Cristina Alonso Alija, Selina Ambrose, Benoit Celse, Juan M. Lema and Andrea Ramírez will lead the MeCCE plenary sessions at Expoquimia 2026
Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering Announces Its Key Speakers
Five international leaders in sustainability, digitalisation and emerging technologies will headline the Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering (MeCCE), which will take place from 2 to 5 June within the framework of Expoquimia. Cristina Alonso Alija (UNIJES-IQS), Selina Ambrose (Promethean Particles), Benoit Celse (IFP Energies Nouvelles), Juan M. Lema (University of Santiago de Compostela) and Andrea Ramírez Ramírez (Delft University of Technology) will present solutions to advance ecological transition through chemical engineering.
The congress is expected to bring together over 350 professionals from industry, research and academia from various countries, with the aim of promoting more sustainable industrial processes.
The scientific programme will address decarbonisation and the energy transition, circular economy and resource efficiency, digitalisation through digital twins and AI-based systems, as well as the development of advanced materials for carbon capture and storage. It will also focus on innovations in water treatment, bioengineering, food, fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, together with new approaches to teaching chemical engineering.
Featured Speakers
Cristina Alonso Alija, Director of the UNIJES Research Centre for Ecology and the Environment at IQS and former global executive at Bayer until 2023, will open the congress with a keynote examining the role of sustainability in corporate strategy. Her presentation will explore how principles such as circular economy, resource efficiency and responsible industrial design can act as drivers of economic and social progress.
Selina Ambrose, Product Manager at the British chemical manufacturer Promethean Particles, will explain how metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) capture CO₂ and enable its efficient storage. She will also showcase how industrial-scale production is making it possible to apply this technology in real processes, opening up new opportunities for the energy transition.
Benoit Celse, researcher at IFP Energies Nouvelles, will discuss how artificial intelligence and hybrid models are transforming the design and operation of chemical plants. His talk will focus on digital twins, virtual models that simulate industrial processes in real time to optimise production, reduce costs and improve sustainability.
Juan M. Lema, Emeritus Professor and Scientific Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Environmental Technologies (CRETUS) at the University of Santiago de Compostela, will present key advances in water treatment and environmental biotechnology. Drawing on real cases, he will demonstrate how unexpected discoveries have led to essential technologies for sustainable resource management.
Finally, Andrea Ramírez Ramírez, Professor at Delft University of Technology, will analyse the challenges of decarbonising large industrial complexes. Her keynote will highlight how replacing fossil feedstocks with alternatives such as CO₂, biomass and waste affects interconnected value chains.
Call for Abstracts
In parallel, the MeCCE has extended the deadline for submitting oral communications on research and practical experiences related to the thematic areas of this edition until 2 March.
As a new feature, this year the Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering — chaired by Rosa Nomen, Emeritus Professor at IQS – Universitat Ramon Llull — will run for one additional day, concluding on Friday, 5 June. That day will include a forum of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE) on energy transition, featuring a plenary session introduced by its President, Jarka Glassey, and a round table moderated by its Scientific Vice-President, Boelo Schuur.
Ahead of this forum, the Talent Day will take place — a networking event connecting leading companies with vacancies to highly qualified candidates, with the aim of encouraging new generations to join the industrial ecosystem.
Furthermore, the MeCCE strengthens its ties with Expoquimia by offering congress attendees activities within the trade show. Participants will have access to exclusive thematic tours on 5 June, allowing them to discover innovative solutions across the exhibition area.
A Consolidated Event
Since its inception in 1978, the MeCCE has been a key event for advancing chemical engineering in Spain and internationally, serving as an essential forum for collaboration between academia and industry.
Promoted by Expoquimia, the MeCCE is organised by the Spanish Society of Industrial Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (SEQUI), the professional association of IQS alumni, AIQS Alumni, and the Association and College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia (EIC). This edition is sponsored by GasN2, CPQ-EKIUM, Miwon, Briolf and Wanhua Chemical Group.
MeCCE 2026 is one of the flagship activities of Expoquimia, which this year celebrates its 60th anniversary, once again coinciding with Equiplast, the leading event in the plastics sector. From 2 to 5 June, the two events will host more than 800 exhibitors and are expected to attract over 21,000 visitors to Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue.
For further information on the MeCCE, as well as to submit abstracts for oral communications, please visit its official website: www.mecce.org.
Barcelona, 27 January 2026
Maria Dolores Herranz / Josep Lluís Mérida
Tel. +34 93 233 25 41 – 21 66
[email protected]
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