Serges Kikwani | Mechanics of Solids | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Serges Kikwani | Mechanics of Solids | Best Researcher Award

Laboratory of Mechanics and Acoustics (LMA) | Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Dr. Serges Kikwani is a PhD Research Scholar in Solid Mechanics at the Laboratory of Mechanics and Acoustics (LMA), Aix-Marseille University, France, where his research focuses on modeling thermomechanical coupling in adhesive bonding through experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. He holds a DEA in Applied Fluid Mechanics and an Engineering degree in Mechanical Construction from the University of Kinshasa, DRC. With extensive academic and industrial experience, Dr. Kikwani has contributed to mechanical design, thermodynamic solar pumping systems, and infrastructure projects in collaboration with JICA and other institutions. He has held teaching and research positions at multiple universities, including the University of Kinshasa, Loyola University, and the American University of Kinshasa, coordinating academic programs and mentoring students. His research interests encompass materials mechanics, structural adhesives, thermal characterization, and energy-efficient systems. He has published studies on thermal and viscoelastic characterization of adhesives, introducing non-destructive methods using PZT resonance and inverse finite element analysis to determine dynamic material properties. Recognized for his contributions to adhesive materials research, he was nominated for the Best Researcher Award for advancing understanding of dynamic and vibratory behavior in polymers. His work supports the development of more reliable and efficient structural bonding solutions, bridging theoretical, numerical, and experimental approaches in solid mechanics.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Kikwani, S. (2025). “Thermal characterization of adhesives and studies of CTR between metal and adhesives.” In Proceedings, Springer.

Kikwani, S. (2025). “Multi-Scale Characterization of Viscoelastic Properties in Structural Adhesives Using PZT Resonance and Non-Contact Impulse Validation.” Results in Engineering, November 6, 2025.

Kikwani, S. (2025). “Thermal characterization of adhesives and studies of CTR between metal and adhesives.” 8th International Conference on Adhesive Bonding 2025, Porto, Portugal, July 11, 2025.

Shruti Shukla | Social Impact Young Researcher Award| 

Ms. Shruti Shukla | Social Impact |  Young Researcher Award 

Technical University of Munich | Germany

Ms. Shruti Shukla is a dedicated researcher in global health with a strong focus on gender equity, adolescent maternal and child health, and the socio-economic determinants of well-being in low- and middle-income countries. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Global Health at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, where her research examines the impact of gender transformative interventions on adolescent maternal and child health outcomes. She holds an MSc in Global Health from Maastricht University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Liberal Arts from Ashoka University, and an MSc in Biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University. Her extensive professional experience includes research associate roles at TUM and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, contributing to projects on economic violence, intimate partner violence, and the impact of COVID-19 on gender inequities. She has also worked as a project coordinator for community-based health programs in India focusing on pneumonia and anaemia prevention. Her research interests encompass public health policy, gender-based violence prevention, and global health systems. She has delivered lectures on global and maternal health and contributed to several international collaborations. Ms. Shukla continues to pursue evidence-based approaches that promote equity, resilience, and empowerment in global health contexts.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Shukla, S., Shenderovich, Y., Jacobs, C., & Steinert, J. I. (2025). Pedalling progress? Assessing the long-term impact of a bicycle intervention on adolescent maternal and child health in Zambia. Social Science & Medicine.

Shukla, S., Kharade, A., Böhret, I., Jumaniyazova, M., Meyer, S. R., Abejirinde, I.-O. O., Shenderovich, Y., & Steinert, J. (2025). How do gender transformative interventions reduce adolescent pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries: A realist synthesis. Journal of Global Health.

Shukla, S., Mosha, N. R., Meyer, S. R., Harvey, S., Lees, S., Mshana, G., & Stöckl, H. (2025). Women’s informal group participation and intimate partner violence in Mwanza, Tanzania: A longitudinal study. Social Science & Medicine.

Steinert, J. I., Shukla, S., & Satish, R. V. (2024). Navigating distress: Exploring factors affecting adolescent girls’ wellbeing during and after a violence-focused survey in Maharashtra, India. Child Abuse & Neglect.

Shukla, S., Abejirinde, I.-O. O., Meyer, S. R., Shenderovich, Y., & Steinert, J. I. (2024). Mechanisms behind gender transformative approaches targeting adolescent pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries: A realist synthesis protocol. Systematic Reviews.

