Andrea holds a BSc and MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cagliari, Italy, and is currently pursuing a PhD in engineering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), focusing on the biological production of methane and hydrogen from municipal food waste. With over four years of experience as a research assistant and grant manager for the SARChI Chair in Waste and Climate Change at UKZN, Andrea has worked with various national and international stakeholders, including SANEDI, Durban Solid Waste, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), The Ocean Cleanup, and the World Bank. He is passionate about renewable and waste-to-energy options as innovative solutions to overcome waste management challenges and increase the energy sector’s sustainability.