Saif Alharbi | Agricultural Strategies | Best Research Article Award

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Dr. Saif Alharbi | Agricultural Strategies | Best Research Article Award

Dr. Saif Alharbi | The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture | Saudi Arabia

Dr. Saif Alharbi is a distinguished soil scientist and research leader with extensive experience spanning sustainable agriculture, corporate governance, and strategic planning. He currently serves as Head of Research Planning and Implementation at the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah) and sits on the Board of Directors of the Saudi Cable Company, where he also chairs the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and contributes to executive strategic decision-making. He earned his Ph.D. in Soil Science from Oklahoma State University, following a Master’s from King Saud University and a Bachelor’s from Qassim University, all focused on soil chemistry, fertility, and plant nutrition. Previously, he spent over a decade as an Academic Researcher at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), where he led national and international research collaborations, particularly with the International Atomic Energy Agency on climate-smart agriculture. His roles have included Acting Director of Research and Innovation at Estidamah, research consultant to private and governmental bodies, and advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Widely published in high-impact journals, his work spans nutrient management, biochar applications, desalination in agriculture, and genome editing technologies. He is an invited speaker at global conferences, an active reviewer for numerous international scientific journals, and a member of prominent professional societies including the Soil Science Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, and American Society of Agronomy. His career reflects a strong commitment to advancing agricultural sustainability through science, innovation, and leadership.

Profile:  Scopus  |  ORCID

Featured Publications

Abdelaziz, M. E., Qaryouti, M., Al-Sahly, S., Osman, M., Babiker, O., Felemban, A., Alharbi, S., & Aljhi, A. (2024). Effect of the root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica on strawberry growth, fruit quality and physiological traits under elevated electrical conductivity. Horticulturae, 10, 1174.

Osman, M., Qaryouti, M., Alharbi, S., Alghamdi, B., Al-Soqeer, A., Alharbi, A., Almutairi, K., & Abdelaziz, M. E. (2024). Impact of CO₂ enrichment on growth, yield and fruit quality of F1 hybrid strawberry grown under controlled greenhouse condition. Horticulturae, 10, 941.

Alharbi, S., Aldakil, M., Felemban, A., & Abdelrahim, A. (2024). Agricultural and technology-based strategies to improve water use efficiency in arid and semiarid areas. Journal of Water, 1–17.

Alharbi, S., Al-Dakhil, M., & Alotaibi, F. S. (2024). Precise genome editing of plants through base and prime editor. In OMICs-Based Techniques for Global Food Security.

Alotaibi, F., Alrajhi, A., Alharbi, S., & Beecham, S. (2024). Regulation of root growth and elongation in wheat. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15, 1397337.

 

Adel | Sustainability | Best Academic Researcher Award

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Dr. Adel | Sustainability | Best Academic Researcher Award

Assistant Professor | Vienna University of Economics and Business | Austria

Dr. Adel Aazami, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Transport and Logistics Management, Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), Austria. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the Iran University of Science and Technology, where he graduated with distinction, and has previously served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Sharif University of Technology. His academic journey also includes a visiting research position at the University of Toronto. Dr. Aazami’s research focuses on operations research, optimization, sustainable supply chains, logistics, production and distribution planning, competition and game theory, stochastic programming, and decomposition algorithms. He has published extensively in leading international journals such as Sustainability, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, and Computers & Industrial Engineering, contributing impactful work on vehicle routing, perishable goods distribution, and robust optimization models. He has authored books in Persian and presented his work at renowned international conferences, strengthening his presence in the global academic community. Recognized with prestigious awards such as the Iranian Nobel Award (Alborz National Foundation) and multiple accolades from the National Elites Foundation, he has been consistently ranked among the top students and researchers throughout his academic career. Alongside his teaching roles at WU and several Iranian universities, he has supervised numerous theses and conducted industrial research projects in areas like productivity management, innovation systems, and green supply chains. A dedicated reviewer for more than 30 leading international journals, he contributes to advancing scholarship across industrial engineering and logistics. Complementing his academic career, Dr. Aazami is actively engaged in community service through volunteer work with the Iranian Red Crescent Society, showcasing a strong commitment to both professional excellence and social responsibility.

Profile:  ORCID  |  Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Aazami, A., & Saidi-Mehrabad, M. (2021). A production and distribution planning of perishable products with a fixed lifetime under vertical competition in the seller-buyer systems: A real-world application. Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 58, 223–247.

Goli, A., Aazami, A., & Jabbarzadeh, A. (2018). Accelerated cuckoo optimization algorithm for capacitated vehicle routing problem in competitive conditions. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 16(1), 88–112.

Makui, A., Heydari, M., Aazami, A., & Dehghani, E. (2016). Accelerating Benders decomposition approach for robust aggregate production planning of products with a very limited expiration date. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 100, 34–51.

Saeedi Mehrabad, M., Aazami, A., & Goli, A. (2017). A location-allocation model in the multi-level supply chain with multi-objective evolutionary approach. Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 10(3), 140–160.

Aazami, A., & Saidi-Mehrabad, M. (2019). Benders decomposition algorithm for robust aggregate production planning considering pricing decisions in competitive environment: A case study. Scientia Iranica, 26(5), 3007–3031.

