Prof. Ponnusami Venkatachalam is Associate Dean (Academics) at the School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University. He completed his PhD studies in Chemical Engineering at the SASTRA Deemed University. He recently led the Biomass Conversion and Bioproducts Laboratory, Center for Bioenergy, and has published 138 papers in various journals, edited 5 books, and serves as Editor for the Journal of Renewable Energy (Wiley), Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry (Frontiers), and Frontiers in Fuels (Frontiers), Editorial Advisory Board Member, inHeliyon (Elsevier), Scientific Reports (Springer nature), and Applied Science and Engineering Progress. His teaching disciplines include Fluid Mechanics, Transport Phenomena, Environmental Engineering. Meanwhile, his interests include sustainable development and circular economy, with a particular emphasis on biomass refining through green and innovative methods. His group explore valorization of lignocellulosic biomass using physicochemical, thermochemical, and biological processes to generate clean energy, high-value chemicals, and functional bioproducts. Through gasification and pyrolysis, his group convert diverse biomass resources into syngas, pyro-oil, and biochar. Syngas is harnessed for power generation, biochar finds applications as an adsorbent, catalyst, and soil nutrient, while pyro-oil serves as a renewable energy source and precursor for fuels and fine chemicals.