Mr. Jeremy Martin O. Torres, M.Sc., PSM Division Representative for Aquatic Microbiology (FY 2012-2013) and an instructor at the Department of Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University, hosted Dr. Praveen V. Vadlani, a professor from Kansas State University, for a lecture on biofuels and platform chemicals via microbial bioprocessing. Dr. Vadlani is a Gary and Betty Lortscher Associate Professor in Renewable Energy and a faculty member at the Grain Science and Industry Department, Kansas State University, USA.

He has considerable expertise in biocatalysis and fermentation related to industrial and specialty chemicals from renewable resources. He completed his BS Chemical Engineering and MS, PhD in Biochemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, India, and MBA from Kansas State University in the US. He worked in the biopharmaceutical and biofuels industry for 12 years. At KSU, he is primarily involved in the bioconversion of renewable biomass to value-added products, including advanced biofuels, chemicals, and premium animal feed products. Dr. Vadlani researched and taught in the University of Malaya, Malaysia; University of Auckland, New Zealand; Texas A&M University and Rice University, USA ; and Sri Sathya Sai University, India. His connection with PSM did not end with this lecture. Dr. Vadlani served as host professor to the research fellowships of Dr. Shirley Agrupis, former president of PSM Northern Luzon Chapter.