Dr. Julio Friedmann

Dr. Julio Friedmann currently holds the position of Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct, tasked with addressing significant technical challenges in carbon management and CO2 removal. He was previously appointed as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy, where he was in charge of DOE's R&D program in advanced fossil energy systems, carbon capture and storage (CCS), CO2 utilization, and clean coal deployment. His area of expertise extends to Large-Scale Carbon Management, CO2 removal, hydrogen production and use, CO2 recycling, Oil and Gas production, and international clean energy engagements. Dr. Friedmann has had a fruitful tenure at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, marking his career there as Chief Energy Technologist.

Dr. Friedmann's skills and dedication have earned him a reputation as one of the leading experts in the U.S. on carbon removal, CO2 conversion and use, hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, and carbon capture and sequestration. He has been a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, strengthening his association with the academia apart from maintaining close partnerships with many private companies and NGOs. He has also engaged with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Treasury, extending his influence beyond the realms of the private sector.

Dr. Friedmann boasts a robust academic background, having received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), followed by a Ph.D. in Geology at the University of Southern California. He has lent his expertise to ExxonMobil as a senior research scientist for five years and contributed to the University of Maryland as a research scientist.