The people who make WSSET work.
From the Executive Committee and Research Chairs to our operational team, every person behind WSSET is committed to supporting the researchers and academics who make up our global community.
Executive Committee
Responsible for the operational management and key decisions of WSSET, the Executive Committee comprises the President, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General.
Prof. Dr. Saffa Riffat
Professor Saffa Riffat holds a DPhil and DSc from Keble College, University of Oxford, and is Emeritus Professor at the University of Nottingham. 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. His honours include the Euro Solar Prize, Energy Globe Award and the CIBSE Baker Silver Medal.
Prof. Dr. James Riffat
Professor James Riffat is a British engineer and academic with expertise in sustainable energy systems, building technologies and climate-focused innovation. As CEO, he provides strategic leadership across all areas of WSSET, from research dissemination and academic publishing to membership and society development. He is founder and director of Caravel Press, a British open access academic publisher. His research has been supported by EPSRC, Innovate UK, SBRI and the European Union, spanning air purification, renewable energy systems and energy storage.
Dr. Ziwei Chen
Dr. Ziwei Chen is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham. As Secretary General, she coordinates WSSET's global membership, oversees communications and supports the society's strategic initiatives. Her research focuses on low-carbon building technology, encompassing thermochemical energy storage, phase change materials and advanced sustainable building systems. She has led projects supported by Horizon Europe, EPSRC and Innovate UK, and serves as Associate Editor of Future Cities and Environment and the Journal of Climate Change.
Research Chairs
Our Research Chairs lead research direction and academic oversight across WSSET's key focus areas.
Appointments coming soon
We are currently in the process of appointing our Research Chairs. This section will be updated once appointments have been confirmed.
Our Team
Our team works across management, operations and outreach to support WSSET's day-to-day activities and keep the society running for its members.
Ms Livia Ardelia
Marketing & Communications Manager
Livia manages WSSET's online presence, focusing on clear, accessible digital communication to support the organisation's outreach and engagement.
Ms Safira Adelia
Administrative Assistant
Safira provides 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
An engineering student at Shenzhen University, China, Ruihong connects early-career researchers with open access publication opportunities across sustainable energy and engineering.
Ms Jialu Xu
Research Outreach Ambassador
A biotechnology student at Northeast Forestry University, China, Jialu connects researchers in life sciences, environmental biology and sustainability with open access publishing opportunities.