Invited Speakers

Warren D. Huff (born April 16, 1937) is a Professor of Geology at the University of Cincinnati (UC).[1] He specializes in clay mineralogy and studies the remnants of ancient volcanic eruptions. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College in 1959 and his Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 1963. He served as an assistant professor at UC from 1963 to 1969, as an associate professor from 1969 to 1985, and has been a professor there since 1985. He teaches introductory geology courses. He is a member of the Geological Society of America, the Society for Sedimentary Geology, the Clay Minerals Society — for whose journals he has also served as an associate editor — and the Mineralogical Society of America.

Juan Bautista Carda Castelló is a Spanish inorganic chemist and a materials scientist specializing in ceramics. He is particularly known for his research on innovative material synthesis in the ceramic industry, glass-ceramics, and photoelectric applications. He serves as a professor at Universitat Jaume I (UJI, Castelló) and is the director of the “Ciutat de Vila-real Ceramic Innovation Chair.” After completing his PhD at the University of Valencia, Carda was appointed as a professor at UJI in 2010 by a decree published in the Spanish Official Gazette. At UJI, he leads the Solid State Chemistry research group. His work focuses on the chemical synthesis of new materials in ceramics and glass technology, thin-film applications, and semiconductor coatings for photovoltaic systems. Carda was honored with the title of Honorary Professor by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in 2015. In 2016, he received the “Ambassador Honor Distinction” from Universitat Jaume I in recognition of his active role in promoting the institution internationally. In 2024, he was awarded the Premio Trayectoria by Fundación Globalis for his lifetime contributions to ceramic innovation and knowledge transfer.