Khalid Alanazi | Engineering | Research Excellence Award

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Dr. Khalid Alanazi | Engineering | Research Excellence Award

Department of Mechanical Engineering/University of Tabuk | Saudi Arabia

Dr. Khalid Alanazi is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tabuk, specializing in energy systems, fluid mechanics, and material erosion studies. He earned his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering with distinction from the University of Tabuk, followed by M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Tulsa, where he conducted extensive research on solid particle erosion, oil-water emulsions, and computational fluid dynamics. Over his academic career, Dr. Alanazi has contributed to both teaching and curriculum development, instructing courses ranging from Engineering Mechanics and Fluid Mechanics to Turbomachinery and Refrigeration Systems, while supervising senior design projects and field training programs. His research primarily focuses on solar-powered desalination technologies, oil-water emulsion behavior under variable conditions, and the erosion resistance of metals in gas-solid flows. Dr. Alanazi has published numerous papers in high-impact journals and presented at international conferences, reflecting his commitment to advancing both fundamental and applied mechanical engineering. Recognized for his academic excellence, he has received multiple awards including the Prince Fahad bin Sultan Award for Academic Excellence and the Chapman Graduate Scholar Presentation Awards. His work continues to bridge experimental, computational, and applied approaches, contributing to sustainable engineering solutions and industrial applications worldwide.

Profile : Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Alanazi, K., Mohan, R. S., Kolla, S. S., & Shoham, O. (2024). “Effects of water salinity and temperature on oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by a nonionic surfactant.” Journal of Molecular Liquids, 414, 126067.

Alanazi, K., Mohan, R., Kolla, S. S., & Shoham, O. (2023). “Experimental study of monovalent salt and hydrochloric acid solution effects on the stability of blank oil-water dispersion in batch separators.” ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, 87660.

Alanazi, K., Mohan, R., Kolla, S. S., & Shoham, O. (2023). “Effect of water cut and temperature on the stability of emulsifier-free oil-water dispersion in batch separators at various stirrer speeds.” ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, 87660.

AbdelMeguid, H., Alanazi, K., Al-Shammari, A. F., Al-Twaim, O., Aljuhani, A., et al. (2025). “Sequential thermal and optical upgrades for passive solar stills: Toward sustainable desalination in arid climates.” Clean Energy and Sustainability, 3(4), 10017.

Alanazi, K., Mohan, R., Kolla, S. S., & Shoham, O. (2025). “Stability analysis of pure oil-water emulsion in gravity-based separators.” Journal of Fluids Engineering, 147(1), 011401.

Ekaterina Balakina | Vehicle Movement Control | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Balakina | Vehicle Movement Control | Best Researcher Award

Volgograd State Technical University | Russia

Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Viktorovna Balakina is a distinguished scholar in the field of mechanical and automotive engineering, holding a Doctor of Technical Sciences degree. She graduated with honors from Volgograd Polytechnic Institute in 1993 in Mechanical Engineering and subsequently worked as a design engineer at the Titan Central Design Bureau of the Barrikady Defense Plant. In 1996, she defended her PhD thesis in “Wheeled and Tracked Vehicles” and joined Volgograd State Technical University in 1997, later completing a research internship at the Warsaw Military Technical Academy in 2004. In 2011, she defended her doctoral dissertation in the same specialty. Prof. Balakina’s research focuses on vehicle stability, elastic properties of tires, and the contact interaction of elastic wheels with solid supports. She is co-author of two national regulatory documents on vehicle handling and dynamic stabilization, and she has authored approximately 300 publications, including five monographs, 14 patents, and four software certificates. Her work has garnered 104 citations from 48 documents, with an h-index of 6. She has received multiple awards, including the Honorary Diploma of the Ministry of Education and Science. As a full member of the Russian Academy of Transport since 2014, she continues to lead research projects and teach courses on vehicle maintenance, design, and operation.

Profiles : Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Balakina, E.V., Sergienko, I.V., & Konshin, V.A. (2025). Calculation of normal tire stiffness for tractors and agricultural machinery based on the loaded wheel radius. Tractors and Agricultural Machinery, Journal Article.

