Biography: Dr. Melvin Bolton attended graduate school at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND. During this time, Dr. Bolton was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study at Wageningen University, the Netherlands where he studied effector proteins from the tomato pathogens Cladosporium fulvum and Verticillium dahliae. After completing his Ph.D. in 2006, Dr. Bolton joined the United States Department of Agriculture as a postdoctoral scientist at the Plant Science Research Unit in St. Paul, MN where he focused on leaf rust of wheat. Dr. Bolton accepted a position as a Research Plant Pathologist at the Sugar beet and Potato Research Unit in Fargo, ND in 2008 and has served as the Unit’s Research Leader since 2016. Dr. Bolton is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Plant Pathology at NDSU. Dr. Bolton serves on several regional, national, and international boards, councils, and committees. Dr. Bolton’s research primarily focuses on fungicide resistance management and the molecular biology of fungal and viral diseases of sugar beet.

Biography:Mr. Arvind Chudasama is the Editor of International Sugar Journal. He has been editing the journal for the past 10 years. Over this period, he has witnessed significant developments in the biorenewables sector via significant advances in industrial biotechnology, which has opened up new revenue streams for sugar producers. Mr. Arvind entered the publishing industry over 20 years ago after a spell in agricultural development that included assignments in various countries in Africa. He has Master's in Tropical Agronomy and Information Studies from Queensland and Sheffield Universities, respectively.
Title: "Policy makers and political masters in sugar industry"

Biography:Dr. Gillian Eggleston received her Ph.D. in 1989 in Carbohydrate Biophysics from Cranfield ‎Institute of Technology, UK. Since receiving her Ph.D. Dr. Eggleston has worked internationally ‎in the field of carbohydrates and industrial sugar and bioproducts processing.
In 2018, Dr. ‎Eggleston became the Director of the Audubon Sugar Institute, Louisiana State University ‎Agricultural Center. Before that she led a multi-million dollar research group focusing on sugar ‎crop processing in addition to serving on a Detail as the Director of the Southern Regional ‎Research Center in 2016.
During her career, she has had numerous accomplishments with her ‎research having had major commercial and scientific impact in the worldwide sugar and related ‎industries. Accomplishments include elucidation of the biochemical and physical processes leading ‎to sugar crop deterioration, juice clarification, industrial enzyme applications and sugar losses, ‎effects of extraneous sugarcane matter on processing, food authentication, and helping to establish ‎a new, large-scale sweet sorghum processing industry in the USA.
Her research has resulted in ‎over 422 publications (6 books, 169 peer reviewed journal papers and book chapters, 102 symposia ‎and conference proceedings, 145 abstracts, etc.). Her major scientific and commercial ‎accomplishments are reflected in 36 national and international awards, including five Sugar ‎Industry Technologists (International) Awards, three Federal Laboratory Consortium National ‎Technology Transfer Awards, the South African Society of Sugar Technologists Talbot-Crosbie ‎Award, the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists’ Maurice Paturau Award, the early ‎and senior USDA-Mid South Area Scientist Awards, the American Chemical Society (ACS) ‎Melville L. Wolfrom Award.
She is also an ACS Fellow. Dr. Eggleston frequently gives ‎international KeyNote, plenary, and workshop presentations, and consults extensively worldwide, ‎within her field of industrial processing of sugarcane, sugar beet, and sweet sorghum, and even ‎beyond in areas such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and bioenergy. Dr. Eggleston has ‎organized numerous scientific symposia and international conferences. She has mentored young ‎and older scientists as well as visiting scientists, post-doctorates, and graduates from all over the ‎world, and served as external reviewer for six PhD degrees.‎

Biography: Mr. Guilherme Nastari is the Director, DATAGRO, since 2005. Director of the Brazilian Sugar ‎and Ethanol Exporters Association (AEXA), since 2009. Since 2005, he has been engaged in ‎several Sugar and Ethanol Market Advisory Projects at DATAGRO.‎

Biography:‎“Ambition is the path to success, persistence is the vehicle you arrive in” Prof. Narendra ‎Mohan, an inspiring teacher, admirable research worker and an esteemed government official has ‎a long and distinguished career of working in sugar industry and at the institute. An author of 6 ‎books, more than 150 papers been published in various reputed journals and many patents to his ‎credit, indicates his passion for innovative work. He has played a pivotal role in converting sugar ‎industry into clean & green industry producing bio-chemicals, other bio-products and bio-energy ‎apart from sugar. Prof. Mohan is associated with many prestigious International scientific ‎societies and organizations.‎ He has been instrumental in taking the institute to across the globe and today National Sugar ‎Institute is providing its services to various sugar producing countries and in fact also providing ‎consultancy to set up a Sugar Institute at Nigeria. He has visited extensively to Switzerland, ‎Indonesia, Nigeria, France, Kenya, Thailand and Iran etc. to deliver lectures and provide ‎technical consultancy.‎ His merit and commendable work carried out for improving productivity of sugar industry has ‎been acknowledged globally for which he has been conferred with many prestigious awards, Dr ‎Bansi Dhar Gold Medal, Industry Excellence Award, Innovative Leader of Asia Award, ‎Outstanding Academic Leader of the Year, Best Director of the year award, ABP News” Award ‎and Noel Deerr Gold Medal etc.‎

Biography: Prof. D. Swain, a Mechanical Engineering Graduate has a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Design from Harcourt Buttler Technological Institute, Kanpur, India. He also possesses a Post-Graduate Diploma in Sugar Engineering from National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, India.
Prof. Swain, a chartered Engineer, is a fellow member of Institution of Engineers (India) and a life member of Sugar Technologists’ Association of India.
Prof. Swain has a vast Experience of working in various positions in sugar factories in Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India. Since last 30 years, he is working at National Sugar Institute, Kanpur heading the Engineering Division as Professor of Sugar Engineering and is a creator of many new avenues for the Institute. He has visited almost 300 sugar factories, Cogen Plants and Distilleries over the world in persuasion of his consultancy and advisory services. He has association with more than 50 Projects of Sugar, Cogen and Distillery Plants worldwide. He is very well-known for his consultancy in and outside India in the field of Milling, Cogeneration, Planning, Coordination and Implementation of New Projects and Expansion of the existing plants.
Prof. Swain has been conferred with ‘Gold Medal for Engineering Excellence’ and “Industry Excellence Award” by Sugar Technologists’ Association of India.
He has published more than 50 research papers in various journals and proceedings of conferences/seminars held at National and International Level. Conducted more than 70 seminars/workshops/brainstorming sessions as the convener.