Kelly Servaes

Embracing plant-based chemistry is like planting the seeds of a sustainable future. Kelly Servaes works alongside Karolien Vanbroekhoven to pioneer innovative processing methods that extract valuable aromatic compounds from trees and plants for sustainable material development. Her expertise focuses on converting lignin—the natural compound that provides structural integrity to trees—into practical applications ranging from insulation materials to advanced coatings and composites. Through her research, Servaes demonstrates how nature’s molecular architecture can be adapted to create high-performance materials that reduce environmental impact without sacrificing functionality. At Love Tomorrow Summit, she will illuminate the journey from forest to laboratory to marketplace, revealing how biobased chemistry offers viable pathways toward a more sustainable material economy.