Shukla, S., Castro Torres, A. F., Satish, R. V., Shenderovich, Y., Abejirinde, I.-O. O., & Steinert, J. I. (2023). Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy in Maharashtra, India: A mixed-methods study. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters.

Meyer, S. R., Hardt, S., Brambilla, R., Shukla, S., & Stöckl, H. (2023). Sociological theories to explain intimate partner violence: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. Advance online publication.

Chulhwan Bang | Machine Learning and AI Applications | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Chulhwan Bang | Machine Learning and AI Applications | Best Researcher Award

Georgia Southern University | United States

Dr. Chulhwan C. Bang is an Assistant Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems at Georgia Southern University. He earned his Ph.D. in Business Management, specializing in Management Science and Systems with a minor in Communication, from the University at Buffalo, SUNY. With over a decade of academic and professional experience, Dr. Bang has taught a wide range of courses in business programming, information systems, and data analytics, integrating tools such as Python, SAP, Power BI, and Tableau. His research interests include big data analytics, cryptocurrency forecasting, social media analysis, deep learning, and sports analytics. He has published in top-tier journals such as Information Systems Frontiers and International Journal of Information Management and actively collaborates with students on applied data-driven projects. Prior to academia, he worked in the IT industry as a system architect and software developer, contributing to large-scale ERP and BI projects in Korea and the U.S. Dr. Bang has received multiple honors, including the Outstanding Research Award and finalist recognition for accelerator research grants. His work bridges theory and practice, fostering innovation in analytics education and advancing interdisciplinary research in business intelligence and emerging technologies.

Profile : Orcid

Featured Publications

Lee, Y. S., & Bang, C. C. (2022). Framework for the Classification of Imbalanced Structured Data Using Under-sampling and Convolutional Neural Network. Information Systems Frontiers.

Bang, C. C., Lee, J., & Rao, H. R. (2021). The Egyptian protest movement in the twittersphere: An investigation of dual sentiment pathways of communication. International Journal of Information Management.

Bang, C. C. (2020). Predicting Loyalty of Korean Mobile Applications: A Dual-Factor Approach. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology for Digital Convergence (IJICTDC).

Yu, J., Bang, C. C., & Oh, D.-Y. (2020). The Effect of Noncognitive Factors on Information Disclosure on Social Network Websites: Role of Habit and Affect. Southern Business & Economic Journal.

Kwon, K. H., Bang, C. C., Egnoto, M., & Rao, H. R. (2016). Social media rumors as improvised public opinion: semantic network analyses of Twitter discourses during Korean saber rattling 2013. Asian Journal of Communication.

Alexander Churbanov | Predictive Modeling Innovations | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Alexander Churbanov | Predictive Modeling Innovations | Best Researcher Award

Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences | Russia

Dr. Alexander Churbanov is a senior scientist at the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences, specializing in mathematical modeling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and coupled physical phenomena in porous media and viscous flows. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematical Modeling from Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1978 and 1988, respectively, with his doctoral thesis focused on numerical simulation of convective phenomena in technological facilities. Dr. Churbanov began his career as an engineer developing training systems for Soviet orbital flights at the Bureau of Space Research “ENERGIA” and later contributed to semiconductor material production modeling at the State Institute of Rare Metals Industry. Since 1988, he has served as a Senior Scientist at Keldysh Institute, where his research emphasizes the development of efficient algorithms and codes for CFD applications. He has authored 34 documents, including 25 SCI/Scopus-indexed journal papers, and his work has been cited 240 times, yielding an h-index of 8. His research interests encompass incompressible and slightly compressible viscous flows, coupled phenomena, open-source CFD software, and predictive modeling innovations. Recognized for contributions to mathematical modeling of coupled physical systems, Dr. Churbanov continues to advance computational methods, bridging theory and practical applications in engineering and applied sciences.

Profiles : Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Churbanov, A. G., Churbanova, N. G., & Trapeznikova, M. A. (2023). “Coupled Prediction of Flows in Domains Containing a Porous Medium and a Free Stream.” Mathematical Models and Computer Simulations.

Churbanova, N. G., Trapeznikova, M. A., Churbanov, A. G., & Emets, V. V. (2023). “Prediction of Flows in an Automotive Catalytic Converter.” In Systems of Signals Generating and Processing in the Field of On-Board Communications, SOSG 2023 – Conference Proceedings.

