MARK PETERS graduated with both undergraduate and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has previously worked at Sasol Technology, where he focused on low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquids conversion. He is currently a separations consultant at the Centre of Material and Process Synthesis (COMPS), based at the University of the Witwatersrand.

DAVID GLASSER is a Personal Professor of Chemical Engineering and Director of the Centre of Material and Process Synthesis (COMPS) at the University of the Witwatersrand. He has been awarded an A1 rating as a scientist by the National Research Foundation, the central research-funding organization in South Africa, and has authored or coauthored more than a hundred scientific papers.

DIANE HILDEBRANDT is the Co-Director for the Centre of Material and Process Synthesis (COMPS) at the University of the Witwatersrand. She has authored or coauthored over seventy scientific papers. She received the Presidents' Award from the Foundation for Research and Development as well as the Distinguished Researcher Award from the University of the Witwatersrand.

SHEHZAAD KAUCHALI obtained his PhD at the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is currently a full-time senior academic and the Director of the Gasification Technology and Research Group.