Dates Winter Semester 2025/26
| 30.10.2025 | 17:00 | The Role of Mining in the Sustainability Transformation* | Michael Tost | WebEx |
| 20.11.2025 | 17:00 | Greenwashing – the dirty business with your conscience | Ursula Bittner | WebEx |
| 18.12.2025 | 18:00 | From cells to cells: Microbial recovery of critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries* | Eva Gerold | WebEx |
| 15.01.2026 | 17:00 | Recycling winter sports equipment—can we save the world by doing so? | Clemens Holzer | WebEx |
| 22.01.2026 | 17:00 | Sustainability at wastewater treatment plants and sewage sludge | Markus Ellersdorfer | WebEx |
22.01.2026: Sustainability of wastewater treatment plants and sewage sludge
Markus Ellersdorfer presented by Christoph Scherounigg
Abstract
Water is one of our most important resources—for agriculture, food, and everyday life. At the same time, clean water is becoming increasingly valuable due to rising consumption, climate change, and growing environmental pollution. Households, businesses, and industry generate large amounts of wastewater every day, which is treated in sewage treatment plants to remove pollutants, return clean water to the water cycle, and protect our waterways. But in the future, sewage treatment plants will be more than just wastewater treatment facilities: they can become important suppliers of energy and raw materials. Wastewater and sewage sludge contain energy, but also valuable substances such as phosphorus and raw materials for bioplastics. The presentation shows how modern wastewater treatment plants work, what resources they can provide, and what the wastewater treatment plant of the future could look like—as an important building block of a sustainable circular economy and perhaps even as the source of tomorrow's tomatoes.
Markus Ellersdorfer is an associate professor at the Chair of Process Technology and Environmental Protection at the Technical University of Leoben. Since completing his doctorate on the combination of biogas plants and cement plants in 2011, he has been working on a central question: how can biogenic raw materials and residues be used in industry? In 2016, he founded the research department "Renewable Materials Processing", which he has headed ever since. Among other things, he deals with biogas and fermentation technologies, biological CO₂ utilization, microalgae production, hydrothermal biomass utilization, and the recovery of nutrients from wastewater.
15.01.2026: Recycling winter sports equipment—can we save the world by doing so?
Clemens Holzer presented by Christoph Scherounigg
Abstract
Skiing is Austria's national sport – but what happens to the equipment at the end of its useful life? The WINTRUST project develops circular solutions for winter sports equipment and shows how cooperation between industry and science can provide an answer to an extremely complex waste issue.
Clemens Holzer studied polymer engineering at the Montanuniversität Leoben. He worked successfully in industry in Switzerland for eight years (development engineer in central R&D, then head of production and head of R&D). He then spent six years as deputy head of the institute and professor at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland before returning to Leoben in 2008 as head of the Chair of Polymer Processing and founder of the Department of Polymer Engineering. His main research topics are: extrusion, recycling, injection molding, and additive manufacturing. He is also currently the head of the Department of Polymer Engineering and the coordinator for the Circular Engineering degree program.
18.12.2025: From cells to cells: Microbial recovery of critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries
Eva Gerold presented by Christoph Scherounigg
Abstract
This presentation provides an overview of ongoing research into the biometallurgical recovery of critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. The focus is on developing environmentally friendly, low-energy, low-reagent processes using microbial systems such as Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Gluconobacter oxydans. Parameter studies and selectivity investigations aim to elucidate bioleaching mechanisms and optimise recovery and purification strategies. The ultimate goal is to establish sustainable processes for the recycling of next-generation batteries.
Eva Gerold is Assistant Professor for Nonferrous Metallurgy at Technical University Leoben. She completed her habilitation in 2025 on integrated recycling strategies for metal‑containing residues with emphasis on lithium‑ion batteries. From 2021 to 2025, she was Senior Scientist and head of the “Recycling of lithium‑ion batteries” research group. She earned her PhD in 2021 for a hydrometallurgical recycling concept for lithium‑ion batteries and was a Research Associate from 2018 to 2021. Her degrees include a Master’s and a Bachelor’s in Industrial Environmental Protection and Process Engineering.
20.11.2025: Greenwashing – the dirty business with your conscience
Ursula Bittner presented by Christoph Scherounigg
Abstract
How do corporations deliberately contribute to blocking political action—instead of promoting real solutions? In the new Greenpeace report, Ursula Bittner shows how greenwashing has long since become a central component of global economic and political strategies. She highlights how companies and lobby groups deceive citizens and torpedo important environmental and climate regulations through misleading advertising claims and lobbying for weak laws. In this way, they secure increasing profits without having to change their core business. In this lecture, we will learn how and why greenwashing came about, why it is so dangerous, and why we are currently experiencing the peak of the greenwashing era. We will learn why “greenhushing” and “greencancelling” are dangerous variations of this strategy—and what ways there are to bring genuine sustainability and climate protection back into focus.
Ursula Bittner is an economic expert and spokesperson for Greenpeace, focusing on greenwashing, supply chains, trade, biodiversity, agriculture, and democracy. She holds a master's degree in international development (University of Vienna), a degree in international relations (Diplomatic Academy of Vienna), and a master's degree in business administration (MBA, California Lutheran University, USA). Before joining Greenpeace, she co-founded “Donau Soja,” an association for sustainable European protein supply. In 2021, she launched the anti-corruption initiative “Saubere Hände – Stoppt Korruption.” In 2024, together with Julian Hessenthaler, Fritz Hausjell, and Ramin Mirfakhrai, she initiated the association “Ans Licht!,” which aims to protect and support whistleblowers.
30.10.2025: The Role of Mining in the Sustainability Transformation
Michael Tost presented by Christoph Scherounigg
Abstract
In this talk, Michael Tost will describe the current sustainability transformation and its impact on mineral raw materials on the one hand and mining on the other. He will also present innovations that will support mining in the necessary transformation over the coming decades.
Michael Tost is Head of the Chair of Mining Engineering and Mineral Economics at Montanuniversität Leoben and owner of Mango Impact e.U., a sustainability consulting firm in Austria. He holds a doctorate in mining and environmental engineering from Montanuniversität Leoben and has completed various postgraduate courses at the London Business School, UK, and AGSM in Sydney, Australia. Before founding his own company and returning to Montanuniversität, he worked for over 12 years at Rio Tinto in various roles in sustainable development and health, safety, and environment in Austria, the UK, and Canada. He then worked as Head of External Affairs, Europe & North America at Vale in Switzerland and Head of Mining and Metals at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, where he initiated the “Mining & Metals in a Sustainable World” project and focused on promoting responsible mining development.