Carbon Conversations Carbon Conversartions

Dries Roobroeck's journey in applied biosciences began with a neighbourhood clean-up he organized as a 10-year-old and deepened when he observed his great uncle's selfless work with rural communities in India at the age of 15. He pursued biological sciences at university, fascinated by the broad range of topics, particularly how nature works. His PhD focused on the cycling of carbon and nitrogen between soil, plants, and the atmosphere in Poland's undisturbed peatlands, giving him profound insights into biogeochemical processes, greenhouse gas emissions, and laboratory and data analytics.



After completing his PhD, Dries had the privilege of conducting a postdoctoral study with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, researching the occurrence and causes of non-responsiveness of crops to synthetic fertilizers in Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, and Nigeria. This work highlighted the pervasive issues of nutrient input inefficiency and soil fertility degradation that trap many small-scale farmers in poverty. Concurrently, he became increasingly involved in research on biochar agronomy and pyrolytic technology, including long-term experimentation, participatory evaluation, upscaled assessment, and system engineering.



Seeing an opportunity for science to solve many of today's complex problems, Dries, along with Aarti Shah, started Co-REGEN to advise agribusinesses on becoming circular and regenerative. They coach these businesses on adopting more reliable power, low carbon heat, and nature-based solutions to improve farming and processing, aiming to enhance their movement up the agricultural value chain while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Since late 2022, Dries has been working with PennState University's program PlantVillage, where he has had the opportunity to translate scientific research and ideas into practical applications.



Further viewing/reading:

Video of PlantVillage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huqLMHRNIVA

Video from feasibility in tea sector https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcq_Gf1ES_0

LinkedIN www.linkedin.com/in/driesroobroeck

 

Contact: Email d.roobroeck@cgiar.org

 

Jason Dodier is an American international business professional and Co-Founder of the GRAIN Ecosystem, aiming to revolutionize global project development through digitization, transparency, and increased access to capital. His mission focuses on empowering project developers worldwide to meet ambitious waste-to-value, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity goals set by the global climate agenda.

Based in New York City, Jason played a key role in advancing Energy as a Service microgrids in the US, notably contributing to the JFK New Terminal One Microgrid. This project, soon to be the largest rooftop terminal solar array in the US, showcases his dedication to digital transformation and sustainability.

With a career spanning the US, Middle East, and Europe, Jason's experience in operations, business development, marketing, and sales management at Schneider Electric has refined his expertise.

Currently, Jason serves as a sustainability ambassador, advocating for the integration of IT and educational reform. He delivers impactful speeches and builds connections with industry leaders.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Jason co-founded Fountainhead Rhode Island, a notable non-profit known for transformative initiatives in the New England region. His roles in sustainable energy solutions and non-profit leadership underscore his commitment to a more sustainable future. Jason holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree from Bryant University.



https://twitter.com/J_Dodier

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondodier/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/grain-ecosystem

Trina Montemayor is a dedicated professional with over 20 years of experience in the corporate food service industry. She has been an integral part of the success of Order Corner, a web-based company specializing in food ordering for corporate and professional groups of 10 or more.

Throughout her tenure at Order Corner, Trina has worked tirelessly to build and manage a team of exceptional individuals. She has fostered a positive and collaborative work environment, ensuring that each team member feels valued and motivated. Trina's leadership skills have been instrumental in adapting the company's business model to meet the ever-changing needs of the industries they serve and the clients they love.

In March 2020, faced with the unprecedented challenges posed by the global pandemic, Order Corner made the difficult decision to close its doors. However, Trina's dedication to her clients and passion for her work did not waver. Many of her clients reached out to her personally, praising the exceptional work of her team and expressing their gratitude for their invaluable services.

Driven by a strong sense of responsibility and a commitment to her clients, Trina took the next step in her career journey. She founded Trina's Concierge and Catering (TCC), a new venture that operates at a minimal level while adapting to the current environment. Trina ensures that every precaution is taken to keep drivers and staff safe while maintaining the same level of excellence in coordinating and delivering food for professional environments.

Trina's business model extends beyond just food delivery. She also coordinates and delivers other essential items as per client requests, going above and beyond to meet their needs. At TCC, every client is treated with utmost care and respect, and a team-based approach is taken with partner restaurants and caterers to ensure a personalized and perfect experience.

Trina Montemayor is a dedicated professional who thrives on the challenges of the industry. Her adaptability, passion, and commitment to excellence make her a trusted partner for any professional or corporate event.

For more information in Trina and TCC visit: https://trinacc.com

Suzanne Allaire has been working in environmental science for about 30 years with a bachelor degree in agriculture, a master in waste recycling and PhD on contaminant transport in porous media.

She has collaborated with a wide range of industries, private companies, government agencies and research institutions to reduce the impact of humans on the environment by adding value to residues, protecting soils, and improving carbon budget; the last 20 years being mainly on biochar and pyrolysis of residues. She has worked as a full professor at Laval University in Canada for more than 16 years, then started GECA Environnement.

As owner and CEO of GECA Environnement, she works with her team as an expert on derisking and accelerating pyrolysis and biochar project development, including prefeasibilities, pyrolysis products and their markets, product design, technology selection with the Product and Process Teams at GECA. Her Carbon team completes LCAs, feasibilities and develops complete projects of biochar carbon credits in addition to broker the credits for her clients. GECA’s team supports private companies, organizations, and governments of all sizes around the world (in 30 countries over the last 5 years) in various aspects of pyrolysis/gasification of wastes.



https://www.linkedin.com/company/geca-environnement/

Sebastian Manhart is a climate advocate, leveraging his skills and experiences to support policymakers in making better decisions for our planet.​

He is currently the Senior Policy Advisor of Carbonfuture,  the world's leading provider of high-integrity, durable carbon removal. In this role, he focuses on promoting policies to help scale durable carbon removal in Europe, the United States, and beyond.

Sebastian previously spent a decade as a tech entrepreneur, including being Chief Operating Officer at Simprints, the world’s only nonprofit biometrics company. He also advised Angela Merkel’s Chancellery and worked with governments globally through the World Bank.

Sebastian is an economist with a BA from UCL, an MPhil from Cambridge University, and an ExecEd from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

You can follow Sebastian on LinkedIn, where he shares daily insights with his 25k+ followers.

For Sebastian's Newsletter (sign up here, last version here).


Article on government policies to scale CDR
Article about CDR integration into the ETS
Article I wrote on the CRCF framework
Eve Tamme LinkedIn

Nathan Létourneau is a Chartered Financial Analyst and the Senior Director of Finance for Ground Up Investing (GUI). In his role, Nathan performs investee due diligence, GUI portfolio analysis and forecasting, and financial oversight of GUI and the wholly owned subsidiaries Mountain Harvest and Farmers Market Brands.

In prior roles, Nathan specialized in the health, environment, and education sectors, with a focus on West Africa, Latin America, and MENA regions. Managing everything from operational risk to process efficiencies and audits, he enjoys solving complex international problems that require innovative and flexible solutions.

Outside of Finance, Nathan performs professionally on the eastern seaboard of North America as a tenor with opera companies such as the Washington National Opera and in concert halls with various symphony orchestras.
Nathan earned his Bilingual Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of Alberta, his Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto, and his Master of Music from New York University.

https://www.groundup-investing.com/