Bruno Georges Pollet



Bruno Georges Pollet BSc(Hons) MSc PhD FIAHE FRSC (born in 1969), is a French electrochemist and electrochemical engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Fellow of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy, a full professor of chemistry, director of the Green Hydrogen Lab and member of the Hydrogen Research Institute (Institut de recherche sur l'hydrogène) at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières in Canada. He has worked on Hydrogen Energy in the UK, Japan, South Africa, Norway and Canada, and has both industrial and academic experience. He is a prolific scholar, collaborator, and mentor. He is also regarded as one of the most prominent Hydrogen experts and one of the Hydrogen "influencers" in the world.

Early life and education
Bruno G. Pollet was born in Orléans and grew up in Grenoble, France. He was educated in France, England (through the Erasmus Programme) and Scotland. Prior to entering the French university system, he did his Terminale C (baccalaureat C - mathematics and physical sciences) at the Lycée Pierre du Terrail (high school) where he studied with the French researcher and infectiologist, specialist in HIV, hepatitis and Covid-19, Karine Lacombe. He received a Diploma in Chemistry and Materials Science at the Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France (1991), a Bachelor's Honours Degree in Applied Chemistry at Coventry University, England (1992), a Masters Degree in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (1994) and a Ph.D. Degree in electrochemistry with the dissertation "The Effect of Ultrasound on Electrochemical Processes" at the Sonochemistry Centre of Excellence, School of Chemistry, Coventry University in England (1998) under the supervision of Professors Tim J. Mason (sonochemist) and John P. Lorimer (physical chemist). He was also a Postdoctoral researcher in Electrocatalysis at the University of Liverpool Electrochemistry Group led by Professor David J. Schiffrin (2001). He was offered and turned down a 3-year Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) position at the Compton Electrochemistry Group at Oxford University (1998) and a 1-year Postdoctoral researcher position at the Allen J. Bard Electrochemistry Group at the University of Texas at Austin (2001).

Memberships, Awards and Invitations
He is a member of the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET): An Independent Advisory Council to the United Nations’ Secretary-General and CEET Hydrogen Task Force leader. He is also member of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Hydrogen Task Force, the “Renewable Hydrogen” task of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Program (TCP) and the IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Advanced Fuel Cells. He is President of the Green Hydrogen Division of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy, member of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE), member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA), member of the Board of Directors of Hydrogène Québec, leader of H2CAN 2.0 (a cluster of hydrogen R&D groups in Canada) and member of the Board of the European Society of Sonochemistry. He is member of the Electrochemical Society and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Canadian electrolyzer company, Hydrogen Optimized, led by the Stuart family which builds on a heritage of more than 100 years in the design of unipolar alkaline water electrolysis cells and plants, that has delivered 1 billion operating hours in approximately 1,000 hydrogen plants in 100 countries. He is Scientific Advisor of TES Canada H2 Inc., one of the largest producers of renewable hydrogen and natural gas in Canada. He is also Scientific Advisor of Cipher Neutron Inc., the only Canadian technology company focussing on disruptive AEM electrolyser technologies. He has recently been nominated as the "Hydrogen Champion" and Scientific Committee member of the Energy Transition Valley (Vallée de la Transition Énergétique - VTÉ). He was awarded two prestigious research chairs: NSERC Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Green Hydrogen Production, and the Innergex Renewable Energy Research Chair (partly funded by the Québec Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie) focussing on the next generation of hydrogen production and water electrolyzers (electrolysis of water). He was awarded the "IAHE Sir William Grove Award" in recognition of his leadership and his groundbreaking works in hydrogen, fuel cell and electrolyser technologies by the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE) as well as the "SCI Canada International Award" by the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) in recognition of outstanding service and contributions in the international sphere to an industry that is based on Chemistry, for its processes and/or services. During his time at the University of Birmingham Centre for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research, he was named as "Birmingham Hero" for his hydrogen and fuel cell works. In Norway, together with Torstein Dale Sjøtveit, he was member of the foundation group for the establishment of FREYR Battery (lithium-ion battery manufacturer). In 2022, Bruno G. Pollet was invited to witness at the Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources and the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, the House of Commons in Canada. In 2024, he initiated and was the catalyst for the establishment of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hydrogen Europe and the Canadian Hydrogen Association to accelerate hydrogen deployment and facilitate trade in clean molecules. In June 2024, he was awarded Fellow of the IAHE for his persistent promotion of Green hydrogen Technologies.

Research and Teaching
His research field covers a wide range of areas within electrochemistry, electrochemical engineering, electrochemical energy conversion and sonoelectrochemistry (use of ultrasound in electrochemistry). This includes the development of new energy materials (storage of hydrogen, electrolyzer, fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors); water treatment / disinfection; demonstrators and prototypes. He pioneered the use of ultrasound in the area of hydrogen science and technology. Since 1995, he has worked closely with the chemical engineer, Professor Jean-Yves Hihn (Université de Franche-Comté) in the area of sonoelectrochemistry. In their 2007 paper in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society, they proposed an equation as a tool for sonoelectrochemical research, known as the "Pollet-Hihn equation". During his time in the UK, he worked for several companies that include Johnson Matthey on fuel cell components and testing. He also worked closely with the British physicist and Fellow of the Royal Society, Kevin Kendall who both co-founded the University of Birmingham Centre for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research. In 2010, together with Kevin Kendall FRS, he developed the first Master and PhD programmes with integrated studies in hydrogen, fuel cells and their applications under the £5.5m UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Centre that included the University of Birmingham, the University of Loughborough and the University of Nottingham. According to ResearchGate, Bruno G. Pollet has over 390 publications that include peer-reviewed articles, conference articles, book chapters and authored/edited books. According to Google Scholar, his works have been highly cited (more than 15,000 times), with an h-index of 58 as of May 2024. According to the prestigious list published by Stanford University and the Scopus database, which brings together 9 million scientists, Bruno G. Pollet is among the 2% of most cited research experts across the planet in 2022.

