August 25–27, 2026 | Historic Brown Palace Hotel & Spa | Denver, Colorado
Don Klass Award for Excellence in Thermochemical Conversion Science
The award was established in memory of Donald L. Klass, whose distinguished career includes management of biomass, natural gas, and petroleum research and educational programs for the Institute of Gas Technology (now GTI Energy) and the petroleum industry.
2026 Recipients
Dr. Jennifer Holmgren Chairman & CEO of LanzaTech
Under Jennifer’s guidance, LanzaTech is developing a variety of platform chemicals and fuels, including the world’s first alternative jet fuel derived from industrial waste gases. She is also the Director and Chair of the LanzaJet Board of Directors. Prior to LanzaTech, Jennifer was the founding VP and General Manager of the Renewable Energy and Chemicals business unit at UOP LLC, a Honeywell Company. While there, she was a key driver of their leadership in low carbon aviation biofuels.
Jennifer has authored or co-authored 50 U.S. patents and more than 30 scientific publications and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). In 2023, she was named to the Time Magazine Climate 100 list of Most Influential Leaders. Jennifer also sits on the Advisory Council for the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University, the National Academies' Board on Energy and Environmental Systems (BEES), the Advisory Council for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), the Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS International Advisory Council, and the Founder Advisory for The Engine, a venture capital fund built by MIT that invests in early-stage science and engineering companies.
Jennifer holds a B.Sc. degree from Harvey Mudd College, a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a MBA from the University of Chicago, and Honorary Doctorates from the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and St. Mary's College, Notre Dame.
Dr. Thomas Kolb
Chair of Fuel Process Engineering, KIT
Engler-Bunte-Institut, Fuel Technology
Department “Gasification Technology”
Institute for Technical Chemistry
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Kolb is a chemical engineer and researcher specializing in fuel process engineering, gasification technology, and renewable gas systems at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His work focuses on high-temperature process engineering, thermochemical conversion, and the development of sustainable energy pathways for the circular economy. Over his career, he has held leadership roles in academia and industry, including at BASF and KIT, and has contributed to major research initiatives such as the bioliq® process.
Past Recipients
2024
Dr. Robert G. Graham
Ensyn
2022
Ms. Terry Marker
GTI Energy
2019
Dr. Doug Elliott
PNNL
2017
Mr. Ingvar Landälv
Chemrec/Luleå University
2015
Dr. Robert Brown
Iowa State University
2013
Dr. Esteban Chornet
Enerkem/Sherbrooke University
2011
Dr. Suresh Babu
GTI Energy/Brookhaven National Lab
2009
Dr. Tony Bridgwater
Aston University
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