Speakers, Panelists, and Session Chairs

• Richard Martinello, Yale School of Medicine 
• Ashish Mathur, Ultraviolet Devices Inc.
• Richard Rasansky, XCMR Inc.
• Ted Mao, Evercloak and International Ultraviolet Association President
• Kathleen McPhaul, University of Maryland School of Public Health 
• Dustin Poppendieck, National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Stephanie Gora, York University, Toronto
• Cameron Miller, National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Phyllis Posy, PosyGlobal
• Curtis Donskey, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center/ Case Western Reserve University
• Paula Olsiewski, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
• Katherine Ratliff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Katja Auer, Wellness Consultants, LLC
• Stephen Martin, Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service
• Joy Dunkers, National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Troy Cowan, Vision Based Consulting, LLC
• Holger Claus, Ushio America Inc.
• James Montavon, Blueprint Biosecurity 
• Gigi Kwik Gronvall, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
• Richard Vincent, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Tatiana Koutchma, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Bill Anderson,University of Waterloo
• Shawn Verhoeven, GAP EnviroMicrobial Services Ltd.

More speakers to be announced!

 

Richard Martinello, Yale School of Medicine 

Dr. Richard Martinello is a Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine. He is board certified in adult and pediatric infectious diseases and completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He trained in adult and pediatric infectious diseases in addition to healthcare epidemiology at Yale. Dr. Martinello most recently served as the Senior Physician Director of Infection Prevention for Yale New Haven Hospital and the Yale New Haven Health System for nearly a decade before becoming the Chief Medical Officer for Yale Medicine. 

He had previously served as the Chief Consultant for Clinical Public Health for the Department of Veterans Affairs. In each of these roles, he leads teams focused on programs, policies, and processes to improve the safety, effectiveness, and quality of care provided to patients. He is the principal investigator of a research program funded by the CDC for work focused on improving infection prevention and control. 

 

Ashish Mathur, Ultraviolet Devices Inc.

Dr. Mathur serves as Vice President, Innovation and Technology at Ultraviolet Devices Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of UV products for both air, surface disinfection. He received his doctorate and master’s degrees in polymer science from Cornell University, USA. Dr. Mathur has over twenty-five years of experience in platform technology development, product innovation, technology transfer, manufacturing and commercialization of products for the UV disinfection and filtration industry. He holds several patents and over thirty publications to his credit. He serves on the Board of the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) and is an active member of ASHRAE, where he recently served as Chair of the Technical Committee for Ultraviolet Disinfection. He is active in UV Standards developments, Handbook chapters and Research projects for the UV Industry and leads the Industry Working Group for application of UV technology in public spaces.

 

Richard Rasansky, XCMR Inc.

Richard A. Rasansky is the co-founder and CEO of XCMR Inc., a techbio startup specializing in next generation, proprietary UV-C protection solutions to combat infectious disease transmission. A seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience, he has held leadership roles across various industries, including biosecurity, software, healthcare, financial and consumer services. He is a pioneer in global supply chain standards and IoT, with expertise in AI, machine learning, and data science. His innovations have supported real-time data services and connected solutions to drive applications, analytics, and engagement for diverse sectors such as digital health, fintech, apparel, and foodservice. An alumnus of the Wharton School and Penn Engineering, he holds patents in respiratory protection, scheduling applications and feedback systems. Rasansky contributes to industry boards, mentors students and entrepreneurs, and lectures on innovation at leading universities.

 

Ted Mao, Evercloak and International Ultraviolet Association President

Dr. Ted Mao is the Chief Technology Officer at Evercloak (www.evercloak.com), an award-winning advanced materials start-up, and the Founder and Principal Consultant of MW Technologies, where he supports CleanTech start-ups in developing and commercializing new technologies.  Previously, he was Vice President of Research and Chief Technology Officer at Trojan Technologies for 14 years, one of the world’s largest UV water treatment companies. Dr. Mao is a globally recognized expert in UV technology and CleanTech innovator.  He led science and innovation at Trojan to help drive Trojan’s growth by 300% and build a global leading brand in the water industry with differentiated and IP protected offerings.  Today, Trojan’s solutions support safe water access and environmental protection for over 1 billon people in more than 100 countries.

