Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer (FRSE, FIChemE, FRSC, FRSA, FEI) is Champion and Director of the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) focused on accelerating the transition to net zero of the UK largest industrial clusters and establishing the first world net-zero industrial cluster. Mercedes is Deputy Principal (Global Sustainability) at Heriot-Watt University leading institutional and global changes in sustainability, making a significant impact on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and working with partners to achieve global carbon reduction targets. Mercedes is also Director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS) at Heriot-Watt University. RCCS that is a world leading multidisciplinary centre delivering innovation for the wider deployment of low-carbon energy systems required for meeting net-zero targets.

She has held appointments at the University of Kentucky (1997-1998), Pennsylvania State University (1998-2004) and University of Nottingham (2005-2012). She joined Heriot-Watt University in 2012 as the first Robert Buchan Chair in Sustainable Engineering and has been Director of the cross-university Energy Academy and Head of the Institute of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering, Assistant Deputy Principal (Research and Innovation) and Associate Principal (Global Sustainability).  

Her internationally recognised track record covers energy systems, CCUS, integration of hydrogen technologies and low carbon fuels. She has over 550 publications, including editor of 4 books and 15% of her publications are in the top 10% most cited worldwide.  Mercedes holds leading positions in professional societies and editorial boards and has received numerous international prizes and awards, including 2021 ACES-Margarita Salas Prize, 2021 D+I Best Research Project Award, 2020 WES Top 50 Women in Engineering (WE50) Sustainability, 2019 IET Transport Innovation Award, 2019 Scottish Women Award - Services to Science and Technology, 2019 Honorary Doctorate by TU Delft, 2018 SRUK/CERU Merit Award, 2013 Hong-Kong University Mong Distinguished Fellowship, 2011 RSC ESED Early Career Award, 2009 Philip Leverhulme Prize, 2005 US Department of Energy Award for Innovative Development, 1997 Ritchie Prize, 1996 Glenn Award - Fuel Chemistry American Chemical Society, 1993 ICI Chemical & Polymers Group Andersonian Centenary Prize. Her research portfolio also includes a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Award.

Twitter: @MercedesMarotoV       Linkedin: Mercedes Maroto-Valer

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