Rawdah Whba | Energy Sustainability | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Rawdah Whba | Energy Sustainability | Research Excellence Award

Dr. Rawdah Whba | Taiz University & Inonu University | Yemen

Dr. Rawdah Abduh Ghaleb Whba is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Taiz University, Yemen, and currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at İnönü University, Malatya, Türkiye. She specializes in energy storage and conversion, with a strong research focus on polymer electrolytes, electrode materials, and advanced electrochemical systems including solid-state lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors. Dr. Whba completed two bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry from Taiz University with first-class honours, earning two Presidential Awards of Yemen for academic excellence (2006, 2008). She received an English and computer diploma from NODS (2007) and joined Taiz University as a lecturer in 2009. She obtained her MSc (2017) and PhD (2022) in Chemistry from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) under prestigious scholarships from the Yemeni Government and the Islamic Development Bank. She later served as a research assistant at UKM before receiving the Türkiye Scholarships Postdoctoral Award (2023–2024), completing a fellowship at Istanbul Medeniyet University. Currently, Dr. Whba works on Na-ion full-cell development, specializing in high-performance cathode materials, pre-sodiation strategies, interfacial engineering, operando analysis, and DFT-supported materials optimization. Her broader expertise includes polymer synthesis, grafted polymers, thin-film membrane fabrication, organic/inorganic materials synthesis, electrochemical characterization, kinetic studies, and materials evaluation for next-generation rechargeable batteries. Dr. Whba has authored numerous Q1 and Q2 Web of Science journals, including publications in Journal of Power Sources, Electrochimica Acta, Ionics, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Langmuir, Advanced Sustainable Systems, Energy Technology, and International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. She has also published impactful review articles and collaborative works involving operando XAS, DFT studies, and biomass-derived electrode materials. She is an active scientific reviewer, contributing to Springer, Elsevier, ACS, Ionics, Carbon Letters, and multiple high-impact journals, reviewing more than 30 manuscripts, book chapters, and conference submissions. Dr. Whba has also provided academic service at Taiz University as Secretariat of the Department and Examination Committee Member and has represented academic staff in the University Syndicate since 2014. A dedicated educator, she has taught a wide range of undergraduate chemistry courses—General, Inorganic, Organic, Analytical, Physical, Biochemistry, and Pharmaceutical Analysis—at Taiz University and other institutions in Yemen. Dr. Whba is a member of several professional bodies including the American Chemical Society (ACS), the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), the Polymer Ionic Group (Malaysia), and the Taiz University Staff Syndicate. Her research continues to make significant contributions in polymer chemistry, electrochemistry, and sustainable energy materials, with ongoing work advancing the performance, stability, and scalability of sodium- and lithium-ion energy storage technologies.

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Featured Publications

Dogan, E., Maiga, A., Whba, R., Harfouche, M., Ozturk, Z. R., Farhan, A., Altin, E., Duygulu, Ö., Ipek, S., Kartal, R., et al. (2026). Influence of iron doping on α-NaMnO₂ lattice symmetry: Insight from operando X-ray absorption, ex-situ structural analysis, and electrochemical performance using chestnut shell-derived hard carbon. Journal of Power Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.238602

Ateş, M. N., Zengin, F., Whba, R., Tunaboylu, B., Aydemir, U., Peighambardoust, N. S., Karslıoğlu, N. G., Malkoç, H. C., Demiryürek, R., Güleryüz, Ö., et al. (2025). Mechanistic insights into cathode-driven capacity degradation of NMC111/graphite pouch cells under long-term cycling. Electrochimica Acta. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2025.147611

Whba, R., Altın, S., Serin, S., Whba, F., Nakir, M. Y., & Sahinbay, S. (2025). Synergistic behavior of epoxidized natural rubber grafted di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-based solid polymer electrolytes: Experimental and density functional theory (DFT) study. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2025.11.038

Whba, R., Sahinbay, S., Whba, F., Nakir, M. Y., & Altin, S. (2025). Unlocking the potential of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)-based polymer electrolytes: Key strategies, bibliometric insights, and future directions. Langmuir. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c00631

Dogan, E., Whba, R., Altin, E., Moeez, I., Chung, K. Y., Stoyanova, R., Koleva, V., Aktas, A., Altin, S., & Sahinbay, S. (2025). Optimized performance of Na₀.₆₇Mn₀.₅Fe₀.₅O₂@TiO₂ and presodiated hard carbon (Pre-SHC) full-cells using direct contact method. Journal of Power Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.236327

Whba, R., Su’ait, M. S., Whba, F., & Ahmad, A. (2024). Research progress on polyacrylonitrile-based polymer electrolytes for electrochemical devices: Insight into electrochemical performance. Journal of Power Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.234539

Getahun Ayele Tessema | Energy Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Getahun Ayele Tessema | Energy Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Getahun Ayele Tessema | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) | India

Getahun Ayele Tessema is an emerging researcher and PhD Candidate at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR), specializing in energy efficiency and sustainable built environments. He holds a B.Tech and Master’s degree with distinction and previously served as a Lecturer at Adama Science and Technology University, where he earned the Best Teacher Award for his academic excellence. Currently supported by the prestigious ICCR Africa PhD Scholarship from the Government of India, he continues to advance impactful research in the Built Environment Lab at IIT Roorkee. His academic and professional journey reflects consistent excellence, with active engagement in research, teaching, and community-oriented scientific contributions. He has completed or is working on five research projects, published two journal papers, and maintains a growing citation record accessible through Google Scholar. His collaborative work spans international and institutional partnerships, and he holds memberships in two professional organizations aligned with his research areas. Getahun’s research focuses on energy-efficient buildings, energy modelling, energy-use behaviour, and energy analysis. His contributions offer significant insights into the determinants of household energy-saving behaviour in Ethiopian urban settings. By integrating personal norms with the Theory of Planned Behaviour, he has developed a comprehensive framework that helps understand and influence energy-conscious behaviour. This work supports the development of national energy conservation strategies and provides a scientific basis for formulating building energy codes—an urgent need for sustainable urban growth in Ethiopia. His findings aim to guide policymakers, enhance occupant awareness, and contribute to cleaner energy access through practical, community-responsive solutions. Through his multidisciplinary research, academic leadership, and commitment to sustainable development, Getahun exemplifies innovation, scholarly excellence, and societal impact. His work aligns strongly with the vision of promoting energy-efficient built environments and positions him as a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award.

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Featured Publications

Tessema, G. A., Chani, P. S., & Rajasekar, E. (2025). Analysis of residential electricity consumption in Ethiopian condominiums: Leveraging cluster analysis for targeted electrification interventions. In 2025 IEEE 13th International Conference on Smart Energy Grid Engineering (SEGE). IEEE.

Tessema, G. A., Chani, P. S., & Rajasekar, E. (2025). Modelling energy-saving behaviour in Ethiopian urban households: Integrating personal norms and demographic moderators to the theory of planned behaviour. Energy and Buildings, —, 116709.

Jimmy Romanos | Energy Sustainability | Excellence in Research

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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.

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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.