Ruchi Singh Parihar | Climate change | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Ruchi Singh Parihar | Climate change | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ruchi Singh Parihar | CHRIST University | Bengaluru | India

Dr. Ruchi Singh Parihar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics and Data Science at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, and an Associate at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy. Her research bridges climate science, data analytics, and public health, with expertise in climate change impacts on human health, climate and atmospheric modeling, environmental epidemiology, and climate risk assessment. Holding a Ph.D. in Climate Change and Health from IIT Delhi, she applies statistical and dynamical modeling, remote sensing, and GIS techniques to explore the influence of climate variability on vector-borne diseases and environmental systems. Dr. Parihar is proficient in working with global climate models (GCMs), high-performance computing, and scientific programming tools, contributing to impactful publications in top-tier journals including Nature Scientific Reports, GeoHealth, and iScience. She has received multiple international research and travel grants from globally recognized institutions such as the NSF (USA), ICTP (Italy), IBS (South Korea), and Rutgers University (USA). As an active member of several international scientific organizations—AGU, EGU, AOGS, and ISNTD—she continues to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative approaches toward climate resilience, sustainability, and global health.

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Featured Publications

Parihar, R. S., Bal, P. K., Saini, A., Mishra, S. K., & Thapliyal, A. (2022). Potential future malaria transmission in Odisha due to climate change. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 9048.

Singh Parihar, R., Bal, P. K., Kumar, V., Mishra, S. K., Sahany, S., Salunke, P., & Dhiman, R. C. (2019). Numerical modeling of the dynamics of malaria transmission in a highly endemic region of India. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 11903.

Bal, P. K., Dasari, H. P., Prasad, N., Salunke, P., & Parihar, R. S. (2021). Variations of energy fluxes with ENSO, IOD and ISV of Indian summer monsoon rainfall over the Indian monsoon region. Atmospheric Research, 258, 105645.

Parihar, R. S., Bal, P. K., Thapliyal, A., & Saini, A. (2022). Climate change projections and its impacts on potential malaria transmission dynamics in Uttarakhand. Journal of Communicable Diseases, 54(1), 47–53.

Parihar, R. S., Kumar, V., Anand, A., Bal, P. K., & Thapliyal, A. (2024). Relative importance of VECTRI model parameters in the malaria disease transmission and prevalence. International Journal of Biometeorology, 68(3), 495–509.

Luis Martin Pomares | Renewable Resources | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Luis Martin Pomares | Renewable Resources | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Luis Martin Pomares | DEWA R&D | United Arab Emirates

A distinguished solar energy expert and research scientist, with over two decades of professional experience spanning solar resource assessment, satellite-based irradiance modeling, and renewable energy forecasting. His career bridges applied research, data analytics, and large-scale solar project development, contributing to the advancement of sustainable energy systems worldwide. Currently serving as a Principal Scientist and Program Director at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) R&D Center, he leads initiatives in solar resource assessment, satellite image processing, and deep learning-based solar forecasting. His work includes developing data pipelines for solar forecasting using modern AI frameworks such as TensorFlow and Keras, and managing BSRN radiometric stations for high-precision solar measurements. Previously, he was a Scientist at Qatar Foundation’s QEERI, where he directed the development of the Solar Atlas of Qatar and applied remote sensing methods for regional solar mapping. Earlier, as President and Project Developer at Investigaciones y Recursos Solares Avanzados (IrSOLaV), he managed multi-megawatt PV and CSP projects across several continents and pioneered forecasting systems integrating Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and satellite-based nowcasting models. His expertise encompasses radiative transfer modeling, atmospheric physics, GIS-based solar mapping, and energy system simulation. He has contributed extensively to IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Tasks 36 and 46, COST Action 1002, and EU FP7 projects on solar nowcasting. He is also an active reviewer for leading journals such as Solar Energy, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, and Atmospheric Measurement Techniques. Academically, he holds a Ph.D. in Physical Sciences (Cum Laude) from the Complutense University of Madrid, with a dissertation on solar radiation prediction using statistical methods. His publication record includes numerous peer-reviewed papers and book chapters on solar resource modeling, machine learning applications in energy forecasting, and site adaptation of solar datasets.

