Committee Members

Alghamdi is a geophysicist with a keen interest in innovation and the development of cutting- edge technologies, particularly in their application to mineral and oil & gas exploration. With extensive academic and industry experience, he specializes in the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of potential field data, seismic data, and geothermal modeling. His professional journey includes involvement in numerous exploration projects within Saudi Arabia and internationally, addressing a diverse range of geological and geophysical challenges. A key area of his expertise is 3D gravity inversion techniques, where he integrates geological and geophysical data to construct robust 3D geological models. Dr. Alghamdi has also played a pivotal role in designing and implementing strategic initiatives for the mining, oil, and gas sectors, contributing to the realization of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Alberto Camarero Orive is an Associate Professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), specializing in transport planning, logistics, and energy transition. He directs the Master’s Program in Port and Maritime Business and Innovation and has authored over 100 publications and 9 technical books. With extensive expertise in sustainable transport and infrastructure, he has supervised 12 doctoral theses and led 30+ national and international research projects. Professor Camarero collaborates with global organizations such as the EU, OECD, and EIB, and has served as a visiting professor worldwide. His work emphasizes sustainability, technological innovation, and energy solutions in transport and port systems.

Mubarak M. Alhajeri is an assistant professor at the college of Technological under the Public
Authority for applied Education and Training at Kuwait. He holds a PhD in Chemical & Petroleum
Engineering from the University of Kansas, USA. His work focuses on nanotechnology fluids, CCUS, and
CO2 foam for conformance control.

Wei Wu earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, in 1995. He currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Over the years, he has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the 2016 Professor Tsai-Teh Lai Award from the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, the 2018 Excellent Research Award from Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc., and the 2019 Excellent Research Award from National Cheng Kung University. His primary research focuses on process design, renewable energy, and the circular economy.

Wang’s research interests lie at the interface of bionanotechnology, microbiology, and material science. Specifically, his research seeks to (i) design novel bionanomaterials to enable sustainable and efficient water purification, (ii) harness the biochemical potential of microorganisms in bioremediation and resource recovery, and (iii) understand the effects of emerging contaminants on microbial activities in natural and engineered systems.

Dongya Han is a tenure-tracked associate professor of mining and geotechnical engineering at Central South University. He earned his PhD from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2020. His research focuses on multi-filed coupling and multiscale mechanics within geo-energy and mining engineering and non-destructive testing and characterization methods. He has published over 20 papers in prestigious journals such as International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, etc.

Muhammad Abid is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Yibin University, China. He received his Ph.D. from Tsinghua University Beijing China in 2021. His research fields of interest are Bioenergy, Anaerobic Digestion, High Solid Anaerobic Digesters, Microbial Community Dynamics of Anaerobic Digesters. Methane Production Pathways, Organic Waste Treatment, GHG Emission and Controls, Climate Change Mitigation Strategies, etc. Dr. Abid has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, contributing valuable insights to his field.

Omar Behar is a principal engineer and scientific researcher with over 16 years of experience in
the energy sector, encompassing both industry and academia. He holds a Doctor of Engineering
degree, along with degrees in renewable energies (Magister) and petroleum mechanics (Specialized
Engineer). After more than 7 years of working in the oil and gas industry, Dr. Behar transitioned to
research in 2016. He has since held research positions at KAUST in Saudi Arabia, SERC/UDeC in
Chile, and PROMES-CNRS/UPVD in France. His research expertise includes solar energy, hydrogen,
carbon capture, and ammonia.

Dimplekumar Chalishajar received his Ph.D. from the University of Baroda, Vadodara, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India in 2005. He received an M.Phil. (1996) and an M.S. (1993) from the University of Baroda, India. His research fields of interest are Control Theory, Dynamical Systems/Inclusions, Fractional-order Systems, Time and State Delay Systems PDEs, Mathematical Biology, Functional Analysis, etc. He has published 107 research articles in several peer-reviewed international journals with one monogram. He extends his hands to serve on the editorial board of more than 12 international journals and he has been serving as a reviewer for more than 25 peer-reviewed international journals. He has reviewed 225 research articles so far to help the mathematical community. He has been invited to deliver an expert lecture by several universities recognized nationally and internationally. He has delivered 89 research talks so far. For scholarly purposes, he has traveled to several nations, including the United States, Canada, France, Spain, Bulgaria, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Abu Dhabi). He has an overall teaching experience of 26 years and has been involved in research for the last 25 years. He is an author/co-author of five books. He worked as a professor and head of the department for 12 years in India, and since 2008 he has been serving at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), USA. He was awarded 15 prestigious research awards by the government of India and the United States. Apart from this, he is actively involved in several administrative committees at VMI, the Chair of the International Program Committee, a member of the VMIRL Liaison Committee, Human Subjects, and Animal Use Committee, etc. He served as the head coach of the volleyball team of VMI from 2022-2023.

Feras has completed his PhD at the age of 33 years from UAEU University and his Masters degree from Kuwait university. Feras has a continueing technical experience in the oil and gas for more than 13 years in the state of Kuwait . He is the Chairman of the board of Kuwait Business Council in Dubai since 2020 and has been part of several business and official delegations representing the state of kuwait within international organizations He has published more than 12 papers in reputed journals and has been on the board of the Alumni board of trustees for the college of engineering in the Australian University in Kuwait.

