course description
registration
This in-person, two-day short course provides a clear foundation in biobased and biosurfactant technologies, linking fundamental surfactant science with production pathways, formulation considerations, performance expectations, and regulatory drivers that influence today’s sustainable chemical and consumer products industries.
Ready to register?
Registration opens on January 12, 2026. Please check back soon!
Location: Hyatt Regency New Orleans
601 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70113
Date: May 2-3, 2025
Price: Non-Member: $1,250.00 | AOCS Member: $950.00 | AOCS Student Member: $500.00
2026 COURSE INSTRUCTORS
This short course is taught by a multidisciplinary team of industry and academic experts with deep experience in surfactant science, formulation, production, and real-world applications across global markets.
Brian Grady
Professor and Douglas and Hilda Bourne Chair in Chemical Engineering; Director, Institute for Applied Surfactant Research, University of Oklahoma (United States)
Brian Grady is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where he holds the Douglas and Hilda Bourne Chair and serves as Director of the Institute for Applied Surfactant Research, an industry-focused consortium supporting applied surfactant science. His work bridges the gap between fundamental research and practical industrial applications.
Lucas Moore
Vice President of R&D
Colonial Chemical, Inc. (United States)
Lucas Moore is Vice President of R&D and Regulatory Affairs at Colonial Chemical, Inc., where he leads the company’s global innovation, technical service, and regulatory strategy. His work focuses on the development and application of specialty surfactants for personal care, HI&I and car care, oil and mining, metalworking fluids, and related markets. He joined Colonial Chemical in 2022.
Zhenyu (Jason) Zhang
Professor of Soft Matter Engineering
University of Birmingham (United Kingdom)
Jason Zhang is a Professor of Soft Matter Engineering in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on controlling the physicochemical behavior of soft matter systems—including polymers, proteins, fibers, and bacteria at interfaces—to enable innovative and sustainable formulations.
Attendees will gain insight into:
- How biobased and biosurfactant systems differ from conventional petrochemical surfactants,
- How feedstock selection and production pathways impact performance and scalability, and
- How these considerations intersect with formulation, regulatory, and sustainability requirements across various end-use markets.
Across two days, the curriculum covers the full lifecycle of renewable surfactants—from fundamental structure and function through feedstocks, fermentation and chemical synthesis routes, formulation and production realities, environmental and toxicological evaluation, and industrial and consumer applications—while tying each topic to real-world decision-making.
The inclusion of case studies from established manufacturers and emerging innovators ensures participants leave with a practical understanding of the technical, economic, and regulatory factors shaping the adoption of biobased surfactants today.
Whether you work in research and development, formulation, engineering, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, sustainability, or organizational leadership, this course equips you with a deeper, more integrated understanding of biobased surfactant technologies and their implications for product performance, scale-up, compliance, and long-term portfolio strategy.
Ready to register?
Registration opens on January 12, 2026. Please check back soon!
Location: Hyatt Regency New Orleans
601 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70113
Price: Non-Member: $1,250.00 | AOCS Member: $950.00 | AOCS Student Member: $500.00
Learning objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the fundamental structure, function, and classification of surfactants, including key differences between conventional and biobased systems.
- Describe how renewable feedstocks and molecular architecture influence surfactant performance, compatibility, and application suitability.
- Compare fermentation-based and chemically synthesized biobased surfactant production pathways and identify the advantages and limitations of each.
- Evaluate the roles of feedstock selection, processing conditions, and scale-up constraints in the manufacture of biobased and biosurfactants.
- Assess formulation considerations such as phase behavior, rheology, stability, and temperature sensitivity across ionic and nonionic surfactant systems.
- Interpret environmental and toxicological metrics, including biodegradability, ecotoxicity, and life cycle assessment, in the context of regulatory requirements.
- Identify regulatory frameworks affecting surfactant development and use, including key considerations related to REACH, EPA, and regional compliance.
- Recognize major classes of biobased surfactants, including alkyl polyglucosides, glycolipids, lipopeptides, and ester-based systems, and their industrial applications.
- Analyze case studies from established manufacturers and emerging companies to understand real-world performance, cost, and adoption challenges.
- Connect surfactant science and production principles to formulation strategy, product development, and cross-functional decision-making within industrial and commercial environments.
who should attend?
This course is designed for professionals across the surfactant, oleochemical, and consumer products industries who need a clear, practical understanding of biobased and biosurfactant systems and their impact on formulation performance, scalability, regulatory compliance, and sustainability objectives. Whether your role is technical, commercial, operational, or strategic, this program strengthens your ability to evaluate surfactant technologies and apply that knowledge to product development, formulation optimization, portfolio planning, and organizational decision-making.
The course is especially relevant for individuals working in research and development, formulation, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, and sustainability who want to deepen technical knowledge, improve cross-functional communication, and stay current with evolving renewable feedstocks, production pathways, and regulatory expectations.
Participants will gain practical insight to evaluate biobased surfactant options, manage performance and cost tradeoffs, reduce development risk, and better understand the variables influencing successful adoption across industrial and consumer applications.
Roles that benefit include:
Technical & Research Roles:
-Research Scientists
-Formulation Scientists
-Applications Chemists
-Process Engineers
-R&D Managers
Operations & Production Roles:
-Manufacturing Engineers
-Production Managers
-Process Development Scientists
-Operations Managers
Business, Commercial & Strategic Roles:
-Product Managers
-Technical Sales Representatives
-Sustainability Program Managers
-Regulatory Affairs Managers
-Business Leaders and Executives
Ready to register?
Registration opens on January 12, 2026. Please check back soon!
Location: Hyatt Regency New Orleans
601 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70113
Price: Non-Member: $1,250.00 | AOCS Member: $950.00 | AOCS Student Member: $500.00