Izumi Kumakiri is from Yamaguchi University Japan, having previously worked at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), France, and at Stiftelsen for industriell og teknisk forskning (SINTEF), Norway, and is involved in various national, international, and industrial projects on the developments and the applications of membranes and nano-functionalized materials. Professor Kumakiri is currently conducting research projects related to the developments of microporous inorganic membranes including carbon, zeolite, and other types, and their applications in energy and environmental fields, and has published more than 50 articles in leading scientific journals.