Hasan Balfaqih is an Assistant Professor specializing in Operations and Supply Chain Management. Dr. Balfaqih has an extensive academic and professional background, his research primarily revolves around supply chain performance, desalination industry logistics, and sustainability in water resource management. He has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, with notable publications in the fields of environmental performance assessment and sustainable supply chains. His dedication to research and teaching continues to influence the fields of supply chain and operations management.

Viktoras Doroševas is a highly esteemed professor specializing in mechanical and civil engineering. He earned his engineering degree from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in 1980, followed by a Doctorate in Technology Sciences in 1996 and a habilitation in 2007. His research focuses on the dynamics of mechanical systems and material restoration.

Dr. Doroševas has held various academic positions at KTU, including Lector, Associate Professor, and Professor, before joining Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in 2018. Since 2022, he has also been serving as a professor at Klaipeda State University of Applied Sciences, where he continues to make significant contributions to engineering education and research.

Filipe Vidal has completed his PhD at the age of 35 years from Fluminense Federal University and degree in geology from Rio de Janeiro Federal University. He is the Senior Geology of Petrobras, with expertise in the characterization of igneous rocks using well logs and XRD and XRF analysis of cutting samples. He is a professor at the Petrobras University and a visiting professor at the Fluminense Federal University.

Shanfang HUANG is serving as tenured Associate Professor of nuclear engineering at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Science and Engineering Management, Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University. In 2001, 2004, and 2008, he received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degree respectively. His research interests is mainly focusing on multiphase flow and heat transfer in energy system of petroleum and nuclear engineering. In 2011-2012, he visited KAERI and POSTECH and collaborated with visiting Prof. S. T. Revankar at Purdue University. He has published more than 150 papers and about half in peer-reviewed publications with an H index of 21.

Vitor Santos is an Assistant Professor at NOVA IMS, New University of Lisbon, specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Information Systems. He has previously taught at UTAD and the University of Minho and served as Microsoft Portugal’s Academic Computer Science Program Manager for nearly a decade. Vitor has a PhD in Information Systems from the University of Minho, a degree in Computer Engineering, and several advanced degrees in Computer Science and Information Systems. He has also held management roles at Santander, served on scientific committees, and contributed to academic publications.

Praveen Shakya holds a B.Tech and M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bombay, respectively, and earned his Ph.D. from IIT Kharagpur. Currently, he is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Utah Valley University, specializing in fatigue and crack analysis of wind turbine blades using tools like ANSYS, MATLAB, and OpenFAST. His expertise includes finite element analysis, aeroelasticity, and composite structures. Praveen has also served as an Assistant Professor and Senior Research Fellow, contributing to advancements in wind energy technology and the development of durable wind turbine designs.

Md. Abu Zaed, with over a decade of experience in manufacturing sustainability, focuses on integrating eco-friendly practices into industrial processes while maintaining efficiency. His work includes advancing 2D material synthesis, desalination technologies, hydrogen production, and flow batteries. Widely published, he collaborates with various groups to promote sustainability and mentors young scholars. Committed to innovation and environmental responsibility, he drives multidisciplinary research for a sustainable future.

Zafarullah Nizamani has 30 years of experience in civil engineering. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Malaysia, specializing in the structural reliability of Jacket Platforms in Offshore Malaysia. He earned his master’s in Civil Engineering (Structures) from NED University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan, in 2002, and a BE in Civil Engineering from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan, in 1991. Zafarullah is a Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng) with the Institution of Civil Engineers, UK, and a Professional Engineer (PE) registered with the Pakistan Engineering Council.

SeyedMehdi Mohammadizadeh is an interdisciplinary researcher at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), specializing in porous media, geology, cavitation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), and machine learning (ML). His research focuses on innovative pathways for sustainable energy transition.

Wu Shuhong is a professor and reservoir engineer at RIPED, CNPC, with 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. She specializes in reservoir modeling, simulation, and improved oil recovery projects. Wu has also developed industrial software such as the HiSim reservoir simulator suite. Her expertise extends to digital oilfield engineering, focusing on mechanistic modeling for multiphase fluid flow and integrating physics-based and data-driven algorithms for predictive models. An active industry researcher and lecturer, she has served on technical committees for the Society of Petroleum Engineers and CSiam and received the 2018 SPE Regional Service Award. Wu holds a BSc and MSc in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Petroleum and a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from RIPED. She has published over 100 papers on reservoir simulation, digital oilfields, reservoir management, and real-time optimization.

Yuedu Chen is an Associate Professor at Taiyuan University of Technology, Shanxi Province, China. He earned his PhD in Mining Engineering from the same university in 2018 and completed postdoctoral research in Civil Engineering at Tsinghua University from 2019 to 2021. His research focuses on multi-physics coupling processes in fractured geological media within Geo-Energy and Environmental engineering. Dr. Chen has published around 40 papers and won the Excellent Paper Award at the China-Rock Conference in 2020. He serves as a youth editor for the Journal of Rock Mechanics Bulletin and the International Journal of Mining Science and Technology and has received several accolades for his contributions to the field, including the Best Researcher Award from ScienceFather. Dr. Chen is also a member of the East Asia Blue Ribbon Group of the American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) and serves on the technical committee for Underground Storage and Utilization (USUTC), ARMA.

