Yang Hu | Sustainable Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Yang Hu | Sustainable Agriculture | Best Researcher Award

Central South University of Forestry and Technology | China

Hu Yang is a researcher specializing in artificial intelligence applications in agriculture and forestry, currently with the Artificial Intelligence Application Research Institute at Central South University of Forestry and Technology. With a focus on multi-modal data fusion, computer vision, and deep learning, Hu has contributed to over 10 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, including Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, The Plant Journal, Information Fusion, and European Journal of Agronomy, with several manuscripts under revision or review. His work has achieved a total of 5documents, over 13 citations, and an h-index of 2, reflecting a strong influence in AI-driven plant disease recognition, image segmentation, and data augmentation techniques. Hu has led multiple projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation and university-level innovation programs, including multimodal agricultural and forestry disease assessment systems and forest area road crack detection using reinforcement learning. His research interests include multi-modal machine learning, image-based disease detection, precision agriculture, and smart forestry monitoring. Recognized with numerous awards such as the National Scholarship (2025) and Outstanding Graduate (2024), Hu continues to advance AI frameworks that bridge cutting-edge computational methods with practical applications, aiming to improve crop health, sustainable forestry, and environmental protection through intelligent, data-driven solutions.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publication

Mendes, L. de C., et al. (2025). AMF: A multi-modal framework for crop leaf diseases segmentation. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.

Syed Inzimam Ul Haq | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Syed Inzimam Ul Haq | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Masaryk University, Czech Republic

Dr. Syed Inzimam Ul Haq is a passionate plant physiologist and PhD candidate at Masaryk University, Czechia, specializing in the analysis of photosynthetic activity using advanced biophysical methods such as in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence and spectral reflectance. With over 3 peer-reviewed publications and a strong research portfolio, he has an h-index of 1, over 13 citations. He holds an M.Phil. and BS in Botany from Islamia College Peshawar, Pakistan, and currently serves as a part-time cooperating staff member at the Department of Experimental Biology, Masaryk University. He has previously worked as a Lab Assistant and a Biology Teacher in Pakistan. His research interests include plant stress physiology, chlorophyll fluorescence, nanotechnology, CRISPR genome editing, and sustainable agriculture. He has presented his work at national and international conferences and mentored multiple undergraduate and postgraduate students. Notable projects include studies on the phytoremediation potential of crops and the physiological adaptation of plants under space-mimicking environments like Antarctic regolith. With a consistent Q1 publication record and international collaborations, Dr. Haq is committed to advancing knowledge in plant science and making impactful contributions to global agricultural sustainability.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Haq, S. I. U., Hájek, J., & Barták, M. (2025). From Antarctic regolith to lunar greenhouses: Mechanistic insights into Brassica rapa Photosystem II dynamics for sustainable space agriculture. Life Sciences in Space Research.

Haq, S. I. U., Tariq, F., Sama, N. U., Jamal, H., & Mohamed, I. H. (2025). Role of autophagy in plant growth and adaptation to salt stress. Planta, 261, 49.

Ullah, Z., Haq, S. I. U., Ullah, A., Asghar, M. A., Seleiman, M. F., Saleem, K., Zeng, F., Sama, N. U., Kamran, K., & Ahmad, S. (2024). Effect of green synthesized silver nanoparticles on growth and biochemical profile of Pearl millet under NaCl stress. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 1–20.

Haq, S. I. U., Zheng, D., Feng, N., Jiang, X., Qiao, F., He, J. S., & Qiu, Q. S. (2022). Progresses of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in forage crops. Journal of Plant Physiology, 179, 153860.

Xie, Y., Haq, S. I. U., Jiang, X., Zheng, D., Feng, N., Wang, W., He, J.-S., & Qiu, Q. S. (2022). Plant genome editing: CRISPR, base editing, prime editing, and beyond. Grassland Research, 1–10.