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Featured Publications

Valappil, V. K., & Martin-Pomares, L. (2025). Characterizing solar attenuation for concentrated solar power plants in Dubai using AERONET data and libRadtran. Solar Energy, 302, 114082.

Sanfilippo, A., Martin-Pomares, L., & Polo, J. (2025). Solar resources mapping: Fundamentals and applications. Springer Nature.

Nie, Y., Paletta, Q., Scott, A., Martin-Pomares, L. M., Arbod, G., Sgouridis, S., Lasenby, J., et al. (2024). Sky image-based solar forecasting using deep learning with heterogeneous multi-location data: Dataset fusion versus transfer learning. Applied Energy, 369, 123467.

Rezk, M., Tiwari, V. K., Manandhar, P., Krishnan, V., & Martin-Pomares, L. M. (2024). A CNN-based classifier for quality image selection from sky cameras. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Signal Processing and Information Technology (ICSPIT).

Manandhar, P., Tiwari, V. K., Rezk, M., Krishnan, V., & Martin-Pomares, L. M. (2024). Convolutional deep learning hierarchical classifier to identify synoptic sky conditions based on sky images. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Signal Processing and Information Technology (ICSPIT).

Martin-Pomares, L., Ghaoud, T., Al Khaja, T. T., Alemadi, A., Ahmed, M. S. M. M., et al. (2024). Sea water salinity estimation over Dubai using satellite imagery & WASI empirical model approach: Application to SpaceD DEWASAT-2 nanosatellite. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Signal Processing and Information Technology (ICSPIT).

Hanin Othman | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

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Ms. Hanin Othman | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Ms. Hanin Othman | The Pennsylvania State University | United States

Dr. Hanin Othman is an accomplished Architect, Researcher, and Designer whose work bridges sustainable architecture, environmental sensing, and computational design. Currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Architecture (Sustainability) at The Pennsylvania State University (USA), she explores innovative intersections between indoor environmental quality monitoring, IoT-based sensor technologies, robotics, and climate-responsive design. Her research advances the integration of low-cost, data-driven sensing systems for health-equitable and energy-efficient built environments, while also engaging in digital fabrication and robotic material processes that merge craft with computational design. She serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Artist & Maker in Residence at Penn State’s College of Engineering, where she leads interdisciplinary workshops on Arduino-based environmental monitoring and IoT applications in architecture. Dr. Othman’s academic career spans over a decade, including extensive teaching and studio leadership at The Hashemite University (Jordan), where she taught across design studios, architectural theory, heritage conservation, and environmental systems. Her research contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the ICDS Rising Researcher Award, Fox Scholar Award, Artists and Makers in Residence Fellowship, and Sustainability Graduate Student Award Nomination at Penn State. She also received the Best Master Thesis Published Paper Award from the University of Jordan  and the Best Graduation Project Award from The Hashemite University . Her scholarly output demonstrates her growing global recognition, with 45 citations across 45 documents and an h-index of 1, reflecting emerging influence in the fields of smart building systems, urban thermal comfort modeling, and IoT-driven architectural innovation. Through her interdisciplinary and human-centered approach, Dr. Othman continues to contribute to shaping a more sustainable, resilient, and health-conscious built environment aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Featured Publications

Othman, H., Sieves, G., Guimarães, T., & Azari, R. (2025). A calibration chamber framework for low-cost indoor air quality sensor validation. Building and Environment, 283, 113856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113856

Othman, H., Azari, R., & Guimarães, T. (2024). Low-cost IoT-based indoor air quality monitoring. Technology | Architecture + Design, 8(2), 2405403. https://doi.org/10.1080/24751448.2024.2405403

Othman, H., Sieves, G., Guimarães, T., & Azari, R. (2024, November 13). Development of a calibration chamber to evaluate the performance of a low-cost IAQ sensing device. In SIGraDi 2024 – Biodigital Intelligent Systems Conference.

Othman, H. (2023). Exploring low-cost sensors for indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring. In C+++: Computation, Culture, and Context – Proceedings of the 11th International Conference of the Arab Society for Computation in Architecture, Art and Design (ASCAAD).

