Contents
In The Name of GOD
Mustafa(pbuh) Science 2 and Technology Foundation Message of the CEO of Mustafa (pbuh) 6 Science and Technology Foundation 8 Sultan Qaboos University Message of the Vice Chancellor of 11 Sultan Qaboos University 12 Program and Schedule of 4 th STEP 18 Participating Scientists 86 Required Addresses 90 Scientific Centers Mustafa(pbuh) Science
Participatingand Technology Scientists Foundation
Founded in 2012, the Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) directed its prime and particular focus on identifying and introducing scientists of great eminence Before holding the first round of the in realm of science and technology; a move Mustafa(pbuh) Prize, the MSTF put on its which was appreciated by COMSTECH in agenda ways to achieve the objectives 2015. The MSTF’s activities were primarily of the Prize by creating cooperation and focused on awarding a Science and interaction among leading scientists and Technology Award, however, the MSTF scholars which led to the establishment objectives were expanded and generalized of a platform dubbed as “Science and with the passage of time to target different Technology Exchange Program (STEP) types of audience actively involved in STI among Muslim Countries”. This platform development in various countries. intends to open up a window of explaining To this end, the MSTF biennially awards the the discourse of science and technology, Mustafa(pbuh) Prize to the top researchers expanding the scientific network among and scientists in various areas of science the scientists of the Muslim World in form and technology, i.e. “Life and Medical of holding international events, and laying Science and Technology”, “Nanoscience the groundwork for enhancing scientific and Nanotechnology”, “Information and synergy and cooperation while developing Communication Science and Technology”, science and technology among OIC and “All areas of science and technology”. member states.
2 3 2 3 Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation
Among the Foundation’s other activities scientists and technologists who proved is KANS (Knowledge Application and their achievement in terms of products and Notion for Society) scientific competition services that could grab a market or have undertaken by the Mustafa(pbuh) Science taken a potential market for granted. Center. This Center begun its undertaking In order to finance the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize with the aim of exploring ideas and and to develop science and technology in benefiting from the thoughts of the the Islamic World enjoying the honorable academic community to address the tradition of endowment, the MSTF has problems of the target communities. While sought to attract, organize, and target KANS is held at University Level, Noor the resources provided by the benevolent Competition deals with School Students. benefactors in science and technology To model after successful science and employing various financial instruments technology figures and to commemorate under the auspices of ‘votive offering [Nazr] them, Noor competition is named after and endowment’ in science and technology. one of the legendary figures in the history The MPIEF has then been established with of science or after contemporary scholars. the perspective of being the largest Fund Such programs galvanizes the students (at for science and technology development both levels) into action and strengthens the in the Islamic World. It launched its mission sense of self-confidence and identity for on “science and technology to promote youth generation and posterity. peace, security, and well-being of mankind” The Foundation also strives to bridge and pursued the goal of “financing the the gap between industry and science/ Mustafa(pbuh) Prize while investing and technology. Exposure of Industries to supporting the development of science and Scientists’ Achievements (EISA) is a technology” adopting the motto of “Each platform developed to meet the needs of Muslim Has One Share to Develop Science a certain group of scientific community and and Technology in the Islamic World”. The academia to promote their achievements MPIEF’s capital is obtained from endowment in form of technological products and or Qardhul Hassan (interest-free loan) where services to new markets. The program is contributed resources in form of endowment planned to fulfill the needs of influential belong to the MPIEF whereas the resources bodies from industries, especially from principal of Qardhul Hassan belongs to the the host country, to make the possibility contributor and the interest generated by to localize the developed technologies of the investment belongs to the MPIEF. other countries in the host country, such To communicate internationally, the MSTF as companies, investors, VCs, etc. It also uses the language of Art as a strong welcomes owners of technology, including medium. In so doing, many artists have
4 5 shaken hands with the Foundation leading and interaction among world experts and to the establishment of the Mustafa(pbuh) Art scientists, introducing the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize Museum which started to work with a hand as a top science and technology award for woven tapestry dedicated to the MSTF by competence and scientific excellence in an accomplished carpet weaver artist. The the global arena, spotting and introducing Mustafa(pbuh)Art Museum showcases art and leading-edge technologies, honoring the talent and is a platform for materializing owners of scientific achievements and the and illustrating benefactors’ goodwill and pioneers in cutting-edge technologies, noble intentions in science and technology enhancing the scientific and technological endowment globally. standing of the world’s scientists, and finally To sum up, the objectives of the MSTF adopting policies for a collective action include increasing the level of cooperation while developing a common scientific and synergy in science and technology with consensus in the world to promote welfare, an emphasis on advanced technologies, security, and health in human societies, and creating an atmosphere of cooperation Islamic countries in particular.
4 5 Message of the CEO of Mustafa(pbuh)
ParticipatingScience Scientists and Technology Foundation
knowledge while exploring the truth of the universe and illuminating the transcendental Allah is All-Wise spirit of men toward the verities of creation. This shall grant men the true peace and shall provide them with security, health, and welfare in this world as well as prosperity for the Hereafter. Islamic civilization has beheld the tremendous influence of its scholars like, Ibn Battuta, Avicenna, Ibn al-Haytham, Al-Biruni, Badi al-Zaman al-Jazari, and its philosophers like, Al-Farabi (Alpharabius), Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Muhammad ibn Indeed, knowledge is indubitably a light Zakariyyā al-Rāzī, and al-Khwarizmi who in the pure hearts over whom only God’s kept the torch of science flaming and eternal destiny rules and it is a blessing wanted the knowledge on a path which and prosperity for those who seek Allah’s put men near stationed to God while remembrance. People of knowledge must recognizing it a healing and mercy for the strive to help others enjoy the blessing conditions of human beings; these great light of their wisdom. Thus, surely being in men brought about a ground for a better the pursuit of knowledge is an obligation life for humanity through promoting and which has long been placed on the developing such knowledge. shoulders of the followers of Mustafa(pbuh). Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology Not only shall they have the felicity in this Foundation (MSTF) plans to provide the world, they shall be on a bright light to fertile ground for such a grand mission to discern the truth of creation and to reach praise and appreciate the contemporary the abode of prosperity. Whether this bright stars in the scientific firmament and knowledge is in his hand or a seed in the to open a field for the synergy among the heaven, the mighty thought of men must scientists of the Muslim World. The Science benefit from the wisdom and subjugate it and Technology Exchange Program (STEP) to God’s light of guidance so that they can is a platform established in this Foundation walk on the straight path toward the bright to develop such interactions in science and horizon. technology. This comprehensive plan of We believe that the followers of Mustafa(pbuh) action includes support and development shall realize the teachings of his as the best packages and incentives for scientific servant of Allah. They must discover the cooperation of scientists’ networks and
6 7 Islamic centers at international levels. Islamic World who are counted as leading The plan follows scientific events in scientists in cooperation with MSTF in order collaboration with scientific communities, to promote the level of interaction among granting financial assistance along with scientists of the Islamic World. applied-research grants, establishing and Backing applied-scientific research deepening relations between scientists and conducted by OIC member states is among scientific communities in the Muslim World, other missions of STEP. These include and hence reflecting the results of science grants which are obtained from scientific and technology in human society. endeavors of Muslim World’s scientists and The first and third STEP were held in Tehran, are used in order to facilitate and expedite simultaneous with Mustafa(pbuh) Prize Award the processes from which the Islamic Ceremony in 2015 and 2017, in cooperation Community benefits. The financial assistance with Islamic World Academy of Sciences, of STEP are awarded to the output-oriented and various universities and scientific and applied research in which at least two centers. The second STEP was held in countries of the Muslim World participate Putrajaya, in collaboration with Universiti in the investment, implementation, and Putra Malaysia, Young Scientists Network, exploitation of its results and have scientific and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. The cooperation in those areas. fourth STEP is going to be held on Health, MSTF hopes to take firm and consistent Water, and Energy, in collaboration with steps to promote the scientific and Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). technological interactions in the Islamic I feel it incumbent upon me to express World and to revive the role of the Muslim my gratitude to Prof. Jackie Ying, the scientists in the development of science 2015 Mustafa(pbuh) Prize laureate in and technology. MSTF hopes to witness the Bio-Nanotechnology; and Prof. Amin scientific leadership of the Islamic Ummah Shokrollahi, the 2017 Mustafa(pbuh) Prize once again in achieving the scientific facts laureate in Information Theory; and Dr. Ali and discoveries of the universe. This would Al-Bimani the Vice Chancellor of SQU who not be attained unless the scientists of the kindly accepted the invitation of MSTF and Muslim World and the Muslim Communities laid the groundwork for holding the forth and benefactors all cooperated closely. STEP. Therefore, this Foundation warmly Such programs are being held throughout welcomes all the enthusiasts with open the year in different countries around arms. various fields in science and technology Mahdi Safarinia and are hosted by universities, scientific CEO of Mustafa(pbuh) centers, and prominent scientists of the Science and Technology Foundation
6 7 ParticipatingSultan ScientistsQaboos University
Every day in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) Muscat, and the university was officially marks a new achievement in the scientific inaugurated on the 29th of November 1986 record of the Omani people in their efforts by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to to fulfill the wise vision of His Majesty Sultan initiate its march towards achieving its Qaboos bin Said. The establishment of ambitious goals of producing academically Sultan Qaboos University, first announced and technologically well-qualified Omanis. by His Majesty on the 10th National Day in Sultan Qaboos University performs its 1980, saw the first university in the sultanate educational research and community becoming a beacon of education and services roles through nine colleges. These research, and a source of pride for all Omani are the College of Arts & Social Sciences, the people. Following the announcement, College of Economics & Political Sciences, construction commenced in Al-Khoudh, the College of Education, the College of
8 9 Nursing, the College of Law, the College of important role the university continues to Science, the College of Agricultural & Marine play in Oman’s education landscape. Sciences, the College of Medicine & Health The university’s academic process is Sciences, and the College of Engineering. supported by four deanships, which are This range of colleges offers an abundance the Deanship of Admissions & Registration, of opportunities for students to pursue their the Deanship of Students Affairs, the undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Deanship of Postgraduates Studies, and a diverse range of strategically important the Deanship of Research. The university fields.. The annually increasing number also has 13 research centers, in addition of students admitted to the university’s to several other service centers, including various programs across undergraduate the Center for Preparatory Studies, which and postgraduate levels testifies to the deliver important services, the Main Library
8 9 ParticipatingSultan Qaboos Scientists University
and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. and in the entire Middle East and North The university also houses centers for staff Africa region. This continued progress development, career guidance, student has been built on the hard work of a counseling, the Quality Assurance Office, community that is more than just a work or and the Risk Management Office. study venue, but a place where everyone Royal visits have been made by His Majesty connects as one; a community that is two times. The first was on the 2nd of May surrounded with shared knowledge and 2000, which was a tremendous impetus experiences in addition to new innovative towards future progress and development in ideas that are all incorporated to fulfill the different area of knowledge, and the second needs of students. royal visit was on the 18th of December We are a university that strives for excellence 2010, during which His Majesty inaugurated in knowledge and education. A university the Cultural Centre, one of the magnificent that focuses on the core values of teaching edifices of knowledge at the university. and learning, research, and community In its efforts to be a leader in learning service. A university whose aim is to and teaching, research and innovation, generate knowledge through widespread and community service, the university has collaboration and exchange. A university established links a range of organizations that opts for the unification, innovation, in the private and public sectors both and, most importantly, connections that within Oman and around the world. Its bind the SQU community together. Finally, links with numerous leading universities SQU is a university that is honored to worldwide are enhanced by mutual visits, graduate its students with pride for all they the exchange of academics and students, have accomplished, for themselves, for the and the signing various agreements. community, and for Oman. I am, therefore, proud and honored to be a part of this prosperous community. Here it is, Sultan Qaboos University, just as His Majesty, the leader of the nation, wanted it to be - a beacon of science and knowledge and an authentic source of motivation for young Omanis to explore and learn. The university looks forward to an ever brighter future fulfilling its vision inspired by the Omani renaissance led Since the university’s inauguration, Sultan by his Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, Qaboos University has become one of the to achieve future progress in scientific, strongest educational institutes in Oman intellectual and cultural fields.
