Paolo Bomben is a Program Director – Aerospace, Defence, and Advanced Materials at Alberta Innovates.  Paolo leads the Bitumen Advanced Materials program that is developing innovative technologies for transforming bitumen into non-combustion products such as asphalt binder, carbon fibre, activated carbon, and carbon nanomaterials.  Increasing the output of the products derived from Alberta oil sands bitumen can drive greater revenue from Alberta’s oil and gas resources, while reducing end use emissions.  Paolo is also the program manager for the Carbon Fibre Grand Challenge and leads the new Aerospace and Defence program.  Before joining Alberta Innovates, Paolo spent time in sustainability consulting, and as a research scientist performing catalyst development for a water electrolysis startup.  Paolo has an undergraduate degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Windsor, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Calgary.