 

Pommaret Jean-Francois | Mathematical Physics | Lifetime Achievement Award

Prof. Pommaret Jean-Francois | Mathematical Physics | Lifetime Achievement Award

CERMICS/ENPC | France

Jean-François Pommaret is a French mathematician and mathematical physicist, now Emeritus Researcher at École des Ponts ParisTech (CERMICS), whose work bridges differential geometry, partial differential equations, algebraic analysis, and gauge / gravity theory. He graduated from École Polytechnique and the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (X64) and obtained further training in mathematics and theoretical physics (Paris VI).  His research interests include the formal theory of partial differential equations, Lie pseudogroups, differential sequences (Janet, Spencer), homological algebra, differential modules, gauge theory, and the mathematical foundations of general relativity and gravitational waves. In particular, he has advanced the idea that the Einstein equations cannot be parametrized analogously to Maxwell’s equations, and he applies double duality and extension modules in differential homological algebra to reexamine the structure of the Riemann, Ricci, and Weyl tensors in various dimensions. His contributions also revisit classical elasticity (Cosserat theory), conformal geometry, and the interplay of gauge theory and gravitation. Throughout his career, he has promoted computational and algorithmic approaches (e.g. via Pommaret bases) to problems in differential algebra and mathematical physics. He is known for provocative claims about the (non)existence of gravitational waves from a rigorous mathematical standpoint, prompting debate and further study in the mathematical physics community.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Pommaret, J.-F. (2025, September 30). Differential Galois theory and Hopf algebras for Lie pseudogroups. Axioms, 14(10), 729.

Pommaret, J.-F. (2025, September 24). Electromagnetism and gravitation: A conformal jigsaw puzzle. Journal of Modern Physics.

Pommaret, J.-F. (2025, March). Why black holes cannot exist? Open Access Government.

Pommaret, J.-F. (2025, March 26). From differential sequences to black holes. Journal of Modern Physics.

Pommaret, J.-F. (2024, December). From computer algebra to gravitational waves. Journal of Applied Mathematics,

Shabeer Ahmad Dar | Plant Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shabeer Ahmad Dar | Plant Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

CSIR-IIIM | India

Dr. Shabeer Ahmad Dar is an accomplished plant biotechnologist with a Ph.D. in Plant Tissue Culture and Mutagenesis from the University of Kashmir, India, and currently serves as a Research Associate focusing on tissue culture, mutagenesis, and genetic transformation for improving medicinal and ornamental plants. With experience as a contractual lecturer and assistant professor, he has led and contributed to multiple projects in micropropagation, in vitro mutagenesis, secondary metabolite production, and plant conservation biology. His work has resulted in several high-impact journal publications, including studies on Atropa acuminata (In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant), callus induction, antioxidant profiling, and ethnomedicinal surveys. He has accumulated about 58 citations and holds an h-index of 3. He earned a Young Scientist Award in Plant Sciences in 2022. His research interests lie at the interface of plant biotechnology, synthetic biology, stress physiology, mutagenesis, and conservation of endangered medicinal germplasm. He also mentors junior researchers and promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary research. In future, he aims to expand transgenic approaches, metabolic engineering, and sustainable production of bioactive compounds while continuing efforts in plant conservation and capacity building in biotechnology.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

Dar, S. A., Nawchoo, I. A., Tyub, S., & Kamili, A. N. (2022). In vitro culture and biochemical and antioxidant potential of the critically endangered medicinal plant Atropa acuminata Royle ex Lindl of Kashmir Himalaya. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant.

Dar, S. A., Nawchoo, I. A., Tyub, S., & Kamili, A. N. (2021). Effect of plant growth regulators on in vitro induction and maintenance of callus from leaf and root explants of Atropa acuminata Royle ex Lindl. Biotechnology Reports, 31, e00688.

