Committee Members

Céline Basset is a researcher at the Security Defense Laboratory (ESDR3c) of the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM) in Paris. Her work focuses on soil security in relation to food and national security amidst environmental and supply chain challenges. Basset has authored influential publications, including “Soil Security: A Cornerstone of National Security in an Era of Global Disruptions,” and delivered a keynote on soil microbiome enhancement through vermicomposting at the IUSS Centennial in Florence. She also explores AI’s role in soil security and actively works on Territorial Food Projects (P.A.T) to advance soil revitalization techniques with farmers and institutions.

Dr. Olusegun S. Tomomewo,  PhD in Energy Engineering, is an Assistant Professor and Graduate
director at the University of North Dakota’s College of Engineering & Mines in Grand Forks, North
Dakota, United States. His expertise includes designing and optimizing energy systems, including
conventional power, oil and gas, and renewable energy sources. He has published over 40 Journal
articles in reputable publishing houses and has produced over 10 PhD and several MS graduates
within the last 4 years. His research focuses on sustainable energy solutions and the transition to a
low-carbon future. Dr. Tomomewo also specializes in the economics of energy businesses, project
management, and energy policy designs and implementations, contributing significantly to both
technical and economic aspects of energy engineering and fostering innovation in sustainable
practices.

Associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering since 2020. He obtained his PhD in ‘Development of electrochemical technologies for the treatment of liquid and gaseous effluents polluted with chlorinated hydrocarbons’ from the University of Castilla La Mancha in 2021. His research interest is focused on environmental and electrochemical technologies applied to wastewater treatment, highlighting the study of physico-chemical properties of waste-derived materials to valorize them following the principles of circular economy. He published 32 articles in international journals and participate in more than 25 international congresses (h index = 12).

Dr. Fiaz Ahmad is an Associate Professor with expertise in Microbiology, Biotechnology, and
Resource Management. His research centers on microbe-microbe and microbe-material interactions
to enhance bioremediation, carbon capture, and green recovery of valuable minerals and metals,
contributing to sustainable environmental practices and the circular economy.
He earned his PhD in March 2020, receiving several honors, including the Excellent
International Doctoral Student Awards (2017-2019) and the Outstanding Doctoral Graduate Student
Award (2020). After his PhD, he pursued postdoctoral research at Hainan University’s State Key
Laboratory under a prestigious China Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Dr. Ahmad has authored 9 patents and published 28 papers in high-impact journals such as
Trends in Microbiology, Heliyon, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Journal of Environmental
Management. His work has received 746 citations, with an h-index of 12 and an i10-index of 16
(Google Scholar).

Agata Zdarta has completed her PhD from Poznan University of Technology. She is currently leading a scientific project dedicated to the creation of bioactive membranes for environmental application. She has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

Jakub Zdarta has completed his PhD at the age of 31 years from Poznan University of Technology and postdoctoral studies from Technical University of Denmark and University of Technology Sydney. Author of over 110 scientific publications indexed by Thomson Reuters JCR and over 15 chapters in monographs. Principal or general investigator in a numerous of research projects financed by the National Science Center, NAWA and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The area of his research is focused on biotechnology, materials science, biocatalysis, environmental engineering, bioengineering, enzyme engineering, bioremediation and related fields.

Mrs. Klytaimnistra Katsara is a PhD candidate at the Hellenic Mediterranean University (since 11/2021), collaborating with IESL-FORTH (PPM Group). Her dissertation, titled “Occurrence of microplastics in foodstuffs and factors that affect their migration,” is supervised by Assistant Professors Vassilis M. Papadakis, El. Alissandrakis, and Dr. G. Kenanakis. She specializes in Food Quality Studies, and the effect of micro/nanoplastics, using non-destructive techniques like Raman/ATR spectroscopies. She graduated in Materials Science (2016) and completed a Master’s in Biochemistry (2019), analyzing Raman data in lymphoma cells. After that, she worked as a Laboratory assistant in the “DODECA LABS IKE” LABORATORY OF CHEMICAL & MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSES in Rhodes (Greece). Finally, she trained as a lab technician, working 2 years before her PhD in FORTH, on projects, such as “NFFA-Nanoscience Foundries and Fine Analysis Europe,” “H2020-MSCA-RISE-2019” entitled “PANTHEON”, and “NanoBioPack. She published over 10 papers and holds a Piano Diploma from “MusicHorizons.”

Zafarullah Nizamani is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Environmental Engineering Department at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in Kampar, Malaysia. He holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering and specializes in sustainable practices, water management, and pollution control. Dedicated to educating future engineers, Dr. Nizamani actively engages in research and community initiatives, advocating for sustainability and innovation in engineering. His leadership at UTAR positions him as a key figure in advancing environmental engineering education in Malaysia.