Heydari, M., & Aazami, A. (2018). Minimizing the maximum tardiness and makespan criteria in a job shop scheduling problem with sequence dependent setup times. Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 11(2), 134–150.

Zarreh, M., Khandan, M., Goli, A., Aazami, A., & Kummer, S. (2024). Integrating perishables into closed-loop supply chains: A comprehensive review. Sustainability, 16(15), 6705.

Armand Tchakounte Ngoungue | Wastewater treatment | FRP Excellence in Water Treatment Solutions Award

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Dr. Armand Tchakounte Ngoungue | Wastewater treatment | FRP Excellence in Water Treatment Solutions Award

researcher at Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Cameroon

Tchakounte Armand is an esteemed researcher in the field of inorganic chemistry, specializing in waste recycling, nano zerovalent iron synthesis, and wastewater treatment. With a strong academic foundation and extensive research experience, he has made significant contributions to the development of sustainable materials. His work focuses on innovative methods for immobilizing toxic waste and optimizing absorbents for industrial applications. Armand has also been actively involved in teaching and research at the University of Douala, Cameroon, shaping the next generation of scientists.

Profile

ORCID

Education

Armand obtained his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Douala, Cameroon, in 2022. His doctoral research focused on the simultaneous adsorption of methylene blue and nickel ions using activated clay-supported nano zerovalent iron synthesized with green tea extract. Prior to his PhD, he earned an MSc in Physical Chemistry from the same university in 2018 and a BSc in Physical Chemistry from the University of Dschang in 2013. His academic journey began with a strong foundation in science and mathematics, completing his Baccalauréat in 2010.

Experience

Since 2018, Armand has been actively engaged in teaching and research at the University of Douala. He has been temporarily attached to both the Faculty of Science and the National Higher Polytechnic School, contributing to academic instruction and research supervision. In addition, since 2019, he has served as a temporary teacher at College Alfred Saker in Douala. His practical experience includes an internship at the CIMAF laboratory in Douala, where he gained hands-on expertise in material science and industrial processes.

Research Interests

Armand’s research revolves around sustainable materials and environmental remediation. His primary interests include:

  • Recycling waste into sustainable precast materials
  • Synthesizing nano zerovalent iron for environmental applications
  • Immobilization of toxic waste to prevent environmental contamination
  • Developing advanced absorbents for wastewater treatment

His research aims to bridge the gap between industrial needs and environmental sustainability by proposing cost-effective and eco-friendly solutions.

Awards

Armand’s innovative research has earned him recognition in academic and scientific circles. While his specific awards are not listed, his work has been featured in reputable scientific journals, highlighting his contributions to sustainable materials and environmental chemistry. His nominations for research excellence reflect the impact of his studies on waste recycling and adsorption technologies.

Publications

Armand has authored several high-impact publications, contributing to advancements in environmental chemistry. Below are some of his notable works:

  1. Lenou, I., Tchakounte, A., et al. (2024). Optimization of porous volcanic ash-based geopolymer for crystal violet adsorption using the Box-Behnken design. Canadian Journal of Chemistry.

    • Cited by: Various studies on adsorption materials

  2. Tchakounte, A., Lenou, I., et al. (2024). RSM-CCD design of volcanic ash/rice husk ash-based phosphate geopolymer for crystal violet adsorption. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 29422.

    • Cited by: Research on geopolymer materials

  3. Tchakounte, A., Kede, C., et al. (2024). Adsorption of nickel (II) from aqueous solutions with clay-supported nano-scale zero-valent iron synthesized from green tea extract. Desalination and Water Treatment, 320, 100771.

    • Cited by: Studies on water purification techniques

  4. Sidjou, A. S., Tchakounte, A. N., et al. (2023). Synthesis of alkali-activated volcanic scoria and rice husk ash-based composite materials for adsorptive removal of crystal violet. Hybrid Advances, 4, 100113.

    • Cited by: Waste-derived adsorbents research

  5. Tchakounte, A. N., Ateba, B. A., et al. (2021). Simultaneous Removal of Methylene Blue and Nickel Ions in Aqueous Solution Using Natural Clay. Journal of Applied Surfaces and Interfaces, 9(1-3).

    • Cited by: Studies on natural clay adsorbents

  6. Asseng, M. C., Dzoujo, H. T., et al. (2020). Batch studies for the removal of methyl orange from water using regenerated activated carbons. Journal of Materials Science and Engineering B, 10(3), 109-123.

    • Cited by: Water treatment methodologies

  7. Tchakounte, A. N., Poumve, H. Z., et al. (2019). Calcareous-support nanoscale Zero-valent iron: New findings on adsorption of Cr (VI) in aqueous solution. Journal of Applied Surfaces and Interfaces, 6(1-3).

    • Cited by: Research on nanoscale iron for heavy metal removal

Conclusion

Considering Dr. Armand’s academic background, research expertise, and significant contributions to water treatment technologies, he is a highly suitable candidate for the Research for FRP Excellence in Water Treatment Solutions Award. His work aligns with the award’s objectives, emphasizing sustainable and innovative solutions for water purification.