Dar, S. A., Gulzar, N., Lone, I. M., & Mohammad, H. B. (2020). Ethnomedicinal plants used by tribal community of district Pulwama with special reference to Tehsil Tral, Jammu and Kashmir–India. International Research Journal of Plant Sciences, 11(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.14303/irjps.2020.005

Dar, S. A., Nawchoo, I. A., Tyub, S., & Kamili, A. N. (2021). An updated overview of Atropa acuminata Royle ex Lindl: A critically endangered medicinal plant of Kashmir Himalaya. Research and Reviews: Journal of Botanical Sciences.

Dar, S. A., Nawchoo, I. A., Tyub, S., & Kamili, A. N. (2020). Plant cell cultures: Important methods for production of secondary metabolites. Journal of Research and Development.

Faizah Urooj | Plant Pathology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Faizah Urooj | Plant Pathology | Best Researcher Award

Department of botany | Pakistan

Dr. Faizah Urooj is a plant pathology researcher with an h-index of 10, 220 total citations, and over 17documents indexed in Scopus. She earned her M.Phil/Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Karachi (2012–2019), focusing on biocontrol potential of endophytic Penicillium spp. against root-rotting fungi and root-knot nematodes, and holds a B.S. (4-year) in Botany (2011) where she studied lead effects on seed germination. Currently, she is a Teaching Associate (since June 2025) in the Department of Botany, University of Karachi, after serving as Visiting Assistant Professor (Feb–Jun 2025) at the same institution, as well as previously (Jan–Jun 2022) at Federal Urdu University, and as an Assistant Professor / IPFP-Fellow (Dec 2020–Dec 2021). She is Associate Editor of the Journal of Sustainable Earth Management (JSEM). Her research interests include plant–microbe interactions, endophytic fungi, seaweed biostimulants, systemic resistance induction, molecular profiling (GC-MS, gene expression), and biological disease control. She has secured funding as Principal Investigator for an HEC-SRGP project on sunflower systemic resistance enhancement via fungi and seaweed. She has completed training such as the National Faculty Development Program (2020) and Project Management fundamentals (2021). Her contributions earned recognition in national capacity-building programs. In conclusion, Dr. Urooj is an active researcher and educator advancing sustainable phytopathology and biocontrol strategies in Pakistan.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

Urooj, F., Azam, M., Riaz, S., Farhat, H., & Sohail, N. (2025). Elucidation of the anti-phytopathogenic and hepatoprotective potentials of Halimeda tuna*: A comprehensive phytochemical assessment using GC–MS profiling with emphasis on its bioefficacy against root rot disease.

Urooj, F., Riaz, S., Ummulbaneen, Nawaz, F. M., & Gul, S. (2025). Carbon sequestration potential of woody vegetation in public institutions: A case study of University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan. Global NEST Journal.

Urooj, F., Farhat, H., & Riaz, S. (2025). Biocontrol potential of endophytic fungi and seaweed (Padina pavonica) against root rotting fungi in sunflower. Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology.

Urooj, F., Farhat, H., Riaz, S., Azam, M., & Sohail, N. (2025). Evaluation of combined application of endophytic fungi and Melanothamnus afaqhussaini against phytopathogens in Helianthus annuus L. In M. F. Nawaz, S. Gul, & Z. S. Siddiqui (Eds.), Climate change mitigation and environmental amelioration through plants and other sustainable practices.

Urooj, F., Farhat, H., Riaz, S., & Azam, M. (2024). Combined role of endophytic fungi and seaweeds in induction of systemic resistance in sunflower against root rotting fungi, and GC–MS profiling of mycelium of Penicillium citrinum. Pakistan Journal of Botany.