Dr. Jitka Krejsová is a researcher in material engineering. She specializes in laboratory testing of inorganic materials, with a major focus on gypsum-based and lime-based binders. Her expertise includes characterization (especially using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and thermogravimetry) and physical (mechanical, thermal, and moisture transport) property assessments. Since 2014, she has been an employee of the Czech Technical University in Prague. Despite two maternity leaves during her Ph.D. studies (2017-2022), she participated in many significant theoretical and practical projects ranging from historic facade restoration to sustainable material development.

Hamed H. Aly (S’09-M’12-SM’16) received the B.Eng. and MASc degrees in electrical engineering with distinction, in 1999 and 2005, respectively, from Zagazig University, Egypt, and the Ph.D. degree from Dalhousie University, Canada, in 2012. He worked as a postdoctoral research associate for one year and as an instructor for three years at Dalhousie University. He worked at Acadia University as an assistant professor for three years. Dr. Aly is currently working as an assistant professor at Dalhousie University and is the founder for micro grid and smart power systems lab. His research interests include micro grids, smart grid, distributed generation, power quality issues, applications of artificial intelligence in power systems, energy management, green energy, and optimization

Dr. Masa Noguchi is an Associate Professor in Environmental Design at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He is a Chartered Engineer, Environmentalist, and Technological Product Designer registered with various UK institutions. Dr. Noguchi is also a Certified Passive House Designer with the Passive House Institute in Germany. He founded the ZEMCH Network, comprising over 500 partners from nearly 40 countries, and has led numerous industry-academia knowledge transfer events globally. At the Melbourne School of Design, he directs ZEMCH (Zero Energy Mass Custom Home) design courses as part of the graduate program.

A. W. Jayawardena is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Hong Kong where he has been teaching for many years. He has also been a Visiting Professor, Chu Hai College of Higher Education, Hong Kong; a Technical Advisor to the Research and Development Centre, Nippon Koei Co. Ltd, Japan; Research and Training Advisor to the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) under the auspices of UNESCO and concurrently a Professor in the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan; a Guest /Visiting Professor of Beijing Normal, Hohai and Tsinghua Universities, China; Honorary Professor in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences of the University of Hong Kong; an Adjunct Professor of Vellore Institute of Technology, India; Senior Engineer, Howard Humphrey & Sons, Consulting Engineers, UK; and an Engineer in the Irrigation Department of Sri Lanka. His awards include Visiting International Fellowship of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), American Society of Civil Engineers; International Award, Japan Society of Hydrology and Water Resources, and, Invitational Fellowship, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and UNESCO-IHP Asia Pacific Award. He has authored the books ‘Environmental and Hydrological Systems Modelling’, ‘Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics, Hydrology and Water Resources for Civil Engineers’, Water for Life: Drinking Water, Health, Food, Energy Nexus, and, authored/co-authored over 200 publications.

Gordon Huang is a distinguished Professor with an extensive academic background. He earned his Ph.D. from McMaster University, Canada, where he specialized in Environmental Engineering. Prior to that, he completed his M.Sc. in Environmental Science at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and obtained his B.Sc. in Environmental Science from Peking University, China. Gordon is also a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Saskatchewan, Canada, reflecting his commitment to excellence in engineering practice. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field, Gordon has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from McMaster University, Canada. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, reflecting his esteemed standing within the engineering community. Currently, Gordon serves as the President of the International Society for Environmental Information Sciences, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping global discourse on environmental issues. He also holds the prestigious Canada Research Chair Tier 1 in Energy and Environment, underscoring his expertise in this critical area.

In addition to his academic and leadership roles, Gordon serves as the Executive Director of the Institute for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Communities, where he leads initiatives aimed at advancing sustainable development practices worldwide. Furthermore, Gordon is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environmental Informatics, where he oversees the publication of cutting-edge research in the field. His dedication to advancing environmental informatics underscores his commitment to fostering knowledge exchange and innovation in environmental science and engineering. Through his multifaceted roles and contributions, Gordon Huang continues to be a driving force in advancing knowledge and solutions for the pressing environmental challenges of our time.

Sos S. Agaian, PhD in Mathematics, Dr, Engineering Science,  and is a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at College of Staten Island and the Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY). Prior to joining CUNY, Dr. Agaian was the Peter T. Flawn Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences UTHSCSA at San Antonio; Professor, UT System Cyber and Cloud Security Initiative, and Director of Multimedia and Mobile Signal Processing Laboratory.  He has been a visiting faculty at the Tufts University, the Tampere Institute of Technology, and the Leading Scientist at the AWARE, Inc. at Bedford, MA.
Dr. Agaian received his M.S. in Mathematics and Mechanics (summa cum laude) from the Yerevan State University, Armenia; his Ph.D. in Mathematics and Physics from the Steklov Institute of Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS); and his Doctor of Engineering Sciences degree from the Institute of Control Systems, RAS.