Dr. Mao has made an outstanding contribution to the adoption of UV water treatment around the world through rigorous science, industry-academic collaborations and partnerships with regulators.  He pioneered large scale implementation of the Mitacs industry internship program, partnering with more than 10 universities and supporting over 100 graduate and postdoctoral fellows to accelerate innovation and nurture future talents. 

Dr. Mao serves as President and executive board member of the International UV Association (IUVA). He is also a member of Professional Engineers Ontario and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Kathleen McPhaul, University of Maryland School of Public Health 

Kathleen M McPhaul, RN, MPH, PhD is an Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health.  Her work addresses the social determinants of health via recognizing and evaluating interventions that improve working conditions in high hazard workplaces.   She uses community-based research mixed methods to ensure that workers’ and communities’ perspectives are included in the research. Currently, she focuses on pandemic preparedness for airborne respiratory diseases, especially the engineering and building controls that improve air hygiene (i.e. ventilation, filtration and germicidal ultraviolet light air disinfection).  She also examines the best options for personal protective equipment for healthcare employees and the utilization of masks as infectious source control. 

Currently, she leads research on the best approaches to communication with communities to ensure that information and messaging is clear and actionable with respect to indoor air, germicidal UV, and other pandemic preparedness issues.

 

Dustin Poppendieck, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Dustin Poppendieck is an environmental engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He is interested in how building materials, building envelopes, low energy building designs, air filtration, infiltration, ventilation, and HVAC system operation can interact and affect indoor chemistry. His research involves characterizing primary emission sources, reactions at material surfaces and ozone influenced air chemistry. 

He has investigated emissions from kerosene can lamps, spray polyurethane foam, and non-smoldering cigarette butts.  He has examined the impacts of air cleaners (including germicidal ultraviolet devices) and high concentrations of gaseous disinfectants on indoor chemistry.

 

Stephanie Gora, York University, Toronto

Dr. Stephanie Gora is an assistant professor at York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she leads the Safe and Sustainable Water Research Group and teaches courses related to water resources engineering, water process design, and engineering design principles. Her team's research is focused on the development and application of light-based technologies (e.g. UV, advanced oxidation, photocatalysis) for water treatment and biofilm control. The team also works on projects that aim to develop sustainable drinking water solutions for small, remote, and underserved communities, particularly in Inuit Nunangat. 

Dr. Gora holds a PhD from the University of Toronto and is registered as a professional engineer with Engineers Nova Scotia and Professional Engineers Ontario. She is a long time volunteer with the International UV Association, where she recently led the Biofilm and UV Task Force, as well as the Ontario Water Works Association and the Canadian Association on Water Quality. Dr. Gora’s team website is here for more information: https://www.yorku.ca/lassonde/research/sswrg/ 

 

Cameron Miller, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Cameron Miller joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology in 1996. In 2022 Cameron became the Deputy Division Chief for the Sensor Science Division. Currently, he focuses on research including Photometry & Radiometry, Germicidal Ultraviolet Irradiance, Photopolymer additive manufacturing, and measurement uncertainty. 

Cameron is active in standards organization and professional societies, such as Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA), CIE, and ASTM. Cameron was made an IES Fellow in 2023. He is also an NVLAP assessor for the Energy Efficient Lighting Program and the Calibration Program. Cameron obtained his PhD in Physical Chemistry from Cornell University (1994).

 

Phyllis Posy, PosyGlobal

PosyGlobal develops proposals and funding applications for government agencies and industry, specializing in UV, water technologies, regulatory affairs and environmental restoration.  As an expert member of ISO TC282, Phyllis promoted standards for UV for water recycling for agriculture. 

She recently completed 5 years as Chair of the IUVA Education Committee, establishing the IUVA Education Resource Center and the IUVA’s Glossary effort. In prior roles, she organized successful campaigns to change EPA and FDA regulations to expand use of UV as well as applying validation protocols to UV efficacy for viruses.  

 

Curtis Donskey, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center/ Case Western Reserve University

Curtis Donskey, MD, is an Infectious Diseases physician and hospital epidemiologist at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center and a Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. His research focuses primarily on epidemiology and control of healthcare-associated pathogens. 