Debashree Borthakur | Plant Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Ms. Debashree Borthakur | Plant Microbiology | Best Researcher Award

Assam Don Bosco University | India

Dr. Debashree Borthakur is a research scholar in Microbiology at Tripura University, with a strong foundation in microbial biotechnology and environmental microbiology. She holds a Master’s degree in Microbiology from Bangalore University and ranked 5th in her university. With a CSIR-NET qualification (AIR-31), her research work focuses on microbial applications in health, environment, and biotechnology, including screening of aroma-producing microbes, microbial remediation of plastic toxicity, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. She has authored several research articles and has two national patents filed—on an OCR pen and a deep convolutional neural network model for colon cancer detection. With an h-index of 3, 5 Scopus-indexed documents, and over 12 citations, her contributions are growing steadily in the scientific community. She has served as a reviewer for peer-reviewed journals and technical program committee (TPC) member for reputed international conferences like CSNT, IEEE TALE, and CICN. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the National Biotech Youth Award and General Proficiency Award. Actively engaged in academic seminars, FDPs, and national/international conferences, she bridges interdisciplinary knowledge in life sciences and engineering. Her research integrates innovation, microbiology, and AI, aiming for impactful solutions in health, agriculture, and sustainability.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Borthakur, D. (2024). Screening and Characterization of Aroma and Flavour Producing Bacteria and Yeast from Traditional Fermented Food and Beverages of Northeast India. Proceedings of the International Conference on Communications, Electronics and Digital Technologies (NICEDT).

Borthakur, D. (2023). Evaluation of Tea Rhizospheric Microbes in Promoting Seed Germination and Plant Growth – An Alternative Strategy Using Biofertilizer. Proceedings of the International Conference on Modern Trendz in Microbiology.

Borthakur, D. (2022). Bioprospectation of Plant-Associated Endophytes in Plastic Degradation. Proceedings of the International Conference at NIT Jalandhar.

Borthakur, D. (2022). Microbial Pathogenesis and Recent Advances in Diagnosis of Omicron. Proceedings of the International Conference by Palamuru University.

Borthakur, D. (2020). Microremediation: A Natural Technology Towards Remediation of Plastic Toxicity. Proceedings of BIOINVENTION’20 – Advances in Biosciences.

Urjashi Bhattacharya | Agronomic Practices | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Urjashi Bhattacharya | Agronomic Practices | Best Researcher Award

The Neotia University | India

Dr. U. Bhattacharya is an agronomy scholar and educator with a doctoral degree specializing in conservation agriculture, climate-smart farming, and integrated nutrient management. Over four years as a university research scholar, she has conducted intensive research on rice–pulse cropping systems, focusing on enhancing ecosystem services (soil, air, and water) in the Gangetic Plains through sustainable agronomic practices. Her M.Sc. work examined the effects of nitrogen levels on a heat-tolerant potato variety, while her Ph.D. thesis explored the management of rice followed by lentil under conservation tillage and varying nutrient doses. She participated in the SRFSI project (in collaboration with ACIAR) in the Eastern Gangetic Plains, gaining experience in resilient farming system intensification. Dr. Bhattacharya is proficient in experiment planning, statistical analysis, instrument handling, and scientific communication, and has presented her research at several national and international seminars on soil health, sustainable agriculture, agrochemicals, climate resilience, and biodiversity. She has published multiple peer-reviewed papers in crop science and agronomy, holds an h-index of 4 with six publications and 294 citations, and has received certificates of excellence in peer review along with a design patent for a portable crop diagnostic spectrometer. Passionate about advancing agricultural education and research, she aspires to excel as a faculty member in plant science academia, inspiring students through innovative teaching and pursuing high-impact interdisciplinary research in sustainable agriculture.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Bhattacharya, U., & Sarkar, S. (2018). Conservation agriculture: A climate-smart approach to achieve zero hunger. Current Advances in Agricultural Sciences, 18(2), 78–83.

Bhattacharya, U., Saha, A., & Saha, A. (2019). Response of heat tolerant variety (Kufri Surya) of potato (Solanum tuberosum) under different levels of nitrogen. Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 37(1), 1–7.

Bhattacharya, U., Sarkar, S., & Dewanjee, S. (2019). Bio-efficacy evaluation of oxyfluorfen 23.5% EC for controlling weeds in potato crop. Journal of Crop and Weed, 15(3), 201–208.

