Aref Najafi, PhD, PEng, EP, CEM, PMP, is a prominent thoughtful leader in carbon capture, utilization, and the decarbonization of fuels. With over twenty years of experience in the oil and gas sector, he has been instrumental in developing and implementing various technologies. His extensive background includes roles in operations and major project development during the concept selection, design, and construction phases. Currently, as the Manager for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Decarbonization at InnoTech Alberta, Aref oversees two key facilities. One is the Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Center, a large-scale site dedicated to demonstrating and de-risking technologies that are nearing the final stages of development. The other is InnoTech’s CCUS research lab, which support start-up companies in developing innovative technologies. In his capacity, Aref manages technology advancements in the CCU field, guiding projects from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 all the way to TRL 9.