His laboratory has conducted numerous investigations of ultraviolet light technologies in laboratory and clinical settings. These technologies have included UV-C, UV-A, and far UV-C light devices. His work has been funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

 

Paula Olsiewski, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

Dr. Olsiewski is a Contributing Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. She is a pioneering leader in policy and scientific research programs in the microbiology and chemistry of indoor environments. Dr. Olsiewski leads the Center’s work on indoor air quality policy to mitigate airborne disease and global catastrophic biological risks. 

During her 2 decades at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, she led innovative and multidisciplinary programs that inspired, accelerated, and produced lasting impact. Her expertise in partnering with academic, governmental, and for-profit stakeholders fostered innovation and built research capacity through the creation of diverse stakeholder networks. Her accomplishments include the creation and direction of the microbiology of the built environment, chemistry of indoor environments, and biosecurity programs. 

Dr. Olsiewski is recognized as a leading expert in biosecurity and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She was Chair of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Homeland Security Research Subcommittee and was a member of the EPA Board of Scientific Counselors Executive Committee 2014-2022. She is a member of the Academy of Fellows of the International Society for Indoor Air Quality and Climate and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in chemistry. Dr. Olsiewski received a PhD in biological chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and received a BS in chemistry, cum laude, from Yale University. Dr. Olsiewski's full bio is here.

 

Katherine Ratliff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Dr. Katherine Ratliff is a physical scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development and principal investigator in EPA’s Homeland Security Research Program. She uses numerical models, lab, and field-scale studies to develop strategies aimed at reducing the risk of exposure to hazardous contaminants, including leading EPA’s research to evaluate the effectiveness of air cleaning technologies against airborne pathogens. Dr. Ratliff is also involved in developing standard methods and testing guidelines for these technologies, including ultraviolet devices, and supports EPA’s regulatory mission under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). She received her B.A. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in Earth and Ocean Sciences from Duke University. 

 

Katja Auer, Wellness Consultants, LLC

Dr. Katja Auer, EdD, has been a pivotal figure in the UV-C industry for nearly two decades, focusing on pathogen reduction in the environment. Her extensive expertise spans applications engineering, regulatory compliance, quality management, education, and complex systems leadership. Dr. Auer has been a member of ASHRAE since 2007, serving in various capacities including Subject Matter Expert, Chair of Technical Committee 2.09 UV-C for Air and Surface Disinfection, Chair of SSPC185 Methods of Test for Microorganism Inactivation in HVAC Systems, and Voting Member of GPC 37 Guidelines for Upper-Air UV-C Devices. She also convenes the US TAG to ISO/TC 142 WG2. Dr. Auer holds a BA in Chemistry from Southern Connecticut State University, an MA in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Arizona, an MBA from the University of La Verne, and an EdD from the University of Houston. 

 

Stephen Martin, Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service

CAPT Stephen B. Martin, Jr. (Steve) is a Senior Research Engineer Officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service assigned to the Field Studies Branch of the Respiratory Health Division at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Morgantown, West Virginia. He led the Filtration and Disinfection Team of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force that was formed early in the pandemic to provide critical ventilation guidance. More recently, he led the Air Cleaning Working Group in the development of ASHRAE Standard 241: Control of Infectious Aerosols. 

 

 

Joy Dunkers, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Joy Dunkers is a Physical Scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD, where her technical specialty is optical imaging and spectroscopy. She has over 30 years experience with rigorous, impartial and data-driven science in the areas of materials, modeling and visualization, cell therapy, microbial systems and most recently germicidal UV inactivation. She currently serves a vice chair for ASHRAE 185: Methods of Test to Inactivate Microorganisms in HVAC Systems with UV-C Lights. She is also a member of the U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 142, WG 2 (UV-C technology) and the IUVA Healthcare/UV Working Group. She received her BSE, MS and PhD in Macromolecular Science from Case Western Reserve University. 

 

Troy E. Cowan, Vision Based Consulting, LLC

Richard L. Vincent, MS, FIES, LEED AP, Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, trained as an architect and specialized in technology management. He is part of a Sinai investigative team studying integrative lighting to improve sleep of patients during hospitalization. His research in germicidal UV (GUV) applications encompasses induct for biosecurity, upper room for airborne pathogen reduction and whole room for surface decontamination of hospital associated pathogens. He has studied the application of traditional Hg sources, 254nm, LED, 275 nm and excimer 222nm filtered sources as well as LED visible light, 405nm.  He currently chairs the ASHRAE Upper Room UV-C₂₅₄ Guidelines Committee (GPC 37) and TC 2.9 research subcommittee. Since 1988, Mr. Vincent has devoted his time to working on germicidal UV solutions to interrupt transmission of tuberculosis starting with the Tuberculosis Ultraviolet Shelter Study (TUSS) led by Dr. Philip W. Brickner, MD, PI and Dr. Edward A. Nardell, MD, Co-I.  

