OUR BOARD
Executive Committee
Responsible for the operational management and key decisions of the World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies, the Executive Committee comprises the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Secretary General.
Current members are listed below:
Prof. Dr. Saffa Riffat
President
About
Professor Saffa Riffat holds a Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science from Keble College, University of Oxford, and is Emeritus Professor at the University of Nottingham.
Over his career, he has secured over £120 million in research grants, authored more than 650 refereed papers, and holds 30 international patents. He is recognised as one of the top 1% most highly cited researchers globally, and received the Research.com Engineering and Technology in United Kingdom Leader Award in both 2024 and 2025.
He serves as President of WSSET, Chairman of the SET Conference, and Editor-in-Chief of several high-impact academic journals, including Future Cities and Environment and the Journal of Climate Change. He also sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Thermal Engineering, the Journal of Green Energy, the Journal of Ambient Energy, the Journal of the Energy Institute, and the Journal of Architectural Engineering and Design Management.
He established the Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, and has built research and academic partnerships with over 100 institutions worldwide, holding honorary professorships from 11 universities across multiple continents.
His many honours include the Euro Solar Prize, Energy Globe Award, UK Engineering and Innovation Awards, Rushlight Awards, and the CIBSE Baker Silver Medal. He is a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation, a Chartered Engineer, and holds fellowships from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, and the Institute of Energy. He is one of the world’s most distinguished researchers in sustainable energy technologies and the built environment.
Prof. Dr. James Riffat
Chief Executive Officer
About
Professor James Riffat is a British engineer and academic with expertise spanning sustainable energy systems, building technologies, and climate-focused innovation. He holds a professorship at Guangzhou VUST, China, and serves as editor of several international academic journals, including titles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science.
As founder and director of Caravel Press, a British open access academic publisher. Built on the principle that researchers should come first, its growing portfolio of journals spans some of the most pressing challenges in science and sustainability, with article processing charges set as low as possible so that financial barriers never stand between a researcher and their work being heard.
As CEO of the World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies, he provides strategic leadership across all areas of the organisation, from research dissemination and academic publishing to awards, membership, and society development. He works to strengthen WSSET’s global presence, build partnerships with universities and industry, and ensure the organisation continues to serve its community of researchers and professionals.
His research has been supported by funding from EPSRC, Innovate UK, SBRI, and the European Union, with applied projects spanning air purification, renewable energy systems, sustainable refrigeration, and energy storage, delivered in collaboration with industry partners and universities across the UK, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Dr. Ziwei Chen
Secretary General
About
Dr. Ziwei Chen serves as Secretary General of the World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, where she is a member of the Buildings, Energy and Environment Research Group.
In her role as Secretary General, she serves as a principal point of coordination for WSSET’s global membership, overseeing communications, supporting the organisation’s strategic initiatives, and helping to maintain the relationships and partnerships that underpin the society’s international reach.
A graduate of the University of Nottingham with a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours, a Master of Science with Distinction, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Building Technology, she was recognised for academic excellence at every stage of her training, culminating in the Dean Moore Award of Tri-Campus Postgraduate Prize for her doctoral research.
Her research focuses on low-carbon building technology, encompassing thermochemical energy storage, phase change materials, and advanced sustainable building systems. She has led and contributed to a substantial portfolio of competitively funded projects supported by Horizon Europe, EPSRC, and Innovate UK, and supervises doctoral researchers working at the cutting edge of sustainable energy.
She serves as Associate Editor of several international journals including Future Cities and Environment and the Journal of Climate Change, and holds a standing role on the scientific and organising committees of the International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies.
Our Team
Comprising individuals working across management, operations, and ambassadorships, our team supports the organisation’s work day to day.
Current members are listed below:
Ms Livia Ardelia
Marketing & Communications Manager
About
Livia Ardelia manages WSSET’s online presence, helping to share its work in sustainable energy and environmental technologies with a wider audience. She focuses on clear, accessible digital communication to support the organisation’s outreach and engagement.
Ms Safira Adelia
Administrative Assistant
About
Safira Adelia provides vital support across day-to-day operations, helping to ensure the smooth running of administrative tasks and coordination within the organisation.
Mr Ruihong Weng
Research Outreach Ambassador
About
Ruihong Weng, an engineering student at Shenzhen University, China, serves as Research Outreach Ambassador at WSSET, connecting early-career researchers worldwide with open access publication opportunities across sustainable energy, environmental science, low-carbon technology, and beyond.
Ms Jialu Xu
Research Outreach Ambassador
About
Jialu Xu, a Biotechnology student at Northeast Forestry University, China, serves as Research Outreach Ambassador at WSSET, connecting early-career researchers worldwide with open access publication opportunities across sustainable energy, environmental science, low-carbon technology, and beyond.