Balakina, E.V., Godzhaev, Z.A., Konshin, A.A., & Kochetov, M.S. (2023). Calculation of normal stiffness and contact patch of ultra-low pressure tires for agricultural machinery. Tractors and Agricultural Machinery, Journal Article.

Balakina, E.V., Lipatov, E.Y., & Sarbayev, D.S. (2020). Advantages of Using Wheel Rolling Radius for Calculating Friction Characteristics in Wheel-to-Road Contact Patch. In Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, Book.

Golubeva, T.A., & Balakina, E.V. (2020). Finding New Component in Displacement of Normal Supporting Surface Reaction to Car Wheels. In Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, Book.

Balakina, E.V. (2019). Calculation of the Friction Coefficient between a Steady Elastic Wheel and a Solid Support Surface in the Presence of a Lateral Force. Journal of Friction and Wear, Journal Article.

Serges Kikwani | Mechanics of Solids | Best Researcher Award

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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.

Hui Zhang |  Biosensing and Bioimaging | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Hui Zhang |  Biosensing and Bioimaging | Best Researcher Award

Nanjing Forestry University | China

Dr Hui Zhang holds a Bachelor in Mechanical Manufacturing & Automation from Southeast University (2004-2008), a Master in Mechanical Design & Theory from Jiangnan University (2009-2012), and a Doctorate in Mechatronic Engineering from Southeast University (2013-2018) with a joint PhD period at the National University of Singapore (2014-2016). He is currently Assistant Professor (Lecturer) at Nanjing Forestry University (from December 2024), following his previous role as Assistant Researcher at Southeast University (May 2018-Nov 2024). His research centres on mechatronic engineering, with a strong emphasis on dielectric elastomer actuators, tunable lenses, soft electroactive materials, additive manufacturing of functional structures, and AI-augmented sensing and diagnostics. He has published extensively in SCI journals on topics including biomimetic human-eye adaptive lenses, 3D printed dielectric elastomers, tunable imaging systems, and machine-learning enabled defect detection. His current h-index is 11 with 45 papers and 418 citations. He has also contributed to monographs and conference proceedings in advanced manufacturing and smart devices. His work has been recognised for innovation in soft robotics and functional materials, and he continues to push the frontier of coupling mechanical design, materials science and intelligent systems in mechatronics.

Profile : Scopus

Featured Publications

Zhang, H.*, Zhu, J., Wen, H., Xia, Z., and Zhang, Z. (2023). “Biomimetic human eyes in adaptive lenses with conductive gels” in Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 139:105689. This work presents adaptive biomimetic lenses using conductive gels for vision systems inspired by the human eye, emphasizing improved optical tuning performance.

Zhang, H., Wen, H., Zhu, J., Xia, Z., and Zhang, Z.* (2023). “3D printing dielectric elastomers for advanced functional structures: A mini-review” in Journal of Applied Polymer Science, e55015. This review highlights emerging advances in 3D-printed dielectric elastomers with potential for flexible electronics and smart soft devices.

Zhang, H., Xia, Z., Zhang, Z., and Zhu, J. (2022). “Miniature and tunable high voltage-driven soft electroactive biconvex lenses for optical visual identification” in Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 32(6):064004. The study develops compact electroactive soft lenses enabling tunable optical focusing for miniature imaging and identification applications.

Zhang, H.*, Dai, M., Xia, Z., and Zhang, Z. (2021). “Computational analyses for tunable solid lenses coupling polyacrylamide hydrogel electrodes” in Bulletin of Materials Science, 44(2):78. A computational approach is introduced to analyze hydrogel-based tunable solid lenses that enhance precision in optical deformation control.

Zhang, H.*, Li, Z., Xie, Y., Xia, Z., and Zhang, Z. (2021). “Focus-tunable imaging analyses of the liquid lens based on dielectric elastomer actuator” in Bulletin of Materials Science, 44(2):148. This research demonstrates a liquid-based dielectric elastomer lens with adjustable focusing capability to support compact imaging technologies.