10 11 Message of the Vice Chancellor of the Sultan Qaboos University
Preface researchers and established experts, and representative from academia, industry, government, and the general community, in the fields of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information and Communication Technology, and Sustainable Energy. In addition to formal academic exchange, the event will also host the awarding of the Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation’s Mustafa(pbuh) Prize for scientific achievement across these fields – an initiative that will have a significant impact on research output across these strategic fields in Muslim Countries. The 4th Science and Technology Exchange Program among Muslim Countries event is I would like to express a warm welcome hosting around 300 participants, including to participants of the 4th Science and about 220 from the Sultanate of Oman itself Technology Exchange Program among and 80 from around the world. STEP4 is Muslim Countries (STEP) event, which is to also featuring an exhibition where local and take place at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, international organizations and participants from December 2-5, 2018. The organization can showcase their innovative products, of STEP4 has been a collaborative effort processes and solutions. The exhibition of Sultan Qaboos University, through the offers an amazing opportunity for a diverse Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for range of stakeholders to engage in dialogue Postgraduate Studies and Research, and about ways academia and industry can the Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology commercialize innovations to meet various Foundation. STEP4 offers an opportunity challenges and opportunities in Muslim for Muslim scholars and researchers from countries. It is my sincere wish that all around the world, and non-Muslim scholars participants, whatever their backgrounds, working in Muslim nations, to gather in a find STEP4 a valuable and informative supportive, inclusive environment where experience. the exchange of knowledge, experiences, achievements, and future plans is facilitated. Dr. Ali Al-Bimani This exchange takes place between young The Vice Chancellor of SQU
10 11 Program and Schedule of 4th STEP
Day 1 | Sunday (2018-12-02)
9:00-10:00 Inauguration (Conference Hall) Dr. Misida Al Jahwari: Welcome & opening Dr. Rahma Al Mahrooqi: Welcome remarks Prof. Rassoul Dinarvand: Welcome remarks Prof. Saeed Sarkar: Keynote speech
10:00-10:45 Press Conference | Break
10:45-11:00 SQU Exhibition Inauguration
Energy Transition; 11:00-13:00 Situation of Renewable Energy (Conference Hall) Panel Discussion: 11:00-11:15 Opening remarks and introduction by Dr. Shaukat SQU Exhibition SQU Hameed Khan 11:15-11:30 Panel objectives and panelists’ introduction by Prof. Raşit Turan 11:30-12:30 Panelists’ speeches (10 minutes each) - Prof. Arif Hepbasli - Prof. Kamaruzzaman Sopian - Prof. Mahmood Yaghoubi - Prof. Mohammed Farid - Dr. Ala’ Al-Muhtaseb - Dr. Max Paoli 12:30-12:50 Audience Q&A/Panelists’ discussion and future direction plans mediated by Pro. Raşit Turan 12:50-13:00 Summary and conclusion by Dr. Shaukat Hameed Khan
12 13 Day 1 | Sunday (2018-12-02)
13:00-14:00 Prayer and Lunch (SQU Annex Building)
14:00-16:00 Success Story Hall A (Al Faham Hall) Chair: Prof. Khaled Ben Letaief • Chairs’ Assessment Committee: speeches: 25 - Prof. Ali Beitollahi | - Dr. Nasser Al Zeidi minutes + 5 minutes Q&A PhD Students from SQU Computer Science Department: - Amjed Amer Al-Thuhli | - Amal Bati Said Al-Abri | • Presentations by SQU young - Basel Mohammad Bani-Ismail | - Faiza Al-Salti scholars: 15 minutes + 5 Hall B minutes Q&A (Lecture Theater 1) • Assessing Chair: Prof. Jackie Ying young scholars’ presentations Assessment Committee: SQU Exhibition SQU - Dr. Mohammad Reza Lornejad | - Dr. Fatma Al Mamari PhD Students from SQU Physics Department: - Suleiman Mohammed AL-Risi | - Khadija Said Al-Rashdi | - Salim Saif Al-Kamiyani | - Mohammed Salim Ali Al-Maashani
Hall C (Conference Hall) Chair: Prof. Amin Shokrollahi Assessment Committee: - Dr. Amin Ardeshirdavani | - Dr. Abdullah Al Hamadani PhD Students from SQU Computer Science Department: - Hamid Abood Jadad | - Jokha Abdullah Al_Kalbani | - Yahya Salim Al-Sawafi | - Younis Said Al-Anqoudi
12 13 Program and Schedule of 4th STEP
Day 2 | Monday (2018-12-03)
STI and Future of Health 9:00-11:00 with Focus on Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery (Conference Hall) Panel Discussion: 9:00-9:15 Opening remarks and introduction by Prof. Jackie Ying 9:15-9:30 Panel objectives and panelists’ introduction by Prof. Saeed Sarkar 9:30-10:30 Panelists’ speeches (10 minutes each) - Prof. Saghir Akhtar - Prof. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary - Dr. Sergey Dobretsov - Prof. Anwar-ul-Hassan Gilani - Prof. Fikrettin Sahin -Prof. Kamran Bagheri Lankarani - Prof. Iqbal Parker 10:30-10:50 Audience Q&A/Panelists’ discussion and future direction plans mediated by Prof. Saeed Sarkar
SQU Exhibition SQU 10:50-11:00 Summary and conclusion by Prof. Jackie Ying
11:00-11:30 Break
11:30-13:00 Scientific Achievements Hall A (Al Faham Hall) Further Achievements of Scientists from Islamic World (Health)
• Chairs’ Chair: Prof. Rassoul Dinarvand speeches: 25 minutes + 5 Technical Presentations minutes Q&A -Prof. Ibrahim M. El Sherbiny -Prof. Jafri Malin Abdullah • Technical -Dr. Wael Mamdouh presentations: 15 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A
14 15 Day 2 | Monday (2018-12-03)
Hall B (Lecture Theater 1) Latest Achievements (Nano-Bio) Chair: Prof. Jackie Ying Technical Presentations -Prof. Mohammad Esmaeil Akbari | -Prof. Farhan J. Ahmad | -Prof. Aini Ideris
Hall C (Conference Hall) Latest Achievements (ICT) Chair: Prof. Amin Shokrollahi Technical Presentations - Prof. Khaled Ben Letaief | - Dr. Hussein A. Kazem | - Prof. Boudjéma Samraoui
13:00-14:00 Prayer and Lunch SQU Exhibition SQU (SQU Annex Building and Al Faham Hall)
14:00-16:00 Water and Wastewater; Challenges and Solutions (Conference Hall) Panel Discussion 14:00-14:15 Opening remarks and introduction by Dr. Mahad Baawain 14:15-14:30 Panel objectives and panelists’ introduction by Prof. Ali Beitollahi 14:30-15:30 Panelists’ speeches (10 minutes each) - Prof. Adel O. Sharif | - Prof. Imran Ali | - Dr. Qaisar Mahmood | - Prof. Mustafa Soylak | - Dr. Woei-Jye Lau | - Prof. Ahmad Zaharin Aris 15:30-15:50 Audience Q&A/Panelists’ discussion and future direction plans mediated by Prof. Ali Beitollahi 15:50-16:00 Summary and conclusion by Dr. Mahad Baawain
14 15 Program and Schedule of 4th STEP
Day 3 | Tuesday (2018-12-04)
9:00-11:00 Developing Technology in Islamic Countries Hall A (Al Faham Hall) • Round Table Critical Gaps of Energy for Developing Technology in Islamic Discussion Countries
• Exchanging Chaired by: opinions for the - Prof. Khaled Ben Letaief draft of final - Dr. Max Paoli statement - Dr. Amer Al-Hinai
Hall B (Lecture Theater 1) Critical Gaps of Health for Developing Technology in Islamic Countries Chaired by: - Prof. Jackie Ying - Prof. Rassoul Dinarvand - Prof. Omar Al Rawas
SQU Exhibition SQU Hall C (Conference Hall) Critical Gaps of Water for Developing Technology in Islamic Countries Chaired by: - Prof. Amin Shokrollahi - Dr. Mahad Baawain - Dr. Mohamed Al Abri
11:00-11:30 Break
16 17 Day 3 | Tuesday (2018-12-04)
How to Make a Common Dialogue between Scientists 11:30-13:00 & Industries (Opening session of EISA) (Conference Hall) Panel Discussion Keynote speech: 30 minutes Chair: Dr. Salim Al Harthi Mediator: Prof. Mostafa Ghanei Panelists: - Prof. Jackie Ying - Prof. Amin Shokrollahi - Dr. Ashraf Al Hinai
13:00-14:00 Prayer and Lunch (SQU Annex Building)
14:00-16:00 Exposure of Industries to Scientists’ Achievements (EISA) SQU Exhibition SQU (Conference Hall) - Pitch Decks by EISA Participating Scientists
19:00-21:00 Closing Ceremony and Banquet (Clock Tower Area in SQU) - Reading the final statement - Offering awards to selected SQU young scholars by H.E. Dr. Ali Al Bimani
Day 4 | Wednesday (2018-12-05)
7:00-16:00 Sightseeing Program
16 17 ParticipatingParticipating Scientists Scientists