Podryga, V. O., Churbanov, A. G., Tarasov, N. I., Polyakov, S. V., Trapeznikova, M. A., & Churbanova, N. G. (2022). “Multiscale Approach for Modeling Multiphase Fluid Flows in Installations for Reprocessing of Natural Gas.” Lobachevskii Journal of Mathematics.

Churbanov, A., Churbanova, N., Polyakov, S., & Trapeznikova, M. (2021). “Coupled Calculations of Flows in Domains Including a Porous Medium and a Homogeneous Fluid.” In Proceedings – 2021 Ivannikov Memorial Workshop, IVMEM 2021.

Polyakov, S. V., Trapeznikova, M. A., Churbanov, A. G., & Churbanova, N. G. (2021). “Prediction of Incompressible Flows in a Porous Medium-Free Stream System.” Keldysh Institute Preprints.

Arun Gupta |  Fluid Mechanics | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Arun Gupta |  Fluid Mechanics | Best Researcher Award

University Institute of Engineering And Technology | India

Dr. Arun Kumar Gupta is an accomplished academician and researcher in the field of Chemical Engineering with over twenty-three years of teaching and research experience. He is currently serving as an Associate Professor at the University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur. Dr. Gupta holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from UIET, CSJMU, an M.Tech, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur. His research interests encompass process modeling and simulation, sustainable chemical processes, environmental engineering, smart farming systems, and the application of IoT and machine learning in chemical engineering. With 27 publications, 14 edited chapters, 3 books, and 1 completed project under the CV Raman Scheme, he has made significant scholarly contributions. He has organized and participated in numerous workshops, conferences, and faculty development programs and has been recognized with several honors, including the “Excellence in Academics Award” at the INDO–THAI International Excellence Awards 2024 and a Gold Medal in the NPTEL ASPEN course. Dr. Gupta’s innovative work has also led to two patents in smart irrigation and sustainable reactor design. Dedicated to advancing engineering education and research, he continues to inspire students and contribute to technological innovation.

Profiles : Orcid Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Chandra, A.K., Khan, W., Gupta, A.K., Patel, P.B., & Niranjan, R.S. (2025). “E‐Waste: A Leading Hazardous Waste.” In Global Waste Management (pp. 29–61).

Lal, A., Gupta, A.K., Kumar, A., & Indu, N.K.Y. (2010). “Manufacture and study of physico-chemical properties of Karanja bio-diesel.” In Proceedings on Renewable Energy and Sustainable Biofuels (Vol. 4).

Gupta, G.D., & Arun Kumar, G. (2022). “Enhancement in activity and reusability of dry Amberlyst-15 catalyst by thermal treatment for production of biodiesel from Karanja oil.” In Asian Journal of Chemistry, 35(1), 62–68.

Gupta, A.K., & Deo, G. (2018). “A single-step process to convert Karanja oil to fatty acid methyl esters using Amberlyst-15 as a catalyst.” In Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly, 32(1), 1–10.

Chiu, K., Gupta, A., Afxentiou, T., Ashraf, A., Kanani, R., Rajaguru, K., Bhatt, N., et al. (2025). “Impact of multiprofessional radiotherapy peer review on multidisciplinary team meeting staging in head and neck cancer.” In Clinical Oncology, 38, Article 103696.

Gupta, A.K. (2023). “Various methods for enhancement in heterogeneous catalyzed biodiesel production reaction rate.” In Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, 100(100970), 4.

Gracia Cristina Villodres | Descriptive Analytics | Best Research Article Award

Mrs. Gracia Cristina Villodres |  Descriptive Analytics | Best Research Article Award

University of Granada | Spain

Gracia Cristina Villodres is a predoctoral fellow at the University of Granada, specializing in physical activity, health, and education. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education with a specialization in Physical Education (2020), and two Master’s Degrees—one in Research and Innovation in Curriculum and Teacher Training (2021) and another in Physical Activity and Health (2022). Currently completing her PhD (FPU Fellowship 2021–2025) on healthy habits, cognitive function, and academic performance, she is also pursuing a Degree in Psychology. Her research interests focus on physical activity, body image, academic achievement, and mental health in youth populations. She has participated in four competitive research projects, serving as both researcher and principal investigator, and has published over 50 book chapters with ISBN. Her scholarly impact includes an H-index of 4 in Web of Science, 12 in Scopus, and 5 in Google Scholar, with a total of over 55 citations across databases. She has completed a research stay at the University of Bern and received the University of Granada Talent Award (2022). Through her teaching and research, she promotes evidence-based approaches to education and health, aiming to enhance well-being, inclusion, and performance in school and university settings.