Vivekanand Kumar | Vibration | Best Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Vivekanand Kumar | Vibration | Best Researcher Award

Sandip University | India

Dr. Vivekanand Kumar is an accomplished academic and researcher specializing in mechanical and mining engineering, with significant contributions to vibration analysis, occupational safety, and heavy machinery operation in industrial environments. He is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Sandip University, Madhubani, Bihar, India, where he also holds key roles as the University Coordinator for SodhGanga and SodhShuddhi. His professional journey combines a strong foundation in engineering education, extensive research in vibration control and occupational health, and practical industrial experience in thermal power plants and heavy earth-moving machinery operations.

Professional Profile

ORCID

Education

Dr. Kumar holds a doctoral degree in Mining Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, where his research focused on whole-body vibration and its impact on heavy earth-moving machinery operators in opencast coal mines. He completed his Master of Technology in Fuel Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, with a thesis on quantitative dynamic analysis of shale gas reservoirs. His undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering from R.G.P.V., Bhopal, provided the groundwork for his multidisciplinary expertise spanning mining, fuel engineering, and mechanical systems.

Experience

Dr. Kumar’s career integrates academic, research, and industrial experience. In academia, he has taught core mechanical engineering subjects and engineering graphics to undergraduate students, contributing to the development of future engineers. He served as a faculty member at Government Engineering College, Madhubani, before joining Sandip University, where he continues to mentor students and lead research initiatives. His industrial background includes roles in thermal power plant operations and waste heat recovery boiler commissioning, providing him with practical insights into large-scale industrial systems.

Research Interest

His primary research interests revolve around vibration engineering, occupational health and safety, heavy machinery operation, and ergonomic risk assessment in industrial and mining sectors. Dr. Kumar has authored several peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers focusing on whole-body vibration exposure, musculoskeletal health risks of operators, and adaptive vibration damping technologies. His research also extends to smart composite materials, Bayesian network-based risk assessment approaches, and the analysis of shale gas reservoirs for energy resource evaluation.

Awards

Throughout his academic journey, Dr. Kumar has been recognized with multiple fellowships and awards that supported his research and higher education. He received prestigious fellowships from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) during his postgraduate and doctoral studies, enabling him to advance his expertise in mining engineering and vibration control technologies.

Publications

Kumar, V. (2025). “Design and Analysis of Smart Composite Materials for Active Vibration Damping and Adaptive Control in Aerospace and Automotive Structures” in Journal of Vibration Engineering and Technologies.

Kumar, V., Palei, S.K., & Karmakar, N.C. (2025). “Discomfort Survey of Dumper Operators Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration in Opencast Coal Mines” in Journal of Vibration and Control.

Chaudhary, D.K., Palei, S.K., Kumar, V., & Karmakar, N.C. (2022). “Whole-Body Vibration Exposure of Heavy Earthmoving Machinery Operators in Surface Coal Mines: A Comparative Assessment of Transport and Non-Transport Earthmoving Equipment Operators” in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics.

Kumar, V., Palei, S.K., Karmakar, N.C., & Chaudhary, D.K. (2022). “Whole-Body Vibration Exposure vis-à-vis Musculoskeletal Health Risk of Dumper Operators Compared to a Control Group in Coal Mines” in Safety and Health at Work.

Atal, M.K., Palei, S.K., Chaudhary, D.K., Kumar, V., & Karmakar, N.C. (2020). “Occupational Exposure of Dumper Operators to Whole-Body Vibration in Opencast Coal Mines: An Approach for Risk Assessment Using a Bayesian Network” in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics.

Conclusion

Dr. Vivekanand Kumar exemplifies a well-rounded professional with a strong commitment to advancing research and education in the fields of mechanical and mining engineering. His blend of academic rigor, research contributions, and industrial experience positions him as a valuable contributor to occupational safety, vibration analysis, and engineering education. His work not only addresses key industrial challenges but also aligns with sustainable and safer practices in mining and heavy machinery operations, making a meaningful impact on both academia and industry.