The 2015 Mustafa(pbuh) Prize Laureate in Bio Nanotechnology Prof. Jackie Ying International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Jubilee Medal, Materials Research Society Fellowship, Royal Society of Chemistry Fellowship, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Fellowship, Academy of Sciences of Iran Medal of Honor, American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellowship, Islamic World Academy of Sciences- Prof. Ying received her B.E. and PhD from COMSTECH Ibrahim Memorial Award, the Cooper Union and Princeton University, Singapore National Academy of Science respectively. She was Professor of Chemical Fellowship, and U.S. National Academy of Engineering at MIT (1992-2005), and Inventors Fellowship. Prof. Ying was elected Founding Executive Director of Institute of a World Economic Forum Young Global Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Leader, and a member of the German Singapore (2003-2018). She currently leads National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina. the NanoBio Lab as A*STAR Senior Fellow. For She was named one of the “One Hundred her research on nanostructured materials, Engineers of the Modern Era” by AIChE in Prof. Ying has been recognized with the its Centennial Celebration. She was selected American Ceramic Society Ross C. Purdy by The Muslim 500 in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, Award, David and Lucile Packard Fellowship, 2016, 2017 and 2018 to be one of the world’s Office of Naval Research Young Investigator 500 most influential Muslims. She was the Award, National Science Foundation inaugural winner of the Mustafa(pbuh) Prize Young Investigator Award, Camille “Top Scientific Achievement Award” in 2015 Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, American for her research in bio-nanotechnology. Chemical Society Faculty Fellowship Award She is the recipient of the Turkish Academy in Solid-State Chemistry, Technology of Sciences (TÜBA) 2018 Academy Prize in Review’s Inaugural TR100 Young Innovator Basic and Engineering Sciences. She is the Award, American Institute of Chemical Editor-in-Chief of Nano Today, which has an Engineers (AIChE) Allan P. Colburn Award, impact factor of 17.753.
18 19 The 2015 Mustafa(pbuh) Prize Laureate in Information Theory Prof. M. Amin Shokrollahi complexity theory, computational algebra and number theory, computer networks, and recently, high speed electronics. In these areas he has more than 130 peer- reviewed publications, and more than 120 filed or granted patent applications. He is most famous for his work on Raptor codes, a class of rateless codes used for transmission of information over impaired networks. Prof. Shokrollahi is a Professor of Computer For this work, he has received numerous Science and Mathematics at EPFL, awards, such as the IEEE Eric Sumner Switzerland. He did his Master Degree in Award, the IEEE Hamming Medal, several Mathematics at the University of Karlsruhe best paper awards, and most recently, the in 1988, his PhD at the University of Bonn in Mustafa(pbuh) Prize. Prof. Shokrollahi’s current 1991, and his Habilitation at the University research is on the design, implementation, of Bonn in 1997. He is an internationally and commercialization of energy efficient recognized expert on communication chip-to-chip links, an area that has created algorithms, in particular theory of error- a lot of interest by the largest companies in correcting codes, and has also worked on the world.
18 19 Participating Scientists
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb Dr. Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb of his research is on catalysis is an Associate Professor and its applications in biofuels in the Department of and wastewater treatment. He Petroleum and Chemical has over 80 publications in Engineering at Sultan several peer reviewed Journals, Qaboos University. He 15 international conferences, obtained his BSc in and 2 book chapters. Dr. Ala’a Chemical Engineering has a number of major research from Jordan University projects and consultancy services in 1999, and his PhD in Chemical during the last 10 years with a Engineering from Queen’s total value of around 2 million University Belfast (UK) in 2004. USD in different areas of energy Currently, the overarching aim and water treatment.
20 21 Ali Al-Maktoumi Dr. Ali Al-Maktoumi is around 3 million USD in different an Assistant Professor in areas of hydrology and water the Department of Soils, resources management. Dr Al- Water and Agricultural Maktoumi has published more Engineering, Sultan than 30 refereed journal papers, Qaboos University. He 25 international conference obtained his BSc in Soil presentations, 5 invited keynote and Water Sciences, presentations, 30 technical report Sultan Qaboos University, and newspaper articles along Oman in 1998, his MSc in Soil with several book chapters. Dr Al- and Water Management, Sultan Maktoumi established research Qaboos University, Oman in 2000, collaboration with leading and his PhD in Environmental international institutions such as Engineering (Water Resources JPL-NASA - USA; University of Management), University of Nebraska Lincoln, USA; Utrecht Queensland, Australia in 2007. University, Delft University of His research focuses in water technology, UNESCO IHE, and resources management in arid Amsterdam University in the zones, with most focus in recharge Netherlands; University of Jordan, dam’s efficiency, groundwater Jordan; Al-Hassan II Institute hydrology, seawater intrusion, in Morocco; UAEU, UAE, and aquifer storage and recovery, many others. He is currently the and numerical modeling. Dr Assistant Dean for Postgraduate Al-Maktoumi has a number of Studies and Research at the major research projects and college of Agriculture and Marine consultancy services during the Sciences at Sultan Qaboos last 10 years with a total value of University.
20 21 Participating Scientists
Amer Al-Hinai Dr. Amer Al-Hinai is Dr. Amer did his sabbatical the director of the leave followed by secondment Sustainable Energy to Masdar Institute (MI). The Research Center (SERC) Institute is a postgraduate and and Associate Professor research academic institution of Electrical Engineering focused on sustainability, water at Sultan Qaboos and renewable energy resources. University. Dr. Amer has In 2011, Dr. Amer was appointed carried out more than as AER board member, then 33 industry-funded research the Chairman of AER during projects, with total funds 2014-2017. The Authority is an exceeded 3 million USD, related independent electricity regulatory to energy savings, power system body in Oman established analysis, power system quality following the restructuring of the and transient stability of power electricity sector in Oman. Dr. systems. His research output Amer received several awards such has been recognized as a value- as His Majesty Trust Fund research added research by the industry, award, “One of the Pioneers in the engineering societies, and the Engineering Practice in the Gulf”, academia. This is proved by the Fulbright Research Scholarship, continuity of research funding and first prize for the technical from industry and academia, competence paper at the 39th the awards received, and AER IECON. Dr. Amer Al-Hinai is an appointments by the Council IEEE senior member and a former of Ministers. During 2012-2016. Chairman of IEEE Oman Section.
22 23 Abdullah Al-Hamdani Dr. Abdullah Al- University, Muscat, Oman in 1995. Hamdani is an Assistant His areas of interest are Databases, Professor and the head Web Computing, Data Mining, of the Department of Machine Learning, Big Data, Cloud Computer Science at Computing, and Digital Libraries. Sultan Qaboos University, He is the coordinator for Database Muscat, Oman. Dr. research group and a member Abdullah has received in the Web Computing research his PhD and MSc in group. He is PI and member of Computer Science from Case several TRC (The Research Council Western Reserve University, in Oman) and SQU-IG (internal Cleveland, Ohio, USA, in 2004 and projects) funded projects. He has 1998, respectively. He has received published in different conferences his BSc in Computer Science from and international journals. He has the Department of Mathematics supervised many PhD and MSc and Computing, Sultan Qaboos students.
22 23 Participating Scientists
Nasser Alzeidi Dr. Nasser Alzeidi include performance evaluation received his PhD in of communication systems, Computer Science wireless networks, interconnection from the University networks, System on Chip of Glasgow (UK) in architectures, and parallel and 2007. He is currently distributed computing. He is a an Assistant Professor member of the IEEE and the Chair of computer science of the IEEE Oman Computer and the director of the Chapter. He is a co-founder Center for Information Systems of Code Academy, an SME at Sultan Qaboos University, specialized in the technologies of Oman. His research interests fourth industrial revolution.
24 25 Ali Beitollahi Prof. Ali Beitollahi Technology (IUST) for more than received his MSc degree 20 years. His publications include in solid state physics from more than 160 papers in various Salford University and did well known international ISI his PhD and carried out journals as well as national and his Postdoctoral research international conferences. He in material science in has also engaged in more than Leeds University, UK. 20 successfully finished industrial He is a member of Iran research projects supported by nanotechnology initiative council various Iranian local industries (INIC) since 2003. He has acted mainly in the field of advanced as the director of international materials and nanomaterials. He collaboration committee as has supervised many PhD and well as nano-standardization MSc dissertations and theses. committee of INIC. He is a full Prof. Beitollahi’s main research professor at the metallurgy areas include advanced materials, and materials engineering of nanomagnetic materials, and Iran University of Science and nanoceramics.