Maitra, S., Hossain, A., Brestic, M., Skalicky, M., Ondrisik, P., Gitari, H., Brahmachari, K., Shankar, T., Bhadra, P., Palai, J. B., Jena, J., Bhattacharya, U., Duvvada, S. K., Lalichetti, S., & Sairam, M. (2021). Intercropping—A low input agricultural strategy for food and environmental security. Agronomy, 11(2), 1–28.

Bhattacharya, U., Naskar, M. K., Venugopalan, V. K., Sarkar, S., Bandopadhyay, P., Maitra, S., Gaber, A., Alsuhaibani, A. M., & Hossain, A. (2023). Implications of minimum tillage and integrated nutrient management on yield and soil health of rice-lentil cropping system – being a resource conservation technology. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, Article 1225986.

Arka Ghosh | Nanomaterials | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Arka Ghosh | Nanomaterials | Best Researcher Award

C.V. RAMAN GLOBAL UNIVERSITY | India

Dr. A. Ghosh is a materials scientist and engineer whose expertise spans nanocomposites, welding, and advanced manufacturing. He has led and contributed to major projects including system development in cement plants, revised plant layout and material handling design, microstructural/mechanical characterization of plasma‑arc welded 316L, development of aluminum–stainless steel transition joints via cold metal transfer for cryogenic use, and the synthesis and evaluation of Al‑based nanocomposites with CNT, graphene nanoplatelets, and hBN reinforcements. He has hands‑on experience with XRD (residual stress), SEM, optical microscopy, TEM sample prep, Vickers microhardness, and wear testing. His research interests lie in material science, powder metallurgy, welding, and non‑conventional machining. To date, he has published over a dozen papers (including in SCIE journals) on topics like hybrid nanofillers and tribological enhancements. His h‑index is 5 with over 83 citations, 25 Documentation AD Scientific Index. He is also named on several patents in areas such as ultrasonicator systems, TEM grid management, and automatic polishing apparatus. He has been recognized for contributing to innovative instrumentation and composite development. In sum, Dr. Ghosh’s multidisciplinary work bridges fundamental materials research and industrial application, making lasting contributions to nanomaterials engineering, welding technologies, and smart manufacturing approaches.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar | Orcid

Featured Publications

Ghosh, A., Alam, S. N., Patil, G. M., Patel, P., Sachan, V., Haq, N., & Seikh, A. H. (2025). Enhancing mechanical and tribological properties of Al-based nanocomposites via equal-weight-ratio graphite nanoplatelet and hexagonal boron nitride hybrid nanofillers. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. (Accepted).

Ghosh, A., Sahoo, N., Das, B., Patel, P., Patil, G. M., Sachan, V., & Basak, S. (2025). Macrostructures of carbon nanotubes for advanced battery application: A comprehensive review. Synthetic Metals. (Accepted).

Das, B., Sinha, S. K., Patra, A., Ghosh, A., Kumar, S., Choudhury, B., & Mindi, N. K. (2025). Microstructural and mechanical property enhancement of W-Zr alloys by nano-Al₂O₃, Y₂O₃, and La₂O₃ dispersions: A combined MD simulation and experimental approach. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. (Accepted).

Singh, Y., Manojkumar, S., Ghosh, A., & Mehta, K. K. (2025). Effect of change in strain path by cold rolling on the microstructure and texture of Nb-10Hf-1Ti refractory alloy. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. (Accepted).

 Ghosh, A., Shukla, U., Sahoo, N., Das, B., Kar, U. K., Shrivastava, P., & Alam, S. N. (2024). Development and mechanical characterization of Cu-hBN metal matrix nanocomposites using powder metallurgy route. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance. (Accepted).