Mr. Vincent has worked on upper room germicidal UV projects in the US, India and Pakistan.  He has lectured on the use of upper room GUV during the COVID-19 pandemic. During COVID-19 he is joined a team of Sinai virologists and bioengineers to conducting research on inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 using UV-C₂₅₄ for reuse of respirators. His most recent work with the Mount Sinai team, includes a pulmonologist, to develop a localized source control to capture and irradiate high flow exhalate from infectious patients before release into a room or reuse to conserve oxygen in high-flow ventilation procedures.  His current work involves use of 222nm UV-C in patient room settings to assess applicability for continuous surface decontamination.  He is reporting on UV inactivation rate constants for design based on work with a group of scientists at the University of Maryland, led by Dr. Jelena Srebric. The UV inactivation rate constants database was sponsored by ASHRAE.

Tatiana Koutchma, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Dr. Tatiana Koutchma is a Research Scientist at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph Research and Development Centre where she leads research in novel food processing.  Tatiana’s activity focuses on application of novel processing technologies including ultraviolet light (UV) to enhance microbial and chemical safety and functionality of foods and feed including regulatory approvals, validation and technology transfer.  Tatiana initiates, directs and performs fundamental and applied research on UV light application for beverages, grain, food and food contact surfaces; interacts extensively with Canadian and international government agencies and collaborates with industry and academia partners. 

Tatiana is an active promoter of novel food processing and science-based regulations to professional community.  She is a Scientific Editor of the Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, Journal of Food Process Engineering, Food Science and Technology International, She is a co-founder and co-chair of UV for Food Working Group of International UV Association (IUVA). Tatiana is a past Chair of Nonthermal Processing Division of Institute of Food Technologies (IFT),  led food engineering track of Annual Meeting Scientific Program Advisory Panel (AMSPAP) and a member of IFT leadership committee. She authored and co-authored 8 books, 14 book chapters, and more than 100 publications in peer reviewed and trade journals.

Bill Anderson,University of Waterloo

Dr. William A. (Bill) Anderson is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada.  He has 30+ years of research and consulting experience in photoreactors, photocatalysis, advanced oxidation and other technologies for air and water treatment.  His activities in the areas of disinfection and infection prevention include development and commercialization of rapid microbial detection tests, UVC surface and air disinfection testing, pathogen reduction on textiles, and antimicrobial surfaces and coatings.  He has participated in a IUVA task force on submerged UVC lamp output measurements and is the Chair of a Standards Council of Canada ISO mirror committee on the development of standard methods for testing antimicrobial hard surfaces.  

He currently leads a proposed research project in collaboration with Health Canada and others to develop methods and measure UVC dose-response characteristics of target pathogens on surfaces for use in regulatory reviews of such germicidal devices.

 

Shawn Verhoeven, GAP EnviroMicrobial Services Ltd.

Shawn Verhoeven is a skilled microbiologist and the Technical Manager at GAP EnviroMicrobial Services Ltd. (GAP), a leading provider of environmental microbiology laboratory services. GAP specializes in microbial support for UV water disinfection bioassays and UV equipment validation. With over two decades of expertise, GAP has played a crucial role in advancing UV Disinfection Guidance Manual (UVDGM) and National Water Research Institute (NWRI) UV validation protocols, including pioneering the use of T1UV as a key microbial surrogate.

Shawn brings over 17 years of experience in supporting UV disinfection bioassays, both in laboratory settings and in the field. He has made significant contributions to understanding and addressing key challenges in UV collimated beam uncertainty, developing strategies to minimize these issues. Additionally, Shawn was involved in the early development of action spectra for key microbial surrogates used in UV disinfection equipment validation. His ongoing work continues to improve the accuracy of UV bioassay testing, particularly in identifying and resolving interactions between certain surrogates, specific water types, and UVT modifiers that can lead to errors in testing.