24 25 Participating Scientists
Aini Ideris Prof. Aini Ideris graduated contributions, Aini was elected as with DVM in 1979 from Fellow Academy of Sciences (FASc) Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, in 2008, Founding Fellow Malaysia (UPM)–currently of Malaysian College of Veterinary known as Universiti Specialists (FMCVS), Fellow of Putra Malaysia, MVSc Malaysian Scientific Association in Avian Medicine, from (FMSA), and Fellow of the Islamic University of Liverpool, World Academy of Sciences (FIAS) England in 1981, and PhD in 2011. She won various awards in 1989 from UPM. She continued nationally and internationally. on for further research training Among others, National Academia at University of California, Davis Award 2010, for commercialisation (1990) and Cornell University of Newcastle disease vaccine, of USA (1993). Aini has been Lifetime Achievement Award- actively involved in research Academic & Veterinarian at related to the control of poultry Livestock Asia 2018, and 2018 diseases and development of Matsuda Award by ISSAAS for her poultry vaccines which led to the leading role in avian health. Aini commercialisation of Newcastle has held various administrative disease and tissue culture adapted positions in UPM, such as, fowl pox vaccines, in 1995 and Chairman of Veterinary Teaching 1996 respectively. She is also very Hospital, Deputy Dean Faculty of active in professional associations, Veterinary Medicine, Dean School nationally and internationally. In of Graduate Studies, Deputy 2013, she was inducted as one Vice Chancellor (Academic and of Inaugural members of Hall of International), Director, Corporate Honour, World Veterinary Poultry Strategy & Communications Association (WVPA) and elected as Office (CoSComm), and currently, Vice President to WVPA, in 2015. Vice Chancellor, Universiti Putra In recognition of her scientific Malaysia.
26 27 Farhan Jalees Ahmad Prof. Farhan Jalees the Defense Services for use Ahmad is currently a in the armed forces. Nano DPI professor at the School with a lung deposition of >60% of Pharmaceutical was clinically proved in patients Education & of COPD. His work on iron Research, and Dean oxide magnetic nanoparticles of Interdisciplinary showed advantages of combined Sciences, Jamia paclitaxel and curcumin in Hamdard, New Delhi, terms of reducing toxicities and India. He is an internationally improving therapeutic effects in known researcher in the area of the treatment of solid tumors. Pharmaceutical Sciences. Having He has published more than 300 obtained his degree in M.Pharma publications, 12 book chapters, 9 and PhD (Medicine) from Jamia books and has a US patent, two Hamdard, he continues to teach PCTs and 24 Indian patents. With and leads a very productive a total citation of 8258, h-Index of research group which has been 42 and i-10 index of 180, Professor funded extensively by national and Ahmad’s work has been clearly international funding agencies. well received by the scientific The focus of his group has been community. He has supervised in the area of Nanomedicine and -35 M. Pharma students and many of his nano products have -43 PhD scholars. Moreover, he been approved by the DCGI continues to offer consultancy to and successfully transferred to small pharmaceutical setups.
26 27 Participating Scientists
Mohamed Iqbal Parker Prof. Parker is a professor Advisory Committees of the in the Department of UNESCO International Centre for Medical Biochemistry at Biotechnology in Nsukka, Nigeria the University of Cape and the UNESCO Biotechnology Town (UCT). He is the Centre in Tripoli, Libya. He serves founding Director of the as a Peer Reference Group Cape Town Component Member for the SIDA International of the ICGEB (2007- Science Programs (Sweden). 2016). Prior to this he was Professor Parker is a founder Professor and Head of Medical member of the Academy of Biochemistry and the Director Science of South Africa and served of Health Science Research at as General Secretary (2000-2004), UCT with a personal DST/NRF Vice President (2010-2016) and Research Chair in Cancer Biology currently is Chair of the Biosafety in 2007. He obtained his PhD and Biosecurity Committee. He in Biochemistry in 1979 at UCT is a fellow of the Islamic World and his research interest is in Academy of Sciences, the World Molecular Biology and Genetics Academy of Sciences, and the of Oesophageal Cancer. He is African Academy of Sciences. He the Treasurer of the Federation of is the recipient of the NSTF Award African Societies of Biochemistry for “Outstanding Contributions and Molecular Biology and to Science, Engineering and served on the Executive Technology”, the SASBMB Gold Committee of the International Medal for his contributions to Union of Biochemistry and Biochemistry and the CANSA Molecular Biology. He serves Oettle Medal for significant on the International Scientific contributions to cancer research.
28 29 Jafri Malin Abdullah Prof. Dato’ Dr. Hj Jafri scientific contributions made Malin Datuk Hj Abdullah by him are in the field of stroke, is currently a professor traumatic brain injury, epilepsy of Neurosciences at and EEG, brain tumor and also Universiti Sains Malaysia, stem cell in neurosurgery. Part Health Campus, Kubang of his cluster’s research are Kerian, Kelantan, focused on new treatments in Malaysia. Professor Dr. the field of neurooncology, Jafri Malin Abdullah medicinal chemistry in the graduated with an MD from field of biodegradable wafer the School of Medical Sciences, antibiotics, drugs for movement University Sains Malaysia in disorders, CNS tuberculosis, 1986. In 1994, he was awarded epilepsy and pain as well as the Diplomate Certification of ethnopharmacology. Together Specialization in Neurosurgery with the Transcranial Magnetic from the University of Ghent, stimulation facilities and complete Belgium. He obtained his PhD behaviour lab his other cluster (Magna Cum Laude) from the concentrates on comparative same university in 1995. His area as well as neuropsychology of expertise is neurosurgery. and behavioral neurosciences. Professor Dr Jafri is a Fellow of Besides being responsible for the Academy Science Malaysia, setting up labs for functional American College of Surgeons, magnetic resonance imaging, the Royal College of Surgeons of magnetoencephalography, high Edinburgh and the Royal Society density electroencephalography, of Medicine(UK). He was awarded neurogenetics, rodent animal the prestigious Young National behavior, electrophysiology, Malaysian Scientist Award in 1999 stem cell culture, and primary and Top Research Scientist Award, cell laboratories, his most recent Academy Science Malaysia in research activities are in the field 2013 both by the then Prime neuroinformatics, neural plasticity, Minister. The most significant and NDV virus.
28 29 Participating Scientists
Kashif Rasool Dr. Kashif Rasool is Researcher Award at Silk Road currently working as International Symposium (SRIS), a Research Fellow at XI’AN China. Earlier in 2015 he Qatar Environment and received Best Team Member Energy Research Institute Award at QEERI, Qatar. He is on (QEERI), Qatar. He earned the reviewing panel of several his PhD in Environmental prestigious journals including ACS Engineering from Applied Materials & Interfaces, Kyungpook National Journal of Hazardous Materials, and University, Korea in 2014. Before received Outstanding Reviewer joining QEERI, he worked as an Award 2017 from Elsevier for his Assistant Professor at National contribution to Chemosphere University of Sciences and Journal. He also serves as a Technology (NUST), Pakistan. member of American Chemical Dr. Rasool’s research interests Society (ACS), International include development of methods Water Association (IWA), and and tools for an integrated Association of Environmental approach to all aspects of design, Engineering and Science operation, and management Professors (AEESP). Dr. Rasool is for water/wastewater treatment, currently working on development desalination, and sustainable of advanced nanomaterials for bioenergy production. Dr. Rasool their applications in environmental received several esteemed remediation including water/ awards and certificate of honors wastewater treatment. Dr. Rassol’s throughout his career. He received research accomplishments can be prestigious Green Talents Award summarized as 28 peer reviewed 2017 for High Potentials in articles published in reputed Sustainable Development from scientific journals such as ACS German Federal Ministry of Nano, two patents and more Education and Research. Recently, than 20 national/international Dr. Rasool got Distinguished conference presentations.
30 31 Muhammad Haris Akram Mr. Muhammad Haris UNEP, UNIDO, etc. He was the Akram is employed lead contributor from Pakistan at OIC – COMSTECH for the “Renewables Global Standing Committee Status Report “2017 and 2018”, on Scientific and REN 21. Also, a peer reviewer of Technological the annual Renewables Global Cooperation as Program Status Reports of Renewable Manager. He graduated Energy Policy Network for the with a Bachelor’s degree 21st Century. He authored a in Electrical Power Engineering book “Renewable Energy Profile and a Master’s in Energy Systems of OIC Countries” in February Engineering. He has worked 2018. He was part of the project in energy efficiency projects of compiling the “Science Profile in different industries for over of OIC Countries”; 10 country five years and has international profiles have been published and trainings in solar power plants in phase 2, eight more country designing, industrial solar heating reports will have been published & cooling systems, energy by 2019. He is currently engaged auditing and green economies. in preparing documents for He has worked on various projects the implementation of OIC STI of development agencies like GIZ, Agenda 2026.
30 31 Participating Scientists
Momin Khan Dr. Momin Khan is (Batch 5), AIT Extension, Bangkok, currently working as (March 24-April 11, 2014). Dr an Assistant Professor Khan is a master trainer of Higher at Department of Education Commission [of] Chemistry Abdul Wali Pakistan for the university faculty. Khan University Mardan, He has done several workshops Pakistan. He got his PhD on microteaching in different in Organic Medicinal universities of KPK Pakistan as a Synthetic Chemistry resource person. Currently, Dr. from HEJ Research Institute, Khan is working on synthesis of University of Karachi, Pakistan, in medicinally important heterocyclic 2011. Dr. Khan completed a six- compounds having enzyme month postdoctoral training at inhibition properties. Dr. Momin University of Bristol UK, in 2014. has published 53 research articles He participated as a trainee in impact factored international in 17th Master Trainer Faculty peer reviewed journals in addition Professional Development to publication of a US Patent Program (MTFPDP) held at higher on medicinal chemistry. He education commission of Pakistan has one PhD, 32 MPhil and 44 (December 27, 2011-February 24, undergraduate students. Currently, 2012) followed by Advance Faculty five PhD and eight MPhil research Professional Development Program scholars are working under his on “Ensuring Training Effectiveness supervision.