Kpanoga Kolombia | Forestry Economics | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Kpanoga Kolombia | Forestry Economics | Best Researcher Award

University of Alberta | Canada

Kpanoga Kolombia is a Development Economist specializing in renewable energy, environmental and natural resource economics, with over five years of academic and policy research experience across Canada, France, Germany, and West Africa. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Sherbrooke, with a focus on non-market valuation and climate economics, and advanced degrees from Aix-Marseille University and the University of Lome. His work includes extensive empirical research on willingness to pay for carbon emission reduction, forest restoration, and ecosystem services in Quebec and Togo. Currently, he is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Alberta, a lecturer at ENAP, and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Quebec in Outaouais. His research interests span development economics, climate change, forest economics, and public policy. Kolombia has published in peer-reviewed journals like the African Journal of Ecology, and has several articles under review in journals including Ecological Economics and Plos One. He has received multiple scholarships including the Mitacs, FRQ, and Affaires Mondiales Canada Fellowships. Kolombia continues to advance inclusive and evidence-based environmental policy through interdisciplinary and applied economic research.

Profile:  Orcid

Featured Publications

Kolombia, K., & Yovo, K. (2025). Willingness to pay for forest restoration in Togo: Comparison of estimates from choice experiment, contingent valuation and travel cost methods. African Journal of Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70102

Kolombia, K. (2024). Economic evaluation of Mont-Bellevue Park in Sherbrooke using the individual travel cost method. Manuscript submitted for publication, Discover Cities.

Kolombia, K. (2024). Effect of policy consequentiality on willingness to pay for renewable energy in transport in Quebec. Manuscript submitted for publication, Journal of Cultural Economics.

Dupras, J., & Kolombia, K. (2024). Willingness to pay for the forestation of agricultural coulees: A choice experiment and contingent valuation study in Quebec. Manuscript submitted for publication, PLOS ONE.

Kolombia, K. (2024). Willingness to pay for renewable energy: A choice experiment and contingent valuation study in Quebec. Manuscript submitted for publication, Ecological Economics.

Samuel Agele | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Samuel Agele | Plant Physiology | Best Researcher Award

Federal University of Technology, akure | Nigeria

Professor Samuel Ohikhena Agele is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of plant environmental physiology and agronomy, currently serving as a Professor and Lead Researcher at the Department of Crop, Soil & Pest Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. He holds a B.Agric., M.Sc. in Desert Science, Ph.D. in Crop Physiology, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Protected Crops & Irrigation. With over 25 Master’s and 20 Ph.D. theses successfully supervised, his academic leadership is well recognized. Professor Agele has held significant administrative roles, including Head of Department (2013–2016) and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Africa, Toru Orua (2017–2019). His research interests encompass soil-plant-climate interactions, conservation agriculture, ecological restoration, and the domestication of medicinal plant species. He has contributed extensively to literature, authoring numerous journal articles and book chapters. His work has been recognized by various professional associations, including the International Horticultural Science Society and the Soil Science Society of Nigeria. Professor Agele’s research has garnered over 390 citations, reflecting his significant impact in his field. His publication count stands at 34, with a predicted h-index of 13.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar 

Featured Publications

Akinseye, F. M., Adam, M., Agele, S. O., Hoffmann, M. P., Traore, P. C. S., & [others]. (2017). Assessing crop model improvements through comparison of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) simulation models: A case study of West African varieties. Field Crops Research, 

Akinseye, F. M., Ajeigbe, H. A., Traore, P. C. S., Agele, S. O., Zemadim, B., & [others]. (2020). Improving sorghum productivity under changing climatic conditions: A modelling approach. Field Crops Research,

Agele, S. O., Iremiren, G. O., & Ojeniyi, S. O. (2000). Effects of tillage and mulching on the growth, development and yield of late-season tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) in the humid south of Nigeria. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 

Lajide, L., Adedire, C. O., Muse, W. A., & Agele, S. O. (1998). Insecticidal activity of powders of some Nigerian plants against the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motsch.). The Journal of Agricultural Science, 

Agele, S. O., Iremiren, G. O., & Ojeniyi, S. O. (1999). Effects of plant density and mulching on the performance of late-season tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in southern Nigeria. The Journal of Agricultural Science,