Imam, C. A., Othman, H. A. S., & Çapunaman, Ö. B. (2023). Robotic plaster carving: Formalizing subtractive detailing of plaster surfaces for construction and crafts. In Proceedings of the 41st International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe) (Vol. 1, pp. 397–406). https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2023.1.397

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.

Xue Li | Energy Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

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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.

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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.

Shiva Shankar | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Shiva Shankar | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Zoological Survey of India | India

C. Shiva Shankar is a dedicated Senior Research Fellow at the Zoological Survey of India, specializing in taxonomy, molecular systematics, and ecology of aquatic beetles, fishes, and freshwater crabs. He has significantly contributed to biodiversity documentation through the discovery of new species and first records in India. His doctoral research on aquatic beetles of the Eastern Ghats has generated more than 500 DNA barcodes, marking the first molecular systematic study of aquatic beetles in the country. He has authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and a co-authored book on threatened fauna. His expertise spans DNA barcoding, water quality analysis, GIS and GPS field surveys, and museum specimen curation. With extensive fieldwork across Indian ecosystems, he has collected and identified over 95 species of aquatic beetles, including rare and endemic taxa. He has successfully submitted over 600 DNA sequences to NCBI, strengthening global biodiversity databases. Beyond research, he actively participates in national conferences, workshops, and biodiversity initiatives, enhancing collaborative conservation efforts. Recognized for his hard work, leadership skills, and self-motivation, he is committed to advancing aquatic biodiversity science. His career vision is to contribute to global research excellence while promoting sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems.

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Featured Publications

“First record of Scoliopsis spinosa d’Orchymont, 1919 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) from India”

“Molecular Characterization of Rare Predaceous Aquatic Beetle Methles indicus Regimbart, 1899 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) from Eastern Ghats, India”

“Freshwater decapods (Crustacea: Decapoda) of Palair Reservoir, Telangana, India”

“Notes on Ptilomera agriodes (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) from Eastern Ghats, India”

Mudassir Iqbal | Green Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Mudassir Iqbal | Green Chemistry | Best Researcher Award

National University of Sciences and Technology | Pakistan

Dr. Mudassir Iqbal is a Tenured Professor of Chemistry at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, and is internationally recognized for his contributions to cutting-edge research in chemistry and materials science. His academic journey spans prestigious institutions in Europe and Asia, where he gained expertise in nanomaterials, ligand design, organic synthesis, and quantum dot functionalization. His current research explores biopolymers for biomedical applications, advanced nanomaterials for clean energy, task-specific ionic liquids, environmental remediation, and the development of novel therapeutic agents. Alongside his extensive publication record, he has successfully led major funded projects, trained young scientists, and contributed to the advancement of sustainable technologies. Dr. Iqbal’s work continues to bridge fundamental science with real-world applications, making him a highly respected scholar and innovator in his field.

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Featured Publications

“Synthesis and characterization of layered Nb2C MXene/ZnS nanocomposites for highly selective electrochemical sensing of dopamine”

“Highly efficient diglycolamide‐based task‐specific ionic liquids: synthesis, unusual extraction behaviour, irradiation, and fluorescence studies”

“Diglycolamide-functionalized calix [4] arenes showing unusual complexation of actinide ions in room temperature ionic liquids: role of ligand structure, radiolytic stability”

“Green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles using Cydonia oblong seed extract”

“A highly efficient solvent system containing functionalized diglycolamides and an ionic liquid for americium recovery from radioactive wastes”

“Extraction of Am (III) using novel solvent systems containing a tripodal diglycolamide ligand in room temperature ionic liquids: a ‘green’ approach for radioactive waste processing”

“A novel CMPO-functionalized task specific ionic liquid: synthesis, extraction and spectroscopic investigations of actinide and lanthanide complexes”

“Preorganization of diglycolamides on the calix [4] arene platform and its effect on the extraction of Am (III)/Eu (III)”

“Magnetic phase transition from paramagnetic in Nb2AlC-MAX to superconductivity-like diamagnetic in Nb2C-MXene: an experimental and computational analysis”

“Synthesis and Am/Eu extraction of novel TODGA derivatives”

“6-deoxy-aminocellulose derivatives embedded soft gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels for improved wound healing applications: In vitro and in vivo studies”

“Plutonium (IV) complexation by diglycolamide ligands—coordination chemistry insight into TODGA-based actinide separations”