32 33 Mukhlis A Rahman Dr. Mukhlis A Rahman Malaysian Solid State Science and is an academic staff Technology Society (MASS) for his of Universiti Teknologi contribution to “Phase Inversion Malaysia since 2007. He and Sintering Technique, Ceramic graduated in Bachelor Membrane and Crystalline of Chemical Engineering Materials”. Dr. Mukhlis has been from Universiti Teknologi invited to give speech on ceramic Malaysia (UTM) in 2004. membrane at international He obtained Master conferences i.e. the 11th Aseanian of Engineering in 2006. He was Membrane Society Conference later appointed as a lecturer in (AMS11), Brisbane, Australia, Department of Gas Engineering. and International Conference By the end of 2007, he pursued on Membrane Technology and his PhD study at Imperial College its Application (MEMSEP-2017), London, United Kingdom and Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, worked on the project of “Ceramic India. He also edited a book on Hollow Fiber Membrane with Membrane Separation Principles Micro-reactor Characteristic”. and Applications 2018, published Ever since, he and his team by Elsevier. Currently, Dr. Mukhlis have developed various types of and his team are investigating ceramic hollow fiber membranes facile methods in improving for water and gas separation stability of various composite applications for which he has membranes deposited onto been awarded “MASS Young alumina hollow fiber for water and Scientist Special Award 2018” by gas separation applications.
32 33 Participating Scientists
Mustafa Soylak Prof. Mustafa Soylak of Pakistan. He is working is well known on Environmental Analytical specialist in Analytical Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Environmental Chemistry, Nanomaterials, Nanocomposites, Spectrophotometric Separation/ Preconcentration Analysis in atomic Techniques including Solid Phase spectroscopy. He has over Extraction, Coprecipitation, Cloud 585 papers, his h-index point extraction, membrane is 87. He has several filtration, speciation and books and got many awards. Dr. microextraction of trace organic Mustafa Soylak was recognized and inorganic species which are as a Highly Cited Researcher in playing important roles for human 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 beings. He was a visiting professor by Clarivate Analytics (Thomson at King Saud University- Saudi Reuters) in recognition of ranking Arabia in 2010-2016. He is now among the top 1% of researchers a Professor at Erciyes University, for most cited documents. He Faculty of Sciences, Department is a Fellow of Chemical Society of Chemistry, Kayseri-Turkey.
34 35 Farzan Nikpour After finishing high technologies especially MED school in SAMPAD, systems. The achievements of Farzan Nikpour started his team in this field in both Mechanical Engineering scientific and industrial aspects in Sharif University have made the Bonian Institute (Tehran) and finished his one of the leading companies Master degree in Tehran in desalination industry in Iran. University. As a member Some of these achievements have of Iran National Physics been presented in international Olympiad committee, he and his journals and conferences which friends established Young Scholars have received applause. They Club research group which led to are concerned with using founding Bonian Danesh Pajouhan desalination technology as a basis [research] Institute. Being a co- for sustainable development. As founder of Bonian, he has also an example, they are promoting been a member of its board and desalination for providing reliable now is the CEO of this knowledge- and clean water resources by based company. During these waste heat recovery. This has years, his main focus has been been successfully implemented in on development of desalination Iran.
34 35 Participating Scientists
Farid Semsarha Dr. Farid Semsarha, drug for treatment of migraine Assistant Professor of and allergy, natural drug Biophysics, is currently development. His areas of working as a researcher, interest include botanical drugs, scientist and R&D formulation of botanical drug, manager of MIM and herbal drugs. The research Daroo Pharmaceutical on herbal drugs as one his latest Co., botanical drugs, achievements helps the treatment formulation of botanical of migraine and allergy.
36 37 Woei-Jye Lau Dr. Lau is currently an Membrane Fabrication and Associate Professor Modification published by CRC at the School of Press. He is credited with 5 Chemical and Energy patents in the field of membrane Engineering, Universiti science and technology with his Teknologi Malaysia collaborators from academia and (UTM) and a Research industry. Dr. Lau is currently the Fellow at the Advanced co-editor for Journal of Applied Membrane Technology Membrane Science & Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), UTM. and has been appointed as a guest He obtained his Bachelor of editor for several peer-reviewed Engineering in Chemical-Gas journals such as Chemical Engineering (2006) and Doctor Engineering & Technology, of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemical Journal of Engineering Science & Engineering (2009) from UTM. Technology and The Malaysian Dr. Lau has a very strong research Journal of Analytical Sciences. Dr. interest in the field of membrane Lau has received many national science and technology for water and international awards since he applications. He has published started his career. These include over 100 scientific articles, 12 Australian Endeavour Research reviews and 10 book chapters. Fellowship 2015, UI-RESOLV He also is the author/editor Program 2016 (Indonesia), of the books - Nanofiltration Mevlana International Exchange Membranes: Synthesis, Program 2017/2018 (Turkey) and Characterization and Applications Sakura Exchange Program 2018 and Advanced Materials for (Japan).
36 37 Participating Scientists
Anwar Ul-Hassan Gilani Based at the Aga Khan and won several national/ University Medical international research awards College since last 32 including Boehringer Ingelheim years, where he occupied Award (Germany), Salam Prize multiple leadership by TWAS and Ibn-Al-Haytham positions, Prof. Anwar Prize in Science. The Government Gilani has also served in of Pakistan has conferred East Africa as a Tandem him the title of Distinguished Dean, as well as with National Professor, Life-Time Government of Pakistan as Academic Achievements Award, Chairman, Pakistan Council for and two civil awards (Pride of Science and Technology on a Performance and Sitara-i-Imtiaz). 3-year tenure which concluded He represented Pakistan in the recently. He obtained his BSc area of Science, Technology and (Hon) and MSc with distinction Health at several international from Pakistan and PhD from forums including at the United University of Sydney in 1985 on Nations and WHO meetings. open merit scholarship. Prof. He has served as an advisor to Gilani established a research WHO on Essential Medicine and group on Ethnopharmacology International Foundation for which enjoys international Science. Prof. Gilani is a Fellow, recognition. He supervised Pakistan Academy of Science as research of 20 PhDs, all of them well as a Fellow of TWAS – The secured faculty positions and he World Academy of Sciences. has published around 400 articles He is currently a group leader and cited over 16,000 times with of university thematic research an h-index of 67 (Google Scholar). on Functional Foods in cardio- He occupied 1st national ranking metabolic disorders conducting in Pharmaceutical Sciences translational studies.
38 39 Md. Eaqub Ali Dr. Md. Eaqub Ali is Health. Skilled in Multidisciplinary a Research Associate Science (Molecular Biology, Professor in the Genomics and Nanotechnology), University of Malaya’s Curriculum Development, Public Nanotechnology and Speaking, Faculty Development, Catalysis Research Centre and E-Learning, Dr. Ali has (NANOCAT) at Kuala heavily worked on small Lumpur. He obtained DNA probes, multiplex PCR, his BSc in Biochemistry nanomaterial functionalization, from the University of Dhaka, and bioconjugated beads for food, MSc in Chemistry from Concordia cosmetics and pharmaceutical University at Montreal and PhD authentication as well as water in Nanobiotechnology from the purification and desalination. He University of Malaysia Perlis. He is patented two PCR kits for Halal also having a post-baccalaureate authentication and validated two certificate in Bioinformatics from qPCR methods with Shanghai University of California San Cruz GMO lab. He delivered 35 invited and Specialization in Genomic lectures, published two books, 135 Data Science from Johns Hopkins peer reviewed articles and over 60 Bloomberg School of Public conference papers.
38 39 Participating Scientists
Abdul Jabbar Dr. Abdul Jabbar is an Jabbar has worked at the Faculty Associate Professor in of Veterinary and Agricultural Veterinary Parasitology Sciences, the University of at the University of Melbourne as Lecturer, Senior Melbourne, Australia. Lecturer, and Associate Professor. He graduated as a Currently, his research is focused veterinarian in 2001 from on the epidemiology, diagnosis University of Agriculture, and control of parasites of Faisalabad, Pakistan. socioeconomic importance. Dr. He then completed a Master Jabbar has a number of patents (Hon) in Veterinary Parasitology for drugs against parasites of in 2003 and served at the same livestock. Dr. Jabbar has published University for four years as a more than 150 research papers, Lecturer since 2002 before attracted funding to more than moving to Australia in 2007. Dr. 2.5 million AUD and won a Jabbar completed his PhD in 2010 number of international awards in and worked on vaccines against the recognition of his outstanding animal parasites. Since 2011, Dr. contributions.
40 41 Adel Obaid Sharif Prof. Adel Sharif is a played a major role. More recently, Professor of Water Prof. has been awarded the Engineering and Process Renewable Energy Pioneer of the Innovation and Founder Year 2018. Prof. Sharif and his team Director of the Centre for research innovations are currently Osmosis Research and commercialized by Modern Water Applications (CORA), Plc. with plants in Oman, India, at the University of China and elsewhere. He was Surrey since 2003. Prof. awarded the Institute of Chemical Sharif is a Chartered Chemical Engineers 2011 Innovation and Engineer and a Fellow of the Excellence award in Water Supply. Institute of Chemical Engineers. In 2016 his Water work was also He is the winner of the 2005 showcased at the UK House of Royal Society Brian Mercer Senior Lords. Prof. Sharif is a founder Award for Innovation in Science of Modern Water plc., a London and Technology. He is also the Exchange AIM Market listed winner of the 2008 Science company. His research interests Business first European Academic have been in the areas of Water, Enterprise Award in the Energy Energy and Food Systems with & Environment. In 2012, the application in Desalination and University of Surrey was awarded Renewable Energy. He has over 160 the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for publications and has supervised Water Research at a reception over 20 PhD theses and more by The Queen and Prince Philip than 50 MSc dissertations. He is an at Buckingham Palace, for which inventor and co-inventor of more Prof’s Sharif desalination work than 25 inventions.
