Reji Kurien Thomas

CEO at Tree of Life (UAE)

Speaker

Dr Reji Kurien Thomas is a globally recognised technological scientist, sustainability innovator, and agriscience leader with more than three decades of experience translating frontier science into deployable, high-impact systems across agriculture, energy, water, and environmental remediation. His work spans North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with technologies operating in both advanced and resource-constrained agro-ecosystems.

He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Tree of Life Biotech (TOL Biotech USA), where he leads the development and global scaling of premium engineered biochar platforms for agriculture, carbon sequestration, space agri, and circular economy applications. His research integrates quantum science principles, materials engineering, and systems-level agronomy to design biochar not merely as a soil amendment, but as a programmable fertilizer substrate - capable of engineered nutrient payloads, tunable release kinetics, and predictable interactions at the soil– root–microbiome interface.

Dr Thomas’s work is informed by advanced training and research engagement with Stanford University, The Wharton School and Oxford University, alongside doctoral and post-doctoral research across multiple disciplines. Dr Thomas applies quantuminformed modelling, signal optimisation, and data-driven control frameworks to nutrient delivery, soil energy dynamics, and resource-use efficiency, enabling measurable gains in nutrient use efficiency (NUE), water efficiency, and crop performance under diverse field conditions. These approaches bridge molecularscale behaviour with farm-scale outcomes, supporting both productivity and climate objectives.

He has directed large-scale, multi-country programmes in regenerative agriculture, waste-to-energy systems, and carbon-linked agri-inputs, with several technologies independently validated and deployed through industry and government partnerships. His work has contributed to reduced fertilizer dependency, improved yields, and verifiable carbon outcomes, positioning agriculture as a scalable climate solution.

A former Commander in the Indian Navy, Dr Thomas brings a rigorous systemsengineering and mission-critical discipline to scientific innovation. He is a Stephen Hawking Award 2024 recipient, and a Fellow of leading international professional bodies, recognised for advancing quantum-enabled sustainability technologies with global relevance and real-world impact.