Amin Arzhangi | Environmental Science | Research Excellence Award

Mr. Amin Arzhangi | Environmental Science | Research Excellence Award

Mr. Amin Arzhangi | University of Bojnord | Iran

Amin Arzhangi is a dedicated Master’s student in Water Engineering and Hydraulic Structures at the University of Bojnord, recognized for academic excellence with a top-class ranking and strong research productivity. His work spans interdisciplinary domains of hydrology, ecohydrology, environmental hydraulics, sedimentology, river engineering, and water quality assessment. He has developed a robust research profile through active involvement in advanced modeling, machine learning applications in environmental systems, and hydro-geomorphic analyses. His research contributions focus on critical issues such as hypoxia prediction in rivers and reservoirs, water quality index modeling, biodegradability assessment, sediment pollution, and river system hydraulics. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed papers in reputable international journals—including Nature Communications Sustainability, Science, and Ecosystem Health and Sustainability—with several manuscripts under review. His publications reflect methodological depth, spanning machine learning models, hydrological process modeling, reaeration estimation, and spatial analysis of riverine and coastal systems. His work has accumulated meaningful citations, demonstrating its contribution to the scientific community. In parallel to his academic research, he has presented at well-regarded international conferences in Turkey, Portugal, and Iran, addressing river morphology, organic carbon dynamics, and land-use impacts on water quality. He also contributes professionally as a reviewer for established journals such as Science of the Total Environment, Journal of Hydrology, Results in Engineering, and others, and serves on an editorial board. His applied skills include machine learning for environmental prediction, hydrodynamic and hydraulic modeling (HEC-RAS, QUAL2K, Hydrus), GIS and remote sensing, and programming in Python and R. He is actively engaged in multiple ongoing projects involving sediment source tracing, coastal ecosystem analysis, turbulence modeling, water quality forecasting, and remote sensing-based hydrological assessments. Through strong academic rigor, interdisciplinary collaborations, and impactful research output, he demonstrates a clear trajectory toward becoming an emerging researcher in water resources engineering and environmental hydro systems.

Profile: Orcid | Google Scholar | LinkedIn | Research Gate

Featured Publications

Partani, S., Arzhangi, A., Danandeh Mehr, A., Ezzati, F., & Saber, A. (2025). Integrated hydraulic and reaeration analysis for sustainable water quality management in river systems. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5365496

Arzhangi, A., & Partani, S. (2025, November). A multi-scale framework for BOD5 prediction from water quality to hydro-geomorphic interpolation. iScience. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.114177

Arzhangi, A., Partani, S., Danandeh Mehr, A., Ezzati, F., & Saber, A. (2025, September 12). Instant water quality index (WQI) prediction via reaeration process and hydraulic parameters in the river system (Version 1) [Preprint]. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7481412/v1

Partani, S., & Arzhangi, A. (2025, August 17). Developing a reliable predictive model for the biodegradability index in industrial complex effluent. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 30108. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15866-0

Arzhangi, A., & Partani, S. (2025, August 12). Development of a biodegradability index for urban rivers using detergent concentration: A case study from Tehran, Iran. American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering, 458, Article 142521. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajese.20250903.17

Nicola Cantasano | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nicola Cantasano | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Nicola Cantasano | National Research Council of Italy | Italy

Dr. Nicola Cantasano’s research integrates marine biology, astrobiology, and freshwater ecosystem monitoring, focusing on developing innovative methodologies to measure, map, and interpret complex ecological systems on Earth and beyond. His work spans both marine and planetary environments, uniting biological and geological perspectives to enhance understanding of life’s signatures in diverse contexts. In marine science, he has made significant contributions to the taxonomy of seaweeds, monitoring of Posidonia oceanica meadows, and the management of beach-cast seagrasses, which are vital for Mediterranean coastal stability and biodiversity. His studies have also explored the surveillance of invasive algal species such as Caulerpa racemosa, contributing to regional environmental management and conservation strategies. Through the development of water mapping and ecological assessment methods, including the Indice di Funzionalità Fluviale (I.F.F.), he has advanced tools for evaluating the ecological status of fluvial systems, particularly within the Calabrian region. Dr. Cantasano’s research extends into astrobiology, where he investigates potential biosignatures on Mars by analyzing digital imagery from NASA missions. He explores analogies between terrestrial stromatolites—layered microbial structures formed by cyanobacteria—and Martian organosedimentary formations, proposing biogenic interpretations of textures observed in Martian rocks. This work contributes to the broader understanding of planetary habitability and the possible existence of ancient microbial life on Mars. His extensive publications cover topics such as marine and freshwater ecosystem management, coastal zone conservation, nutrient dynamics, and biogeochemical assessments. He has published in leading journals including Ocean & Coastal Management, International Journal of Astrobiology, Plant Biosystems, and Rendiconti Lincei. By bridging marine ecology and planetary science, his research provides innovative frameworks for sustainable ecosystem management on Earth and supports the scientific quest for life beyond it.

Profiles: Scopus | OrcidResearch Gate

Featured Publications 

Cantasano, N. (2025). Ecological and fluvial corridor of the Verri Stream as a connecting step in the Natura 2000 network along the Calabria coastal region, Italy. Environments, 12(11), 426. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12110426

Cantasano, N., Di Martino, V., & Pellicone, G. (2024). The invasion of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder 1845 in the Calabria coastal seas. Coasts, 4(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4010003

Ietto, F., Pellicone, G., & Cantasano, N. (2023). Silting process and loss of Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Tyrrhenian waters of Calabria (Southern Italy). Sustainability, 15(17), 13102. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713102

Ietto, F., Pellicone, G., & Cantasano, N. (2023, May 25). Silting process and loss of Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Tyrrhenian Calabria waters (Southern Italy). Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202305.1751.v1

Cantasano, N. (2022). Marine pollution by microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(7), 858. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10070858

Bentaallah, M. E. A., Taibi, N. E., & Cantasano, N. (2021). Additional new records of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder 1845 along the West Algerian coasts. Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences, 50(1), 97–103.*

Cantasano, N., Caloiero, T., Pellicone, G., Aristodemo, F., De Marco, A., & Tagarelli, G. (2021). Can ICZM contribute to the mitigation of erosion and of human activities threatening the natural and cultural heritage of the coastal landscape of Calabria? Sustainability, 13(3), 1122. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031122