Mr. Muller, ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, High Purity Segment – Gas-Phase, AAF International, is recognized globally as an expert in indoor/environmental air quality, filtration and enhanced air cleaning systems, and gas-phase air filtration technology with demonstrated competencies in product development and applications. With more than 30 years in the filtration industry, he has written and spoken extensively on these and related topics with more than 250 articles and peer-reviewed papers, more than 150 seminars, and 8 handbooks to his credit. He has been a driving force on multiple industry association and technical committees, improving awareness and standards in the industry, especially in the field of gas-phase air filtration and indoor environmental air quality. He co-authored ASHRAE’s Position Document on Filtration and Air Cleaning, ASHRAE Guideline 42P: Indoor Air Quality in Commercial and Institutional Buildings, and ASHRAE Standard 62.1 User’s Manual.

Panelists

 Dr. Cédric Vallet is Head of Product Management & Business Development for the Filtration Division at Ahlstrom (France). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Rennes in 2006 and an Engineering Master’s degree in Chemistry from ENSCR in 2002. With more than 19 years of experience in filtration, he has held key roles across R&D, Sales, and Marketing, with a focus on air and liquid filtration solutions for transportation applications. In his current role, Dr. Vallet leads global efforts to advance sustainable filtration materials and solutions. A strong advocate for filtration education, he also serves on WFI Advisory Board.

Dr. Naren Vitchuli, Lead Scientist, Hollingsworth & Vose, USA

Dr. Vitchuli is the Lead Scientist at Hollingsworth & Vose, USA for developing nonwoven filter media for gas phase filtration. Dr.Vitchuli has in-depth knowledge about gas adsorbents, their incorporations in nonwoven media and their gas adsorption testing. Since 2016 at H&V, Dr.Vitchuli has developed nonwoven media products for air, liquid and gas phase filtration, gathering expertise in melt blown, carding and fine fiber technologies. Prior to joining H&V, he started his career in a startup company as a scientist, developing functional polymer fiber materials for cell culture, battery separator and food additive applications, through liquid shear process. Dr.Vitchuli received his Ph.D. degree in Fiber Polymer Science in 2011, and did Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Chemical & Bio-Molecular Engineering 2011- 2013, both from North Carolina State University. He has several peer-review journal publications and patents applications in his academic and professional career.

Mr. Nick Agopian is President of Reviveaire, USA. With 30+ years of Filtration, HVAC & energy-recovery experience, Nick focuses on Indoor Air Quality and improving the human condition indoors. Nick’s has held executive positions of VP for various businesses like Circul-Aire, Dectron Internationale, President and General Manager at SEMCO, a Fläkt Woods company, and Vice President at RenewAire. Nick is highly involved with ASHRAE,where he sits on numerous technical committees, such as ASHRAE 62.1 & 62.2, ASHRAE Position Document - Human Health and Wellness in the Built Environment, TC 2.3, SPC 145P, TRG4.IAQP, TG 9, etc. He’s also served on a special board for filtration part of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors for the Missouri Innovation Center’s Life Sciences Business Incubator, Board of the local Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the Board for the Home Ventilating Institute. A committed lifelong learner, Agopian’s undergrad was in Mechanical Systems Engineering from Vanier, Quebec, Canada, and an International M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Mr. Al Vatine is a globally well-recognized expert in various air filter testing and evaluation. He studied biology at Macalester College and graduated in Pathology at the University of Minnesota, USA. He started LMS Technologies in 1996 in response to the increasing demand from the industry for filter measurement. Al has over 35 years of experience in comprehensive air filtration testing, test equipment design, research and development. The company is establishing the core facility for fiberization, filtration, nozzle design, and filtration research and development. They have successfully designed the largest test system with a capacity of 25,000 CFM and built-in back pulse, rain, sand storm, ice pulse removal, 99% humidity, and saltwater migration testing capability. This system provides realistic test data for gas turbines and large engine intake filters used in the aerospace and defense industry.