water and Energy Transition
Prof. dr. Maarten Weyn – UAntwerp – Vice-Rector Research and Impact
Mevr. Eline Brugman – Deloitte – Sustainability and Climate Lead