Profiles : Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Villodres, G. C., Pérez-Díaz, J.-J., Salas-Montoro, J.-A., & Muros, J. J. (2025). Sex-based differences in lifestyle behaviours, self-esteem, and academic performance: A structural equation model in high-socioeconomic-status school-aged youth from southern Spain. Children.

Villodres, G. C., Rodríguez-Mérida, M., Vizcaíno-Cuenca, R., & Muros, J. J. (2025). Effectiveness of physical education interventions on mental health in children and adolescents: A systematic review of wellbeing and distress across educational levels. Adolescent Research Review.

Villodres, G. C., Campos-Pérez, L. M., Salvador-Pérez, F., Muros, J. J., & Vizcaíno-Cuenca, R. (2025). Relación entre el uso de redes sociales, hábitos saludables y factores psicológicos relacionados con la percepción de la imagen corporal en estudiantado universitario. Retos.

Navidad Cobo, L., Villodres, G. C., & Padial-Ruz, R. (2025). Efecto de un programa de actividad física y educación nutricional para la mejora de hábitos saludables en educación primaria. Retos.

Villodres, G. C., Salvador-Pérez, F., & Muros, J. J. (2024). Factors associated with Mediterranean diet adherence in a sample of high socio-economic status children from southern Spain. Public Health Nutrition.

Justice Sebuga Kotani | Government and Public Policy Analysis | Young Researcher Award

Mr. Justice Sebuga Kotani | Government and Public Policy Analysis | Young Researcher Award

University of North Carolina, Charlotte | United States

Dr. Justice Kotani holds a PhD in Geography from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, following an MSc in Sustainability from the United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability in Tokyo and a BSc in Development Planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. His professional experience spans teaching assistance, program analysis and internships with the United Nations University (on carbon-pricing, NDCs and youth forums) and field planning roles with the Environmental Protection Agency (Ghana). His research interests centre on environmental planning, forest-landscape restoration, green infrastructure, urban informal economies and inclusive spatial governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Kotani has an h-index of 1, with four documents and two citations to date (via Google Scholar). He has published work on professional misconduct in planning, wetland ecosystems in Ghana, and spatial planning in informal urban economies; and earned the Wayland H. Cato Jr. First-Year Doctoral Fellowship among his awards. In summary, Dr. Kotani brings a strong international sustainability education, hands-on field experience and emerging scholarly contributions focused on socio-ecological transitions and inclusive planning.

Profile : Orcid 

Featured Publications

1️⃣ Kotani, J. S., Akrofi, M. M., & Okitasari, M. (2025). Synergies and trade-offs between Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions and Sustainable Development Goals. Next Research, DOI: 10.1016/j.nexres.2025.100938**

2️⃣ Kotani, J. S., Takyi, S. A., Asibey, M. O., Amponsah, O., Quagraine, V. K., & Liwur, S. B. (2024). Planning in Ghana: Analysis of the various forms of professional misconduct from the perspective of professional planners. Planning Practice & Research, 1-20.

Anatoly Vershinin | Algorithm Development | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Anatoly Vershinin | Algorithm Development | Best Researcher Award

Lomonosov Moscow State University | Russia

Professor Anatoly Vershinin is a distinguished computational mechanics researcher at Lomonosov Moscow State University, holding a Doctorate in Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Graduating with honors from the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics in 2006, he has been a core member of the Chair of Computational Mechanics since 2009. With an h-index of 11 and over 321 citations, Professor Vershinin has authored 51 journal articles, 4 books, and holds 33 patents, contributing significantly to numerical modeling, high-performance computing, and computational mechanics. His research focuses on numerical discretization methods for nonlinear partial differential equations and parallel algorithms for massively parallel computing systems, underpinning the industrial structural engineering software CAE Fidesys. He has led or contributed to 11 research projects and multiple consultancy initiatives in collaboration with institutes such as the Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth and Saudi Aramco Moscow Innovation Center. An active member of the International Program Committee for “Advanced Mechanics: Structure, Materials, Tribology,” he bridges academia and industry, driving innovations in structural analysis and computational methods. His contributions have earned recognition for advancing numerical methods, high-performance simulations, and practical engineering applications, establishing him as a leading figure in computational mechanics research.

