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.

Profile: Google Scholar

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).

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.

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.

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.

Profile: Orcid

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”

Atar Singh Pipal | Climate Solutions | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Atar Singh Pipal | Climate Solutions | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Atar Singh Pipal | Devic Earth, Technology Research Park, IIT, hyderabad | India

Dr. Atar Singh Pipal is a leading Air Quality Scientist specializing in atmospheric chemistry, aerosol particle analysis, and air pollution mitigation. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Savitribai Phule Pune University, he brings over a decade of research experience across premier institutions including IITM Pune, PRL Ahmedabad, and international collaborations in Taiwan. He has authored over 40 high-impact publications , contributed to cutting-edge work on particulate matter characterization, health risk assessment, and CO₂ reduction technologies, and remains actively involved in international scientific forums and editorial boards.

Academic Profile 

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Education

Dr. Atar Singh Pipal holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry with a specialization in Atmospheric Chemistry from Savitribai Phule Pune University, awarded in 2016. His doctoral work focused on analyzing the chemical composition and morphological characteristics of particulate matter in urban environments. He also earned an M.Phil. in Chemistry from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra, in 2009, where he studied water-soluble cations in PM10. His earlier education includes an M.Sc. in Chemistry and a B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany, and Chemistry, both from the same university, graduating with distinction.

Experience

Dr. Pipal has accumulated over 10 years of research experience across prominent institutions. He is currently an Air Quality Scientist at Devic Earth, associated with IIT Hyderabad. Previously, he worked as a Project Scientist-II at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. He has also held postdoctoral fellowships in India and Taiwan and served as a lecturer in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry, contributing significantly to research, field studies, and environmental monitoring.

Research Interests

His research interests span atmospheric aerosols, air pollution, aerosol morphology, black carbon, secondary pollutants, and climate-relevant emissions. He is also involved in air quality monitoring, source apportionment, and the development of low-cost sensor technologies for urban air quality management.

Awards

Dr. Pipal has received multiple accolades, including the International Young Scientist Award (2020), CSIR and SERB travel grants, and recognition from global conferences in the USA, Japan, and Europe. He is a member of leading scientific societies such as RSC, AGU, and AAAR and contributes to several editorial boards and scientific journals.

Publications

Carbonaceous aerosols and pollutants over Delhi urban environment: Temporal evolution, source apportionment and radiative forcing

Authors: DS Bisht, UC Dumka, DG Kaskaoutis, AS Pipal, et al.
Journal: Science of the Total Environment (2015)

Characterization and morphological analysis of airborne PM2.5 and PM10 in Agra

Authors: AS Pipal, A Kulshrestha, A Taneja
Journal: Atmospheric Environment,  (2011)

Variability in atmospheric particulates and meteorological effects on their mass concentrations over Delhi, India

Authors: S Tiwari, DS Bisht, AK Srivastava, AS Pipal, et al.
Journal: Atmospheric Research, (2014)

Study of surface morphology, elemental composition and origin of atmospheric aerosols over Agra

Authors: AS Pipal, R Jan, PG Satsangi, S Tiwari, A Taneja
Journal: Aerosol and Air Quality Research, (2014)

Intra-urban variability of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and its relationship with optical properties of aerosols over Delhi

Authors: S Tiwari, PK Hopke, AS Pipal, et al.
Journal: Atmospheric Research (2015)

Characteristics of trace metals in PM2.5 and PM10 and health risk assessment in indoor environments in India

Authors: PG Satsangi, S Yadav, AS Pipal, N Kumbhar
Journal: Atmospheric Environment (2014)

Conclusion

Dr. Atar Singh Pipal stands out as a dedicated and accomplished researcher in atmospheric and environmental sciences, with a strong academic foundation, diverse international experience, and impactful research contributions. His work bridges scientific investigation with real-world environmental solutions, particularly in the areas of air quality and climate mitigation. Through his active participation in global collaborations, editorial roles, and professional societies, he continues to advance the understanding of air pollution and its broader implications. His profile reflects a strong commitment to scientific excellence and societal relevance.