Future Days: Catalysts, What Will Define the Next Decade of Catalysis?

Catalysts are at the heart of some of the world's most important industrial transitions from hydrogen production and carbon utilization to sustainable chemicals and circular manufacturing. But what technologies, markets and innovations will shape the next decade of catalyst development?

In this Future Days panel discussion, leaders from industry, academia and standards organizations come together to discuss the future of catalysis and the role it will play in a lower-carbon world. The discussion will cover emerging market opportunities, advances in catalyst development, evolving standards and regulations, and the analytical insights needed to accelerate innovation. Attendees will hear perspectives from catalyst manufacturers, academic researchers, standards experts and analytical scientists, gaining a unique view of how the catalyst landscape is evolving and what organizations should be preparing for today.

Who should attend?

• Catalyst scientists and researchers. 
• R&D managers in the chemical, refining and petrochemical industries 
• Hydrogen and CCUS technology developers.  
• Process development and scale-up engineers. 
• Academic researchers in catalysis and reaction engineering. 
• Standards and regulatory professionals. 
• Anyone involved in catalyst development, characterization, or commercialization.

What will you learn?

• Learn how catalysts are accelerating hydrogen, CCUS and sustainable chemical production. 
• Discover how industry, academia and standards organizations are shaping the future of catalysis.  
• Understand why advanced analytical characterization is becoming critical to catalyst innovation.  
• Learn how evolving standards can accelerate commercialization of catalyst technologies.  
• Discover the trends, opportunities and challenges likely to define catalysis over the next decade.

Speaker: Prof. Christian Seidel (Chief Advisor, Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International)

Prof. Dr. Christian Seidel is Chief Advisor at Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International, and Full Professor of Manufacturing Technologies and Additive Manufacturing at Munich University of Applied Sciences. He earned his PhD on powder bed fusion at the Technical University of Munich and spent a decade with Fraunhofer IGCV, most recently as Director for Strategy and Institute Development, following industry experience at MTU Aero Engines and Heller (today part of DN Solutions). A leading voice in international standardization, Christian contributed to and also chaired ISO/TC 261 on Additive Manufacturing for twelve years (Chair from 2019-2023) and has served on the Executive Committee of ASTM F42 since 2020, receiving the committee’s Joerg Lenz Connection Point Award in 2023. He advises companies, investors, and public organizations worldwide on technology strategy, qualification, and due diligence, helping emerging technologies become trusted, standardized, and scalable markets.

Speaker: Dr. Hadeel Hussain (Product Manager XRD, Malvern Panalytical)

Hadeel Hussain is a Product Manager responsible for the Empyrean diffractometer. He obtained his academic background in materials research with experience in both synchrotron science and academia, where he worked on advanced scattering and spectroscopy techniques for the study of complex materials. Currently at Malvern Panalytical, he focuses on the development of next-generation XRD and XAS solutions, translating scientific and market needs into innovative analytical workflows for researchers in academia and industry.

Speaker: Ignacio Garcia (General Manager PID, Malvern Panalytical)

Speaker: Janinka Feenstra (Moderator and Digital Business Developer)

Janinka Feenstra is an experienced facilitator with a history in science, technology and digital that enjoys building the stage for experts with a story. As a consultant digital business strategy, she enjoys bridging the gap between the world of technology and business, driven by curiosity and understanding different perspectives. Janinka started her career with the University of Twente in the valorization department and has since then built extensive experience in digital consulting for high tech and manufacturing companies.

Speaker: Dr. Luca Lucarelli (Senior Application Scientist, Malvern Panalytical)

Dr. Luca Lucarelli is a Senior Application Specialist in Physisorption and Chemisorption for the EMEA region at Malvern Panalytical, with more than 35 years of experience in materials and catalyst characterization. He graduated in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Milan in 1988, where his research focused on physical chemistry and characterization techniques for metal-supported catalysts. Throughout his career, Luca has worked extensively with catalyst characterization and surface science, combining scientific expertise with the development and application of advanced analytical technologies. During his years with Carlo Erba Instruments and the Thermo Fisher Scientific group, he contributed to the development and introduction of innovative solutions for catalyst testing and materials characterization. He has also contributed to scientific literature, including a chapter on catalyst texture characterization in an Elsevier publication on adsorption and catalysis. Since joining Micromeritics in 2019, and subsequently Malvern Panalytical, he has continued to support researchers and industry in advancing the understanding and characterization of catalytic materials. 

Speaker: Dr. Matthew Rayner (Senior Specialist in Analytical Excellence, Ketjen)

Dr. Matthew Rayner is a Senior Specialist in Analytical Excellence at Ketjen in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand, where his research focused on the characterization of supported metal catalysts using advanced X-ray diffraction techniques to better understand catalyst activation and metal-support interactions.

With over 15 years of experience spanning analytical science, scientific instrumentation, and laboratory leadership, Matthew has built a diverse career across technical, commercial, and management functions. Before joining Ketjen, he held a variety of roles at Malvern Panalytical, supporting customers and business growth through applications development, product management, and business development. Since joining Ketjen in 2019, he has held positions ranging from Expert in Elemental Analysis and Microscopy to laboratory management roles, and currently leads initiatives focused on catalyst characterization, analytical capability development, operational excellence, and knowledge management.

Matthew's expertise spans catalyst characterization, with a particular focus on sample preparation, elemental and physical characterization, microscopy, and the development of analytical laboratory capabilities. He is passionate about advancing laboratory excellence through effective knowledge management, capability development, and the application of digital solutions that enhance collaboration, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making across global organizations.

He is an active contributor to standards development through his participation in ASTM Committee D32 on Catalysts, helping to advance best practices and standardization within the catalyst industry.

Beyond his professional career, Matthew is a proud father and a passionate technology enthusiast. He enjoys applying creativity and engineering principles through 3D design and printing, turning ideas into practical solutions. He is also an avid home cook who enjoys exploring new techniques and cuisines, often bringing the same experimental mindset to the kitchen that he applies in the laboratory. When not immersed in science and technology, Matthew enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, finding inspiration and balance in nature and outdoor adventures.

Speaker: Dr. Maurits Van Tol (Former CEO of Johnson Matthey Catalyst Technologies)

Maurits van Tol served as CEO of Catalyst Technologies and Executive Committee Member at Johnson Matthey (JM) Plc. Maurits joined the company in 2019 as Chief Technology Officer, where he oversaw JM’s global innovation strategy, portfolio, and delivery.

In 2023, he took on the role of CEO for the Catalyst Technologies business—JM’s growth engine—responsible for developing technologies, catalysts, and engineered solutions that help customers worldwide to convert traditional fossil feedstocks and renewable feedstocks into essential chemicals and fuels. The business was sold to Honeywell in July 2026 for over $1.8B.

Before joining Johnson Matthey, Maurits held the position of Senior Vice President for Innovation and Technology at Borealis AG in Austria. He also led Borealis’ Circular Economy business and was a member of the company’s managing board responsible for its $8B plastics business. Before joining Borealis AG Maurits worked at Royal DSM NV for 19 years in a broad range of technical and commercial leadership roles.
Maurits holds a PhD in Catalysis and an MSc in Physical Chemistry and Catalysis from Leiden University in the Netherlands. His research has been recognised with awards from Leiden University and the Royal Dutch Chemical Society. 

Maurits is a Non-Executive Director at Climeworks AG, Switzerland.