Profiles : Scopus | Orcid | Research Gate

Featured Publications

Yarushina, V. M.; Podladchikov, Y. Y.; Vershinin, A. V. (2025). “A Micromechanical Model for Mineral Replacement Reactions and Associated Deformation: From Pore Clogging to Solid Volume Increase” in American Journal of Science.

Ampilov, Y. P.; Vershinin, A. V.; Kunchenko, D. S.; Petrovsky, K. A.; Safuanova, K. R. (2025). “Prediction of Thin-Layer Thickness Using Seismic Full-Waveform Modeling” in Moscow University Geology Bulletin.

Levin, V. A.; Vershinin, A. V. (2024). “CAE Fidesys as the Implementation of Fundamental Results of Computational Mechanics into Industry” in International Scientific Conference “Advanced Mechanics: Structure, Materials, Tribology”, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 23-26 сентября 2024. Abstracts

Levin, V. A.; Vershinin, A. V.; Yakovlev, M. Ya; Levchegov, I. O.; Zhmurovsky, A. A. (2024). “Computed Tomography Based Stress-Strain Analysis of Heterogeneous Models of Rocks and Biological Tissues Using Unstructured Meshes” in Russian Physics Journal.

Vershinin, A.; Ampilov, Y.; Levin, V.; Petrovsky, K. (2024). “Full waveform modeling in seismic exploration based on a digital geological model using spectral element method on GPU” in 16th World Congress on Computational Mechanics and 4th Pan American Congress on Computational Mechanics.

Jiapeng Xu | Qualitative Research | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Jiapeng Xu | Qualitative Research | Best Researcher Award

Northwest A&F University | China

Dr. Jiapeng Xu is an accomplished Associate Professor at the College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, specializing in urbanization, industrial economy, and urban-rural sustainable development. He earned his Doctor of Management degree from Huazhong Agricultural University and has established a distinguished career in research, teaching, and policy advisory. With over 11 publications in leading journals such as Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Environment, Development and Sustainability, and Environmental Management, his scholarly impact is reflected in an h-index of 5 and over 203 citations. Dr. Xu has led more than 10 national and provincial-level projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and completed 23 teaching and research initiatives. His policy reports have been recognized at the highest levels of government—four adopted by the General Office of the State Council and three receiving direct instructions from national leaders. A Consulting Expert for World Bank Projects and a member of several academic committees, he also contributes as Deputy Secretary-General of the Agricultural Economics Virtual Teaching Office under China’s Ministry of Education. His research continues to advance sustainable economic policies and educational innovation in China’s western development region, earning him prestigious honors such as the Shaanxi Provincial Higher Education Teaching Achievement Award.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publications

Promoting Balanced Ecological-economic Development in Ecologically Vulnerable Regions: Spatio-temporal Variation and Driving Factors, 2025

The impact of urbanization on carbon emissions of rural households: a study based on micro-level measurement, 2024

Amanuel Kachiko | Electrica Power Engineering | Best Faculty Award

Mr. Amanuel Kachiko | Electrica Power Engineering | Best Faculty Award

Haramaya University | Ethiopia

Amanuel Kachiko is a Lecturer and Researcher in Electrical Power Engineering at Haramaya University, Ethiopia, with over eight years of academic and research experience. He holds BSc and MSc degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Electrical Power Engineering, with specialized training in reliability of power systems, renewable energy, grid and off-grid power systems, and optimization of generation, transmission, and distribution networks. His expertise spans simulation tools such as MATLAB, ETAP, PSAT, DigSILENT, and advanced programming for engineering applications. Amanuel’s research interests focus on smart grids, renewable energy integration, power system reliability, and AI-based solutions for energy systems, with several peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including Energy (Elsevier). His contributions extend to applied projects such as the design of automated health, insurance, and ambulance management systems, and the development of automated performance management systems for regional utilities in Ethiopia. He has also completed international certifications in AI, data science, cybersecurity, and research publishing, and actively contributes as a peer reviewer for scientific journals. With a commitment to innovation, teaching, and community-focused projects, Amanuel continues to explore solutions for sustainable electrification, smart grid design, and data-driven energy optimization, shaping the future of energy transitions in developing regions and beyond.

Profiles : Scopus | Orcid 

Featured Publication

“A feasibility analysis of PV-based off-grid rural electrification for a pastoral settlement in Ethiopia”