 Marco Carati | Real-world Case Studies | Best Researcher Award

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Prof Dr Marco Carati | Real-world Case Studies - Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna

Prof Dr Marco Carati : Real-world Case Studies

Professional profile:

Early Academic Pursuits:

Prof Dr. Marco Carati's academic journey began with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bologna, where he investigated the effects of persistence in temperature on the mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy A356 T6. His exceptional work earned him a high final grade of 106/110.

He furthered his studies with a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, focusing on Industrial Plants, Materials, and Energetic Systems. His thesis, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Jon Gibbins and Prof. Cesare Saccani, delved into the techno-economic assessment of Post Combustion Carbon Capture and Storage power plants with heat storage. Marco graduated with top honors (110/110 cum laude).

Marco's academic pursuits continued with a Ph.D. in Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering. His doctoral thesis, titled "Handling of molten Poly(ethylene terephthalate) cylinders for preforms compression molding machines," showcased his expertise in the field. His work was highly regarded, earning him excellent marks in thesis novelty, research methodology, results quality, and knowledge of the research topic.

He diversified his academic experience through an Executive Master in Technology Innovation Management at Bologna Business School, focusing on R&D management. His exceptional performance in courses such as Cost Management, Operations Strategy, and Leadership reflected his commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

Professional Endeavors:

Prof Dr. Marco Carati's professional journey has been marked by significant contributions to the field of engineering and research, particularly in the development of high-tech industrial automatic machines.

He commenced his career as a Researcher at the Industrial Mechanical Systems Engineering Department at the University of Bologna, focusing on CCS and Fossil Fuel Free Power Plants.

His tenure at SACMI, a world-leading company in automatic machines and plants design and manufacturing, included roles such as Stretch Blow Molding Machines R&D Mechanical Designer, Preform Advanced Compression Molding Machines R&D Manager, and PET Mechanical Design Manager. Marco played a pivotal role in solving mechanical technical issues, designing innovative machines, and significantly improving machine reliability and productivity.

He later took on roles as Mold Steels Heat Treatment Optimization R&D Manager and PET Preform Division Mechanical R&D Coordinator, showcasing his ability to lead and coordinate complex research and development activities.

Currently, he serves as the Training Development Manager at SACMI's Corporate Academy, demonstrating his versatility in managing training programs and contributing to the company's revenue streams.

Contributions and Research Focus:

Prof Dr. Marco's research contributions extend across various domains, including mold steels heat treatment optimization, stretch blow molding machines, and preform advanced compression molding machines. His work has resulted in improved machine productivity, reliability, and the design of groundbreaking technologies.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Alma Mater Studiorum University, Marco imparts his knowledge to the next generation of engineers, teaching courses in the Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering.

His involvement in international collaborations, R&D projects, and partnerships with top-level universities underscores his commitment to advancing technology and innovation in the engineering field.

Accolades and Recognition:

Prof Dr. Marco Carati's outstanding academic and professional achievements have garnered recognition from various institutions. He is a recipient of grants of merit from the University of Bologna and other European and Italian public and private institutions.

His role as an Adjunct Professor and contributions to the development of new technologies and machines have established him as a respected figure in academia and the industrial sector.

Impact and Influence:

Marco's leadership roles in R&D, mechanical design, and training development at SACMI have contributed to the company's success and prominence in the industry. His ability to lead teams, solve complex technical challenges, and drive innovation has left a lasting impact on the products and processes within the organization.

His involvement in international conferences, seminars, and collaborations with leading research centers has expanded his influence globally, fostering connections with top-level universities and research institutions.

Legacy and Future Contributions:

Prof Dr. Marco Carati's legacy is characterized by his significant contributions to the advancement of technology in the engineering field. As an educator, researcher, and industry leader, his influence will continue to shape the development of high-tech industrial machines and inspire future generations of engineers.

Looking forward, Marco's commitment to innovation and education positions him to make further contributions to the field, whether through continued research, academic mentorship, or leadership in the development of cutting-edge technologies. His multidisciplinary approach, combining hard and soft skills, underscores his potential to drive positive change in the engineering landscape.

Notable Publications: