Mr. Achieford Mhondera | Climate Solutions | Best Researcher Award
Mr. Achieford Mhondera | University of Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe
Achieford Mhondera is a Ph.D. candidate in Climate Change Communication at the University of Zimbabwe, serving as a Junior Lecturer in the Department of Languages, Literature, and Culture, and as the Deputy Head of the Climate Action Directorate at the Africa Network of Youth Policy Experts. He is an experienced communication strategist and passionate climate justice advocate with a strong background in environmental communication, policy engagement, and youth-led climate activism. His work centers on amplifying voices from the Global South and advancing meaningful climate action through strategic communication and advocacy. At the University of Zimbabwe, he teaches courses in communication, research methods, and corpus linguistics, combining academic rigor with real-world engagement. He has been recognized for his innovative research and commitment to bridging policy and practice across Africa. As a guest columnist for leading publications such as Newsday, The Herald, and China Daily, he contributes to public discourse on climate change and sustainability. His scholarly output includes several book chapters, journal articles, and conference presentations focusing on climate communication and ecological civilization. Certified in climate diplomacy, governance, and negotiation, he brings a multidisciplinary perspective to global climate dialogues. A proud alumnus of Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism and Communication, he is also the founder of the Climate Research and Advocacy Trust and an active member of international networks promoting biodiversity, food sovereignty, and environmental justice across Africa and beyond.
Profile: Orcid
Featured Publications
Mhondera, A., Mukaro, L., Mabugu, P. R., & Sibanda, C. (2025, April 3). Climate change in Indigenous peoples’ narratives: A case of Doma people of the Zambezi Valley. African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/00020184.2025.2561575
Mhondera, A., & Mutepfa, T. (2022, May 4). Cross-linguistic issues in the acquisition of Mandarin Chinese negation by Shona–English bilinguals at the University of Zimbabwe: Implications for second language teaching. South African Journal of African Languages. https://doi.org/10.1080/02572117.2022.2094074
Jimmy Romanos | Energy Sustainability | Excellence in Research
Dr. Jimmy Romanos | Energy Sustainability | Excellence in Research
Dr. Jimmy Romanos | Lebanese American University | Lebanon
Dr. Jimmy Romanos is an Associate Professor of Physics at the Lebanese American University, with a distinguished record in interdisciplinary research spanning thermal physics, materials science, and energy storage. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Missouri, USA, and has extensive experience in both academia and industry, including leadership roles as a lead materials scientist in the U.S. and as a consultant in the energy sector. His research focuses on atomic-scale thermodynamic processes in gas adsorption, targeting applications such as carbon dioxide capture, methane and hydrogen storage, gas separation, and lead-free ceramics. Dr. Romanos has been recognized with the Shoman Award for Arab Researchers in Physics, becoming the first Lebanese physicist to receive this honor. He has led numerous funded projects, both intramural and extramural, and holds multiple patents in advanced carbon materials and gas storage technologies. With over a decade of prolific contributions through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and industrial reports, his work bridges computational, theoretical, and experimental approaches to address critical challenges in energy and environmental technologies.
Profile: Google Scholar
Featured Publications
Romanos, J., Beckner, M., Rash, T., Firlej, L., Kuchta, B., Yu, P., Suppes, G., … (2012). Nanospace engineering of KOH activated carbon. Nanotechnology, 23(015401), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/23/1/015401
Kuchta, B., Firlej, L., Mohammadhosseini, A., Boulet, P., Beckner, M., … Romanos, J. (2012). Hypothetical high-surface-area carbons with exceptional hydrogen storage capacities: Open carbon frameworks. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 134(36), 15130–15137. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja3062439
Romanos, J., Burress, J., Pfeifer, P., Rash, T., Shah, P., Suppes, G. (2012). High surface area carbon and process for its production. US Patent 20130190542A1.
Beckner, M., Romanos, J., Dohnke, E., … (2011). Analysis of hydrogen sorption characteristics of boron-doped activated carbons. Bulletin of the American Physical Society, 56.
Soo, Y. C., Beckner, M., Romanos, J., Wexler, C., Pfeifer, P., Buckley, P., … (2011). A high volume, high throughput volumetric sorption analyzer. Bulletin of the American Physical Society, 56(1), 20003.
Xue Li | Energy Sustainability | Best Researcher Award
Ms. Xue Li | Energy Sustainability | Best Researcher Award
Ms. Xue Li | Wuhan Institute of Technology | China
Dr. Li Xue received her Ph.D. in Thermal Engineering from Dalian University of Technology in 2021. She is currently a faculty member at the School of Optical Information and Energy Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology. Her core research focuses on the near-wall collisions of microscale particles and the fundamentals of particle dynamics. She investigates how microscale interactions influence fluid flow, heat transfer, and energy conversion processes. Her studies contribute to advancing knowledge in microfluidics, aerosol science, and particulate system behavior. By integrating theoretical modeling with experimental validation, she addresses key challenges in microscale transport phenomena. Her work aims to improve the design of energy systems with higher efficiency and better control of particle interactions. She is also interested in the application of microscale particle research in thermal management and engineering systems. Through her academic contributions, she supports interdisciplinary advancements bridging thermal engineering and energy science. Dr. Xue continues to expand her research portfolio while mentoring students in innovative areas of energy and particle engineering.
Profile: Orcid
Featured Publications
Li, X., Xie, J., Dong, M., Chen, S., & Dong, W. (2024). Could the rebound characteristics of oblique impact for SiO₂ particles represent the ash particles? ACS Omega, 9(9), 10564–10574.
Li, X., Dong, M., Zhang, H., Li, S., & Shang, Y. (2020). Effect of surface roughness on capillary force during particle-wall impaction under different humidity conditions. Powder Technology, 369, 253–261.
Li, X., Dong, M., Jiang, D., Li, S., & Shang, Y. (2020). The effect of surface roughness on normal restitution coefficient, adhesion force and friction coefficient of the particle-wall collision. Powder Technology, 361, 311–320.
Li, X., Dong, M., Li, S., & Shang, Y. (2019). Experimental and theoretical studies of the relationship between dry and humid normal restitution coefficients. Journal of Aerosol Science, 130, 67–76.
Dong, M., Mei, Y., Li, X., Shang, Y., & Li, S. (2018). Experimental measurement of the normal coefficient of restitution of micro-particles impacting on plate surface in different humidity. Powder Technology, 334, 52–60.
Dong, M., Li, X., Mei, Y., & Li, S. (2018). Experimental and theoretical analyses on the effect of physical properties and humidity of fly ash impacting on a flat surface. Journal of Aerosol Science, 117, 121–131.
Asif Khan | Clean Energy | Best Researcher Award
Dr. Asif Khan | Clean Energy | Best Researcher Award
Dr. Asif Khan | University of Science and Technology Bannu kpk | Pakistan
Asif Nawaz Khan is a committed physicist and lecturer at the University of Science and Technology Bannu, with extensive experience in teaching and research at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Physics and has developed strong expertise in computational and theoretical physics, particularly in the design and analysis of 2D and 3D perovskite materials. His research encompasses structural, optical, thermoelectric, elastic, and thermodynamic properties, alongside solar cell device performance, phonon calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations. Proficient in advanced simulation software and machine learning techniques, he actively supervises students in both experiments and computational modeling, contributing significantly to the advancement of materials science.
Profile: Google Scholar
Featured Publications
Khan, A., Khan, N. U., Nawaz, A., & Ullah, K., & Manan, A. (2024). A DFT study to explore structural, electronic, optical and mechanical properties of lead-free Na2MoXO6 (X= Si, Ge, Sn) double perovskites for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry, 1240, 114834.
Hosen, A., Mousa, A. A., Nemati-Kande, E., Khan, A. N., Abu-Jafar, M. S., … (2025). Systematic computational screening and design of double perovskites Q2LiMH6 (Q= K, Rb; M= Ga, In, Tl) for efficient hydrogen storage: A DFT and AIMD approach. Surfaces and Interfaces, 106608.
Khan, A. N., Rabhi, S., Jehangir, M. A., Charif, R., Khan, N. U., Begagra, A., … (2025). Evaluating A2SrGeI6 (A= K and Rb) lead-free double perovskites: Structural, elastic, and optoelectronic insights for clean energy. Inorganic Chemistry Communications, 174, 113949.
Khan, N. U., Ghani, U., Khan, A., Khan, A. N., Ullah, K., Ali, R., & Fadhali, M. M. (2025). Theoretical insight into stabilities and optoelectronic properties of RbZnX3 (X= Cl, Br) halide perovskites for energy conversion applications. Optical and Quantum Electronics, 57(1), 109.
Rabhi, S., Khan, A. N., Chinoune, O., Charif, R., Bouri, N., Al-Qaisi, S., Sadaf, S., … (2025). Insight into NaSiCl3: A lead-free perovskite for the next generation revealed by DFT and SCAPS-1D. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 27(25), 13490–13507.
Hosen, A., Sadeghi, A., Abdulhussein, H. A., Nemati-Kande, E., Khan, A. N., … (2025). First-principles insights into NaScQH6 (Q= Fe, Ru, Os): Promising high-density hydrogen storage materials. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 177, 151392.
Khan, A. N., Khan, N. U., Khan, A., Ali, R., & Fadhali, M. M. (2025). Lead-free, stable, and effective double Ca2TiXO6 (X= Ge, Sn) perovskites for photovoltaic application. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, 1–13.
Khan, A. N., Kaleem, M., Khan, N. U., Nasir, A., Khan, A., & Abbasi, M. Z. (2026). Multi-functional DFT and SCAPS-1D analysis of lead-free Z2MgGeI6 (Z= Na, K) double perovskites for optoelectronic, photo-catalytic, and photovoltaic applications. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 294, 113922.
Khan, A. N., Khan, N. U., Kaleem, M., Tanzeel, M., Nasir, A., Hosen, A., Akremi, A., … (2025). Lead-free X2MgGeI6 (X= Rb, Cs) double perovskites for multi-functional energy applications: A DFT and SCAPS-1D perspective. Solid State Sciences, 108049.
Khan, Z., Manan, A., Khan, N. U., Khan, A. N., Khan, A., & Liu, G., … (2025). Exploring Sn-based vacancy-ordered halide double perovskites Na2Sn(Cl/Br)6 for optoelectronic, thermoelectric, and solar-driven hydrogen reduction applications. Chemical Papers, 1–21.
Khan, Z., Manan, A., Khan, N. U., Khan, A. N., Khan, A., Joifullah, S., Al Yeamin, M., … (2025). DFT-driven pressure-induced modulation in K2TIYCl6: Unlocking pressure-responsive physical and photo-catalytic properties. Optical and Quantum Electronics, 57(7), 1–32.