Prof Mercedes Maroto-Valer OBE, FREng, FRSE, FIChemE, FRSC, FRSA, FEI, is a global leader in industrial decarbonisation, energy systems and the sustainable transition to net zero.

As Champion and Director of the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), Professor Maroto-Valer plays a defining role in shaping the UK’s approach to decarbonising energy-intensive industrial clusters. She is also Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures, training 100 PhD students on systems thinking to become industry-literate and internationally connected leaders for the green industrial revolution.

Prof Maroto-Valer is Deputy Principal (Global Sustainability) at Heriot-Watt University, leading the sustainability agenda and making a significant impact on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the global campus locations (Scotland, Dubai and Malaysia). She is director of the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS) at Heriot-Watt University, where she holds the Robert Buchan Chair in Sustainable Energy Engineering. She has previously held academic appointments at the University of Kentucky, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Nottingham.

Professor Maroto-Valer is a trusted adviser to government, international bodies and professional institutions. She is a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Council of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, providing evidence-based information to support key decisions to guide the country’s energy security and net zero policies. She represents the UK on Mission Innovation’s Technical Advisory Group and is a member of the United Nations Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition, an independent advisory council supporting engineering pathways to net zero for the UN Secretary-General. Her service to engineering includes roles with the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award Committee (UK’s longest-running and most prestigious national prize for engineering innovation), the Green Future Fellowship Programme Steering Committee and the Sino-British Engineering Technology Cooperation Steering Committee. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Energy Efficiency Movement, the global network for energy efficiency.