Johann F. Görgens is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University and holds the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Research Chair in Sugarcane Biorefineries. His research focuses on the development of sustainable biorefineries that convert biomass and organic wastes into fuels, chemicals, materials, and food ingredients.

Prof Görgens completed his BEng, MScEng (cum laude), and PhD in Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University, with doctoral research conducted at Lund University in Sweden. He also holds an MBA (cum laude) from Stellenbosch University. His multidisciplinary background integrates chemical engineering, microbiology, and biotechnology with technology management and innovation.

He leads a research group focused on integrated biorefinery concepts for the valorisation of agricultural residues, forestry resources, and industrial waste streams. His work combines experimental process development with modelling and simulation to evaluate economic feasibility and environmental sustainability.

With more than 10,000 citations and an h-index above 50, Prof Görgens is a registered Professional Engineer (ECSA), a Chartered Member of the IChemE, and a Fellow of the South African Academy of Engineering.

Research Interests

• Biorefineries and biomass valorisation
• Strain engineering and microbial bioprocessing
• Industrial biotechnology and process scale-up
• Techno-economics and sustainability assessment

Selected Publications

Visit his Google Scholar Profile for a complete list of publications.

Teaching

• Thermodynamics A214
• Heat Transfer A326
• Green Hydrogen Project Engineering (Postgraduate short course, CRSES)
• Bioenergy (Postgraduate short course, CRSES)
• Aseptic Processing & GMP (Short courses for Biotech and Food industries)