Scholarly Interests.  Dr. Agaian’s interdisciplinary research has evolved from industrial mathematics to computer science; and from applied signal/image processing to data analytics and neurocomputing. Dr. Agaian’s research interests are in Big and Small Data Analytics, Computational Vision and Sensing, Machine Learning and Urban Computing, Multimodal Biometric and Digital Forensics, Information Processing and Fusion, and Fast Algorithms.  He has special interests in finding meaning in visual content-examine images for faces, text, objects, action, sciences, and other contents; and in the development of scientific systems and architectures in the theory and practice of engineering and computer sciences (emphasizing complex digital data processing, information sciences and systems technologies in the military, as well as medical and industrial information processing centers).
Dr. Agaian has developed applications in Healthcare, Biomedical Data Mining, Object Recognition, Signal Processing, Computer-Aided Food Quality Inspection, 3D Imaging Visible and Thermal Sensors, Computational Photography, Multimedia Security, Needs-Driven Medical and Biomedical Technology, Finance, and Other Related Areas.

My name is Dan Dobrotă and they are a Professor at Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania. I obtained his undergraduate degree in Machine Building Technology (1994) from University of Craiova, Romania. I received his Ph.D. in Technology of Materials field from the University of Craiova, Romania, in 1998. Also, I obtained another undergraduate degree in Finance and Assurance, at Constantin Brancusi University of Targu Jiu, Romania (2004). In year 2013 I supported the habilitation thesis at Polytechnic University of Bucharest in Industrial Engineering domain. I was promoted to Full Professor in 2007. I have published over 137 scientific articles, among which over 84 in international journals indexed Web of Science. I am reviewer for 52 Web of Science indexed journals (Journal of Cleaner Production, Materials, Polymers, etc.), 55 of which are rated Q1. I am the author of 32 books, one of which is published by the international publishing house LAMBERT. I was editor of the special volume “Design of Welded Steel Structures” of the journal Metals indexed Web of Science and now, of the special volume of the journal ”Materials” entitled “Ecodesign for Composite Materials and Products”

MSc (Physics) with specialization in electronics from Punjabi University Patiala (India) in 1978. Received Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Physics with specialization in Solid State Materials from Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in June 1980. I was awarded PhD in Solar Energy from Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (India) on Januray 1983. Worked as Senior Scientific Officer (Grade 1) at IIT Delhi during the period July 1981 – Feb.1988. Subsequently, migrated to Italy to avail Post Doctoral Fellowship from International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, in Italy. Since then I’ve been working at various scientific institutions of international prestige; especially, JRC, ENEA, ICTP, UNESCO, etc. Have already acquired vast working experience of more than 36 years (with more than twenty-eight years working experience abroad) focusing on research and development activities on solar thermal /photovoltaic, develop european standards for solar thermal products, biomass gasification for energy production, second generation biofuels, etc. Have already published more than 150 research papers, three books, four chapters in three books, won numerous awards (inclusive of three gold medals), etc. Presently, while working as senior scientist at ENEA, also, serve as National Consultant (UNIDO), Italian expert at CTI, CEN/TC312 and Coordinator for CEN/TC312 WG2, etc.

Specialties: RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Thermal and electrc power generation using biomass gasification, formulation of European standards for solar thermal products (EN 12975, 76 and 77), biofuels, energy and material recovery from used rubber tyres through pyrolysis, semi-solid organic waste for biogas production, solar thermal for space heating and cooling photovoltaic, etc.).

FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION
Science, Engineering & Technology, Higher Education & Technical Education, Energy, Ecology and Environment, Solar Energy & Energy Efficiency & Conservation.

Chemical Engineer, master’s in environmental engineering and with a doctorate in Energy Engineering. With experience in: (1) materials synthesis: through sol-gel synthesis, nanomaterials of iron-doped titania, hydroxyapatite and copper and zinc have been obtained. (2) degradation of toxic and recalcitrant contaminants, (3) coupling of the Fenton process (advanced oxidation processes) with conventional water treatment systems (activated sludge). Nanomaterials have been applied in the degradation of water with dyes and herbicides. The improved properties of nanomaterials have enabled good degradation kinetics. I am currently in a postdoctorate where it has been possible to improve the kinetics in the degradation of water with the acid yellow dye 36. I am currently testing the degradation of the acid black dye 1 by photoelectrocatalysis using doped titania nanomaterials as a working electrode. Later, it is planned to obtain hydrogen through catalysis and photoelectrocatalysis, using doped titania materials as a photocatalyst and working electrode.