40 41 Participating Scientists
Adewale Adewuyi Dr. Adewale Adewuyi the environment, corrosion holds a PhD in Industrial control, medicine and food. He Chemistry from University has published over 60 research of Ibadan, Nigeria. Over articles in reputable internationally the years, his research recognized journals and he has activities has been on presented several papers at local the industrial applications and international conferences. He of underutilized seeds is a Senior Lecturer at Redeemer’s which cut across University, Nigeria and his dream synthesis of polymer, biofuel and is to play an active role in building major oleochemicals and their Science and Technology in use in wastewater treatment, developing nations.
42 43 Amin Ardeshirdavani Dr. Amin Ardeshirdavani all the genetic centers in Belgium is currently a to ease the rare disease discovery. Research Associate of He conducts research on Bioinformatics at the computational methods to analyze University of KU Leuven. data generated by Next Generation He received his PhD at Sequencing machines to study and the beginning of 2017 interpret human genetic disorders. in Electrical Engineering The main focus of his project is to from the Department design and develop the necessary of Electrical Engineering, division data structures that support the STADIUS under the supervision massive amount of genomics data. of Prof. Yves Moreau. During his Dr. Ardeshirdavani has been also PhD, Dr. Ardeshirdavani developed elected as the president of BeSHG the first genomics data sharing Workgroup on Clinical Genetic platform in 2014 which is used by Bioinformatics and IT.
42 43 Participating Scientists
Imran Ali Prof. Imran Ali, PhD; C treatment, and bioanalytical and Chem; FRSC (UK); Brand medicinal chemistry. He is a leading Ambassador of Bentham researcher in nanotechnology Science Publisher, is and has synthesized a number a Professor at Jamia of economic and green nano MIllia Islamia Central materials for water treatment. University, New Delhi, He is Editor-in-Chief, Editor and India. He completed a member of the editorial board his PhD from Indian of many Journals. He has created Institute of Technology Roorkee, safe water awareness in public by Roorkee, India. He has a high lectures and organizing seminars. scientific profile and excellent He has been a Visiting Professor at international reputation. He is a King Saud University, Saudi Arabia world recognized academician and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and researcher with scientific Malaysia and a consultant at Sultan contribution through more than Qaboos University, Oman. He is 425 publications including patents, member of several national and books (published from USA, UK, international societies. Based on the Netherlands), book chapters, his international recognition and research papers, technical reports, high citation, Prof. Ali is designated and conference presentations. as a Fellow and chartered chemist He has research papers in Nature by Royal Society of Chemistry, and Chemical Reviews of more London UK. His books and papers than 50 impact factors. He has are being used as reference high citation totaling of 17,000 sources all over the world. The with an h-index of 60 and 209 methods and technologies i10-index. His research areas developed by him are also being include nanotechnology for water used by many industries.
44 45 Fikrettin Sahin Dr. Sahin is a Professor molecules from medicinal plants, in the Department stem cell and cancer genetics. of Genetics and He is author of 350 scientific Bioengineering at papers, 401 abstracts, 25 book Yeditepe University, chapters and 5 books, and has Istanbul, Turkey where 120 granted patents and/or he has been serving applications. Dr. Sahin has been as a faculty member awarded by a number of national since 2003. Dr. Sahin and international institutions completed his MSc and PhD at due to scientific contributions the Ohio State University, the he has done throughout his Department of Plant Pathology academic life. Dr. Sahin currently from the College of Food, serves as Chairman of Genetics Agricultural and Environmental and Bioengineering, Director Sciences, USA, and his of Biotechnology Institute, undergraduate studies at Ataturk Coordinator of R & D and University, Turkey. In 1997-1998, Analysis Central Laboratories. Dr. he worked as a postdoctoral Sahin has been honored as the researcher in Clinical Microbiology Principal Member of the Turkish at the Western Ontario University/ Academy of Sciences (TUBA) in Agri-Food CANADA, London, 2012, the TUBA Council member Canada. He has worked at in 2013, Executive Committee Atatürk University, Turkey for 5 Member, and Presidency of years starting from 1999 to 2003 Turkey Health Institutes (TÜSEB) until he moved to Faculty of in 2015. Currently, Dr. Sahin Engineering at Yeditepe University, leads R&D at Yeditepe University Istanbul, Turkey. Dr. Sahin’s for development of novel agro research focuses on molecular biotechnological products, characterization of plant, soil, antimicrobial materials for medical food and animal or human use, and new treatments in associated microorganisms, Regenerative Medicine for cancer biological properties of the and degenerative diseases.
44 45 Participating Scientists
Jabir Hussain Syed Dr. Jabir H. Syed is an experience and authored/co- Environmentalist holding authored around 46 research a position of Assistant publications in international Professor at Department journals (SCI) with an impact factor of Meteorology, of 174 and 1160 Google Scholar COMSATS University Citations (h-index: 22). He is also Islamabad, Pakistan. a well-known reviewer of many His research interests international research journals are mainly focused on of Environmental Sciences & atmospheric chemistry and the Engineering i.e., Environmental study of the impacts of aerosols Science & Technology, Science on environment and climate. of the Total Environment, Furthermore, he has also worked Environmental Pollution, in the field of ecotoxicology to Journal of Hazardous Material, establish a baseline data for Chemosphere, Environment all the major environmental International, Ecotoxicology & contaminants in the environment Environmental Safety etc. Dr. Syed of Pakistan. In addition, monitoring has been nominated as one of the and analysis of organic pollutants best young researchers in the field has been remained his forte of Earth & Environmental Sciences which has gained him national for the year 2017 by Pakistan as well international recognition. Council for Science & Technology Dr. Syed has extensive research (PCST).
46 47 Kamaruzzaman Bin Sopian Prof. Kamaruzzaman undertaken short assignments Sopian is presently a in about 10 countries for Professor in Renewable international agencies and Energy and the Director programs such as UNDP-GEF, of the Solar Energy UNIDO, ASEAN EU-Energy Facility, Research Institute, ASEAN-Australia Economic Co- Universiti Kebangsaan operation Program, ASEAN-CIDA, Malaysia. He obtained JSPS, British Council, ISESCO and his BSc in Mechanical UNESCO related to renewable Engineering, University of energy technology. He is a Wisconsin- Madison in 1985, MSc Fellow of the Malaysia Academy in Energy Resources, University of Sciences. He has received of Pittsburgh in 1989, and PhD special awards for his renewable in Mechanical Engineering, energy related products in major University of Miami in 1997. His international innovation and main contributions and current invention competitions in Geneva, area of research are in advanced Brussels, Seoul, and Pittsburgh. solar photovoltaic systems (grid- He won several international connected photovoltaic, solar awards in renewable energy powered regenerative fuel cell, including the IDB S&T Prize 2013, solar hydrogen production, World Renewable Energy Network silicon, thin films and organic solar Pioneer Award 2012, the ASEAN cell) and advanced solar thermal Energy Awards (2005, 2007, 2013, systems (solar cooling, solar heat 2014 and 2015) and Special Award pump, solar assisted drying, for community engagement in combined photovoltaic thermal or renewable energy during the hybrid collector). He has published 18th World Renewable Energy over 680 articles in journals and Congress (2017) in Bahrain. He proceedings (SCOPUS h-index is the current Vice Chairman of =55, total citations = 10,500) the World Renewable Energy and has delivered plenary and Network, United Kingdom. He was keynotes speeches at international conferred the DPMP (Knightship) conferences on renewable energy from HRH the Sultan of Perak, in over 25 countries. He has Malaysia.
46 47 Participating Scientists
Manzoor Hussain Soomro Prof. Soomro is the the International Recognition President of ECO Science and Appreciation, hence being Foundation (ECOSF). He elected on the Advisory Board is a renowned Pakistani of International Banana Network Scientist specializing in for Asia & Pacific. He has led and Crop Protection and implemented over 30 Industrial Science Education. He Projects in Pakistan Science has made outstanding Foundation. He has developed and contributions to Science, Implemented science programs Engineering, Technology with S&T Institutions, Universities, and Innovation (SETI). He is Provincial & District Governments, popularly known for being a Scientific Societies and NGOs strong proponent of Inquiry active in scientific and educational Based Science Education (IBSE) programs for the masses. He is an in the region. Prof. Soomro architect of many major scientific has demonstrated outstanding programs for international scholarship and extraordinary cooperation. In recognition of his service to the scientific community contributions to science education in the ECO Region and globally. and strengthening cooperation He is recipient of prestigious between Pakistan and France, the international and national French Republic bestowed upon academic awards and scholarships, him their erstwhile Civil Award remaining a top performer “Order of Academic Palms” in throughout his academic 2013. He has published over 190 career. Prof. Soomro made a important publications, several groundbreaking identification contributed books and chapters, and diagnosis of the Epidemic and has had 6 industrial patents. of Banana Bunchy Top Virus He serves as the Regional Editor (BBTV), which resulted in essential (West & Central Asia) of the protection mechanism of banana Journal of Science, Technology crop in Pakistan that had already Policy Management and Editor- claimed massive damage to the in-Chief of the Pakistan Journal of banana industry. This earned him Nematology.