Xiwu Luan has completed his PhD at the age 25 from Instititute of Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and postdoctoral studies from Oxford University and the Pacific Geoscience Centre, Canada. He is the director of Qingdao Innovation Center for Deep Water Petroleum. He has published more than 400 papers in reputed journals.

Haoran Jin is “ZJU Hundred-Talent Program” faculty（tenure-tracked assistant professor）of mechanical engineering at Zhejiang University. He earned his Ph.D. from Zhejiang University in 2017. He then worked as a Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University from 2017 to 2022, where he conducted cutting-edge research on ultrasonic imaging, non-destructive testing, and robot-assisted inspection. His work has been published in several prestigious journals and conferences. He is passionate about developing innovative solutions for inspections of weld, oil and gas pipeline using advanced imaging techniques and robotics.

Haylay Tsegab is a Senior Lecturer in the Geoscience Department at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. He has worked in higher education, mining, and research in the oil & gas industry. He has a strong educational background in carbonate Geology and received a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (2016) focused on the application of Geosciences for petroleum exploration and production. His research interest covers sedimentology, stratigraphy, and geochemistry with an emphasis on oil & gas exploration and production technologies (carbonate reservoirs), assessment of unconventional energy resources (Shale Gas), CO₂ Sequestration into geological formations. Dr. Haylay has published several research articles in ISI/Scopus-indexed international journals and serves as a reviewer and editorial board member in many high-quality international journals. He has taught a number of courses such as Applied sedimentology, Applied Stratigraphy, Basin Analysis, Reservoir Characterization, principles of stratigraphy, Geochemistry, and a short course on digital geosciences for undergraduates and post-graduate programs. Dr. Haylay is heading a research center, Southeast Asia Clastic and Carbonate Research Laboratory (SEACARL) at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. He has also served as an organizing committee member for many international conferences and workshops since 2013.

Yiyuan Zhang obtained his M.S. degree from Zhejiang University in 2024 and his B.Eng degree from Dalian Maritime University in 2021. He is currently positioned as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA, awarded by a 2024- 2025 Mechanical Engineering Department Distinguished Scholar. His current interests include planning and control for intelligent ocean systems. Yiyuan Zhang has co-authored 4 journal papers and is a co-inventor on 2 patents.

Tang is the Chair Professor and Director of the Deep Underground Research Center at Dalian University of Technology, and Chief Professor of Structural Geology at the University of Geosciences (Wuhan), China. He has served as Vice President of the Chinese Society of Rock Mechanics and Engineering and Chairman of the China National Group of the International Society of Rock Mechanics. Dr. Tang holds a Ph.D. from Northeastern University, China, and has conducted post-doctoral research at Imperial College, London. He has extensive international research experience and leads major projects in rock mechanics. He has published over 300 technical papers and authored several books, including “Rock Failure Mechanism.”

Min Wang is a Staff Scientist in the Fluid Dynamics and Solid Mechanics Group at the Theoretical Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States. He obtained the PhD degree in computational mechanics from Swansea University in 2016. From October 2015 to June 2018, he served as a project engineer at Rockfield Software Ltd, founded by Prof. D.R.J. Owen, focusing on the development of Finite Element Method (FEM) for multi-field coupling in geomechanics. In June 2018, he joined Los Alamos National Laboratory as a Postdoc Research Associate, conducting research on multiscale theory and technique for large material deformations, as well as multiphase flow theory and related closure issues using high-resolution CFD-DEM simulations and statistical mechanics. He was subsequently promoted to a Staff Scientist. Dr Wang’s research interests include computational solid and fluid mechanics; multiphase and multiscale geomechanics; multiphase flow theory, CO₂ and Hydrogen pipeline transport and application of machine learning to enhance the understanding of materials and multiphase flows. He has authored over 50 journal articles and served as editorial board members for several prestigious international journals, including Computers and Geotechnics, Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Rock and Soil Mechanics and so on since 2019.

Kamel is an associate professor and the coordinator of the Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Texas Permian Basin and holds the Ellen and Bill Noel Distinguished Fellowship for Energy Research. Dr. Kamel holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, and a Ph.D. from The University of Oklahoma, OK, USA. All Degrees are in Petroleum Engineering. He is an active member of SPE, AADE, IADC, and many other professional organizations. Dr. Kamel has been extensively involved in teaching, research, and service with a wide experience in USA and Middle East. Dr. Kamel’s research interests include, and not limited to, drilling, completion, and production of oil and gas wells, rheological, viscoelastic, and flow characterization of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, drilling and completion fluids, straight and coiled tubing applications, drag reduction applications, polymers and surfactants applications, slurry and foam flow, wellbore stability, data analytics and innovative drilling and completion technologies. He has authored or co-authored more than 50 technical papers.