Career

 * Adjunct professor in Renewable Energy from August 2021 to July 2023 at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway.
 * Professor of Chemistry from August 2021 at the Hydrogen Research Institute (HRI), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada.
 * Leader of H2CAN 2.0, a cluster of hydrogen R&D groups in Canada.
 * INNERGEX Industrial Research Chair holder in Renewable Hydrogen Production from January 2022.
 * NSERC Tier 1 Canada Research Chair holder in Green Hydrogen Production from August 2021.
 * President of the Green Hydrogen Division of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE) from September 2020.
 * Visiting Professor of Chemistry from June 2020 to July 2021 at the Hydrogen Research Institute (HRI), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada.
 * Visiting Professor of Hydrogen Energy from January 2019 to December 2021 at the South African Institute of Advanced Materials Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
 * Leader of NTNU Energy Team Hydrogen from April 2019 to July 2021, Norway.
 * Professor of renewable energy from May 2017 to July 2021 at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norway.
 * Professor of Energy Materials and Systems from March 2012 to March 2015 and Director of HySA (Hydrogen South Africa) Systems Integration & Technology Validation Competence Centre at the South African Institute of Advanced Materials Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.
 * Visiting Professor since March 2013 at the Hydrogen Safety Engineering and Research Center, HySAFER, University of Ulster, UK.
 * In 2018, he was a member of the founding group for the establishment of lithium-ion battery gigafactory, FREYR Battery, Norway.
 * In 2013, he was elected as member of the Board of Directors of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy.
 * Visiting Professor at the Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Centre, University of Yamanashi, Japan from 2010 to 2016.
 * In 2010, he was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), UK.
 * In 2008, he was part of a team of engineers, who made sure to put into operation the first hydrogen refueling station in England.
 * In 2007, he helped with the second generation of hydrogen and fuel cell cars - Microcab

Peer-reviewed publications

 * List of Bruno G. Pollet's publications in Google Scholar
 * List of Bruno G. Pollet's publications in ResearchGate
 * List of Bruno G. Pollet's publications in Scopus
 * List of Bruno G. Pollet's publications in CRIStin

Books

 * 2012 - Power Ultrasound in Electrochemistry: From Versatile Laboratory Tool to Engineering Solution, Editor: Bruno G. Pollet, Wiley, ISBN 9780470974247
 * 2016 - The Energy Landscape in the Republic of South Africa, Authors: Bruno G. Pollet, Iain Staffell, Kerry-Ann Adamson, Springer, ISBN 9783319255088
 * 2016 - Recent Advances in High-Temperature PEM Fuel Cells, Authors: Sivakumar Pasupathi, Juan Carlos Calderon Gomez, Huaneng Su, Harikishan Reddy, Piotr Bujlo, Cordellia Sita, Bruno G. Pollet, Elsevier, ISBN 9780128099896
 * 2017 - Hydrogen Electrochemical Production, Editor: Bruno G. Pollet, Elsevier, ISBN 9780128112502
 * 2017 - One-dimensional Nanostructures for PEM Fuel Cell Applications, Editor: Bruno G. Pollet, Elsevier, ISBN 9780128111123
 * 2018 - PEM Water Electrolysis, Vol.1, Editor: Bruno G. Pollet, Elsevier, ISBN 9780128111451
 * 2018 - PEM Water Electrolysis, Vol.2, Editor: Bruno G. Pollet, Elsevier, ISBN 9780081028308
 * 2018 - Organic Sonochemistry: Challenges and Perspectives for the 21st Century, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783319985541
 * 2018 - Acoustic Cavitation and Bubble Dynamics, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783319682365
 * 2018 - Ultrasonic Production of Nano-emulsions for Bioactive Delivery in Drug and Food Applications, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783319734903
 * 2018 - Ultrasound Technology in Dairy Processing, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783319934815
 * 2018 - Sonochemical Production of Nanomaterials, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783319967332
 * 2019 - Characterization of Cavitation Bubbles and Sonoluminescence, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783030117160
 * 2019 - Introduction to Ultrasound, Sonochemistry and Sonoelectrochemistry, Authors: Bruno G. Pollet, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Springer, ISBN 9783030258610
 * 2019 - Production of Clean Hydrogen by Electrochemical Reforming of Oxygenated Organic Compounds, Editor: Bruno G. Pollet, Elsevier, ISBN 9780128215012
 * 2020 - Hydrogen, Biomass and Bioenergy - Integration Pathways for Renewable Energy Applications, Editors: Bruno G. Pollet, Jacob Joseph Lamb, Springer, ISBN 9780081026298
 * 2020 - Micro-Optics and Energy - Sensors for Energy Devices, Editors: Jacob Joseph Lamb, Bruno G. Pollet, Springer, ISBN 9783030436766
 * 2020 - Energy-smart Buildings - Design, Construction and Monitoring of Buildings for Improved Energy Efficiency, Editors: Jacob Joseph Lamb, Bruno G. Pollet, Springer, ISBN 9780750332590