48 49 Mohamad Azuwa Mohamed Mohamad Azuwa journals. His research publication Mohamed is a Lecturer/ has received more than 400 Researcher at Centre citations, and his current h-index of Advanced Materials is 12. He involves actively in and Renewable Energy journal peer-review practice as (CAMARR), Universiti indicated by his recognition as an Kebangsaan Malaysia, excellent reviewer by a number Malaysia. He received of highly reputable journals. his Bachelor of Science Recently, he is a recipient of the (Industrial Chemistry) and prestigious award from Australian Master of Engineering (Gas) from government under Endeavour Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He Australia Cheung Kong Research is currently a PhD candidate at Fellowship becoming a junior the Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti visiting researcher at the University Kebangsaan Malaysia. His area of New South Wales, Sydney, of expertise lies broadly in the Australia. Also, he is one of the preparation of innovative and recipients of JASSO Scholarship cost-effective solutions in the for one-year research attachment fields of photocatalysis and at Osaka University which focuses membrane technology for energy on simulation and material and sustainable technology. He is modelling based on theoretical also active in writing for scientific quantum engineering. His current publications in high impact-factor scientific interest is mainly focused international journals and book on the bio-template synthesis of chapters. To date, despite his core-shell semiconductor-based short career span as a researcher, functional materials for renewable he has published more than 30 energy and environmental articles in ISI/Scopus-indexed science.
48 49 Participating Scientists
Mohammed Mehdi Farid Prof. Mohammed Farid and refereed international (BSc MSc PhD CEng conferences, 6 patents, 5 books, FIChemE) has completed and 11 chapters in books. Farid has his BE in Chemical received a number of international Engineering from the awards such as the Matsumae University of Baghdad, International Fellowship from Iraq and ME and PhD in Japan (1986), the Hisham Hijjawi Chemical Engineering Award for Outstanding Scientific from University of Achievement in Research in Swansea, Wales in the UK. He was Jordan (1993) and the Marie the Founder of the Department Curie Fellowship, from European of Chemical Engineering at the Union (2010). He was invited University of Basrah in 1983, which as a keynote speaker to a he has chaired until 1991. Following large number of international that, he worked as a full professor conferences worldwide; such as in Jordan University of Science and iFOOD2013 in Hannover. In 2015, Technology (1991-1993), University he was awarded the “Lifetime of Science Malaysia (1993-1997) Achievement Award by the and since 1997 in the University Association of Engineering and of Auckland, New Zealand, where Food (IAEF). He is New Zealand he is working as a Professor representative of the International of Chemical and Materials Institute for Engineering and Engineering (Personal Chair). He Food. Farid is a world leader is a Fellow of the Institution of in research in energy storage Chemical Engineers, London and and has established strong an active member of a number international collaborations in the of international institutions. He area with a significant funding has published more than 380 aiming to commercialize some of papers in international journals his innovative ideas.
50 51 Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman Dr. Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan 19th Industrial Art and Technology Othman is an Associate Exhibition (INATEX2017)”, “Asian Professor in School of Invention Excellence Award in 28th Chemical and Energy International Invention, Innovation Engineering and Director & Tehnology Exhibition (ITEX’17)” of Advanced Membrane and finalist of “2017 Asia-Pacific Technology Research Economy Cooporation (APEC) Centre (AMTEC). He Science Prize for Innovation, received his Bachelor Research and Education (ASPIRE and Master degrees from Prize)”. He is also an Exco of Young Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Scientist Network-Academy of Malaysia and his PhD from Science Malaysia (YSN-ASM), Imperial College London, United a group of outstanding young Kingdom. His current research scientists of Malaysian nationality. focus is on development of He was also selected as a member inexpensive ceramic/polymer of prestigious Global Young membranes for environmental Academy (GYA). As a prominent protection and energy generation. researcher in the membrane Until now, he has published more technology area, he was also than 150 articles in ISI/Scopus- appointed as the Editor of Jurnal indexed journals and also inventor Teknologi (Thomson Reuter and of 13 patents. He has also received Scopus-indexed journal), Editor more than 60 national and of Journal of Membrane Science international awards/recognitions, and Research (Scopus-indexed for instance “MASS Young journal) and Editorial Board of Researcher Award 2018”, “Hitachi Journal of Applied Membrane Scholarship Research Support Science and Technology and Lead Program 2018”, “Special Award in Guest Editor for the International Seoul International Invention Fair Journal of Polymer Science (ISI- (SIIF) 2017”, “Best of the Best Award indexed journal).
50 51 Participating Scientists
Mostafa Ghanei Prof. Mostafa Ghanei is Vice Chancellor in Research in a Professor in Division Baqiyatallah University of Medical of Respiratory Diseases, Sciences. He has published more Department of Medicine, than 262 articles in prestigious Baqiyatallah University. journals with an h-index of 31. He studied Pulmonology He has also authored 3 books. in Tehran University of Prof. Ghanei is also a member of Medical Sciences, I.R. European Respiratory Society, Iran. Apart from being Iranian Lung Society, National the General Director of Pasteur Board Exam in Respiratory institute of Iran and Deputy of Medicine, Member of American Research and Technology of the College of Chest Physicians, and Ministry of Health in different Member of American Thoracic periods, he is currently the Society.
52 53 Naim Eqrar Prof. Naim Eqrar has water resources project in water published a large line ministries of Afghanistan. number of scientific He is the nation training reports, and journal and expert in NORPLAN project conference papers. He for groundwater development has been editorial board atlas of Faryab province, 2012- member of 5 national 2015. He is the author of journals and technical chapter two for the third human reviewer for over 10 development report (Managing scientific papers. He displays an Water resources, scarcity and extensive teaching in the field of climate shock of Afghanistan / hydrology, hydrogeology, water UNDP/2011) and chapter four resources and hydrochemistry, of the book of Trans-boundary particularly in water resources water resources of Afghanistan area of Afghanistan. Prof. Eqrar (climate change impact and land has taught over 25 years in use implication) published by geological department, Faculty of Nebraska University in May, 2016. Geosciences, University of Kabul Prof. Eqrar participated as a guest as a Dean, Head of department professor, speaker, presenter, of Geology and professor of water and country representative in resources and developed several several conferences, workshops course materials as a National (USA, United Kingdom/UK, training expert for national and Norway, Germany, Belgium, international agencies at various Iran, Nepal, China, Japan, Sri levels. He has supervised over 50 Lanka, Bhutan, India, Republic training courses. Currently he has of Russia, and Czech Republic). memberships of Supreme Council Prof. Eqrar has recently (2014- of Land and Water of Afghanistan 2016) developed his PhD thesis in (SCoLWA), National Hydrological Boon University-Germany where Committee of Afghanistan he will defend it in 2018. The (NHCA), and is a member of thesis topic is Hydrogeology and several steering committee of Hydrochemistry of Kabul.
52 53 Participating Scientists
Qaisar Mahmood Dr. Qaisar Mahmood and Environmental Sciences by has a 22-year of Pakistan Academy of Sciences. broad-based local and He was part of two best research international academic papers awards by HEC. He is the and research experience editor of various international in life sciences and research journals and acted as environmental sciences Publication Chair for Agriculture in application of living and Biology Conference for years process biochemistry for 2015 and 2016. Dr. Mahmood the environmental remediation of explored physiology and genetic toxic metals, dyes, inorganic and potential of giant reed plant for organic pollutants. He has special the first time and supervised two experience in phytoremediation of PhD scholars on this plant only. toxic metals, dyes and anaerobic His research group published a treatment of domestic and number of research articles on this industrial wastewaters through plant alone in world’s prestigious processes like denitrification, journals with a high impact factor. Anammox and related nitrogen He won many national and removal biotechnologies. He international research grants. He has newly focused on biofuels is currently working to establish production from various wetlands in collaboration biomasses. Dr. Mahmood has with some industries. He is a published over 220 research member of Board of Studies of articles with cumulative impact at least a dozen universities and factor of >450 with more than rendered valuable services for 6000 citations (h-index=41). He HEC curriculum development was declared Best University for Environmental Engineering Teacher by HEC (2009), conferred since 2011. He served as member with Tamgha i Imtiaz (2011) and of selection boards of many won Fulbright Post-Doctoral universities along acting as a Award USA (2012). In 2016, he reviewer of over 30 international was awarded Gold Medal in Earth journals.
54 55 Rassoul Dinarvand Prof. Dinarvand received Minister of Health and Chair of Iran his Pharm. D. from Food and Drug Administration. University of Tehran in He has also been involved in 1988. He successfully pharmacoeconomy and national completed his MSc in drug policy research. However, 1990 and his PhD in 1993 his main research interest is in in the field of Controlled the area of polymeric controlled Drug Delivery Systems drug delivery systems. He has at the University of published over 300 international Manchester, UK. He then joined papers in this field. In recent years Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran he has focused on the design and University of Medical Sciences application of nano-structures as in 1994 as a faculty member. He targeted drug delivery systems was promoted to a full professor mainly in the field of cancer in Pharmaceutics in 2005. He treatment. He is the founder became the Dean of the Faculty and director of Nanotechnology of Pharmacy at Tehran University Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2009 for 4 of Medical Sciences. He has won years. Prof. Dinarvand has been several national prizes for his active in the pharmaceutical research achievements. Three administration in both industry spin-off knowledge-based and government at the highest companies active in the field of level: seven years as CEO of research and development and several Pharmaceutical companies manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and twice (8 years) as Deputy are the results of his group works.
54 55 Participating Scientists
Saghir Akhtar Prof. Saghir Akhtar Sciences. In 1997, he was a visiting is a Professor of Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at the Biochemistry, Oxford University, College of Medicine, UK (with Professor Ed Southern). Qatar University and Prof. Akhtar’s research and Editor-in-Chief of the teaching has been recognized Journal of Drug Targeting. internationally with the award of He was previously several prestigious prizes including a Professor of Drug the Lilly Prize, the Pfizer Academic Delivery in the Welsh School Award, the British Pharmaceutical of Pharmacy and Director for Conference Science Medal, the the Centre for Genome-based USA Controlled Release Society Therapeutics, Cardiff University, UK Young Investigator Research and more recently was a Professor Achievement Award, the Kappa of Molecular Pharmacology at Society Science Award (UK) and the Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait the Fazlur Rahman Khan Award University. Prof. Akhtar obtained for Excellence in Engineering, a First Class honours degree in Science and Technology (London, Pharmacy from the Leicester UK). Prof. Akhtar has published School of Pharmacy (UK) and his extensively in the fields of Doctor of Philosophy degree from cancer and diabetes. His current the University of Bath in the UK. research interests include studying He was a post-doctoral Fellow at molecular pharmacology and the University of North Carolina signal transduction pathways Medical School at Chapel Hill, involved in diabetes-induced North Carolina, USA, before joining cardiovascular dysfunction, and Aston University (Birmingham, the toxicogenomic and cell- UK), firstly as a lecturer and then signaling effects of drug delivery as a Reader in Pharmaceutical systems.
56 57 Amirhossein Karagah Dr. Karagah received his (2012-2014). He has been the Doctor of Pharmacy( Board Secretary of Iranian Society Pharm.D) at Shahid of Manufacturers and Exporters of Beheshti University of Medical Biotechnology Products Medical Sciences (2006- (S.E.M.Bio) and Marketing Expert 2012) and his Master of at Parsian Pharmaceutical Group. Business Administration He is currently the Chief Executive at Tehran University Officer at PersisGen.
56 57 Participating Scientists
Mohd Razman Salim Prof. Mohd Razman publishing more than 180 articles Salim is a senior ( journals and proceedings). research Fellow at He was appointed as a task Centre for Environmental force member by Akademi Sustainability and Sains Malaysia, conducting Water Security (IPASA), study on water and wastewater Universiti Teknologi management. Dr. Salim is the co- Malaysia (UTM). He inventor of seven filed patents, received his BSc Civil including three granted patents. Engineering from Brighton As a co-researcher, he conducted Polytechnic; Masters from North studies on “Low Carbon Society Carolina State University and PhD for Iskandar Regions” under from University of Newcastle upon sponsorship of JICA. He received Tyne. He is devoted to his working awards from several research career in teaching and research, competitions, both national and graduating more than 70 students international-INATEX (2008, under his supervision. In 1997, he 2010), PEREKA (2010), MTE was awarded Commonwealth (2011) dan SIIF (2011). His active Fellowship (ACU) developing involvements were recognized research in Biotechnology at where he received the University University of Newcastle upon Excellence Award (2002, 2011); Tyne. From 1996-2002, he was Research Award (Group) in 2004; appointed UTM's coordinator and Publication Award (Article and research Fellow for JSPS/ and Index Journal Category) in LIPI-DOST-VCC Biotechnology 2010. In 2018, he received the program. He served as a visiting Top Research Scientist Malaysia scientist at Osaka and Kumamoto (TRSM) awarded by Akademi Sains Universities. He was engaged Malaysia. Dr. Salim is a member of in collaborative research under International Water Association CICHE, SIDA and DUCED, (IWA) and Malaysian Water conducting capacity building Association (MWA). Currently, he programs in wastewater treatment is the committee member for a and waste management. He registered NGO called Malaysian collaborated in more than 60 Society of Waste Management research and consultancy projects, and Environment (MSWME).
58 59 Seyed Mojtaba Atarodi Prof. Atarodi obtained of a Java-based Operating System his PhD in Electronic (OS) for smart cards and Simcards. Engineering As a senior member of IEEE, he (Integrated circuits and holds a US patent. He has been microelectronics) from working with Linear Technology the University of South Corporation from 1993 to 1997 California (USC). He has in Silicon Valley, California, USA, developed 7 products and has been consulting several in the field of Integrated IC companies there. Dr. Atarodi circuits such as Smart card and has been the founder and CEO of Simcard chips, DVB tuner for Emad Semicon out of which several digital TV-receiver, Set-Top Box for startups in Iran has been founded. digital TV, CODEC for linecards, Mentoring young engineers HDLC IC for fixed-line telephone and entrepreneurship has been linecadrs, a 32 bit RISC processor amongst his activities for the last 20 with silicon-proof, a crypto- years. His current research is on IoT processor (holding a patent on solutions and chipset, Smartcard it), etc. He has published more Operating System development, than 120 journal and conference and integrated circuit systems, and papers in the prestigious IEEE analog and N-Path filters. He is the journals and conferences. He is chairman of Iran Microelectronic also the developer and the owner Association.
58 59 Participating Scientists
Muhammad Farooq Dr. Muhammad Farooq received ‘Best Young Research is an Associate Professor Scholar Award’ from Pakistan for in Crop Sciences at the the years 2013 and 2014. He was Sultan Qaboos University, honored with the COMSTECH Muscat, Oman. He also Award for Excellence in Research holds positions of an (2016), Gold Medal (2017), and Associate Professor in the best University Teacher Award Agronomy at University (2018). His research, on crop of Agriculture, Faisalabad, water relations and adaptation Pakistan, Adjunct Associate to dryland environments, Professor at University of Western has encompassed providing Australia, and Adjunct Professor fundamental understanding of at Dankook University, South the response of crops to abiotic Korea. He had also been working stresses. He has developed seed at the International Rice Research enhancements for improving Institute, Philippines (2007-2008), crop performance under less Centre of Environment and Life than optimum field conditions, Sciences, CSIRO Plant Industry, and for delivery of micronutrients. Australia (2010); University of He devised technologies for cost- Giessen, Germany (2011-2012) effective biofortification of grain and University of Hohenheim, crops with essential minerals like Germany (2016). Dr. Farooq is zinc. He is among the pioneers recipient of fellowships from to develop non-chemical weed Japan International Research control, through allelopathy, in Centre for Agricultural Science field crops. Dr. Farooq optimized, (2007), Australian Endeavour developed, and popularized Awards (2010), and Alexander von conservation agricultural systems, Humboldt Foundation, Germany for rice-wheat cropping system, (2011, 2016). He is Young Affiliate in Punjab, Pakistan. He has edited fellow of the World Academy of and co-edited six books, and Sciences and is regular recipient authored and co-authored more of Research Productivity Award than 295 research articles and 32 from Pakistan Council of Science book chapters. His citations, on and Technology since 2007. He Google Scholar, exceed 13,960.
60 61 Oguz Okay Prof. Oguz Okay is Award (1995). He is an editorial currently a full Professor board member of the Turkish of Physical Chemistry Journal of Chemistry, and one at Istanbul Technical of the series editors of Advances University and a principal in Polymer Science, Springer, member of the Turkish Germany. His research expertise Academy of Sciences includes design/synthesis of soft (TÜBA). He received his and smart polymeric materials. BSc and MSc degrees His laboratory has been leading in Chemical Engineering from the contributors in the areas of self- University of Istanbul in 1977 and a healing materials, macroporous PhD degree in Polymer Chemistry polymer gels, organogels, oil from Vienna Technical University, sorbents, reactive microgels, Austria in 1981. He was a visiting hydrogels, supramolecular professor at the University of materials, and rubber elasticity. Stuttgart, Technical University of His research group expanded the Dresden, University of Colorado, application of the cryogelation Boulder, Technical University of technique towards the organic Clausthal, and Helmholtz Zentrum media to produce high-toughness Berlin. He is recipient of several macroporous organogels based awards including Georg-Forster on several rubbers. They patented Research Award from Germany these macroporous rubbers (2015), the Turkish Scientific as reusable oil sorbent for the and Technological Research removal of oil spill from waters, Council (TÜBITAK) Science Award which is very important for Okay’s (2005), Turkish Chemical Society country. He has 4 patents and Honorary Member Award published around 200 scientific (2006), Alexander von Humboldt papers in peer-reviewed journals. Research Fellowship (1988), and His h-index is 51 with about 9000 Sedat Simavi Natural Sciences citations.
60 61 Participating Scientists
Rasit Turan Dr. Raşit Turan completed and METU-CENTER which his BSc and MSc degrees have been among the largest at the Physics Department research and support projects. of Middle East Technical In 2009, together with a team University (METU), from different departments Turkey. He received his of METU, he founded a new PhD from University of research center called Center Oslo, Norway in 1990. for Solar Energy Research and He worked as Postdoc at Applications (GÜNAM). GÜNAM Linköping University, Sweden. He has grown rapidly and attracted joined METU Physics Department nationwide and international as a faculty member in 1991. He attention. It has become the most worked as a visiting scientist at comprehensive research center the Material Science Department on solar energy conversion in of Toronto University, Canada in the whole Eastern Mediterranean 1996. His main research interests region. Recently, a national solar have been physics and technology energy system development of semiconductor materials and project, called MILGES, has been devices including solar cells. He given to the consortium where has published more than 200 GÜNAM is a key member for solar scientific papers in this field in cell development. He is actively the internationally recognized taking part in many national and journals. He has supervised 12 international projects. Among PhD and about 25 MSc studies. them, EU FP7 projects called Dr. Turan has coordinated many EU-Solaris, CHEEAT, and the national and international projects; project called “PV Smart Skin” among them are European supported by QNRF of Qatar can FP6 projects SEMINANO, be mentioned.
62 63 Mohammad Reza Lornejad Dr. M.R. Lornejad is Co- Diseases and worked 4 years on founder, President, and signal transduction mechanisms CEO of the Private Joint leading to hepatic insulin Stock company Pioneer resistance as a postdoctoral Research Anahita and researcher at the Collaborative Associate Professor at Research Center “Experimental Institute of Biochemistry Hepatology”. After he changed and Biophysics at over as a senior postdoc and University of Tehran, Assistant Professor to the Institute Iran. He studied biology at of Biological Chemistry and the University of Duesseldorf, Nutrition at the University of Germany. At the local University Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, Women's Hospital, he received his he focused for 3 years research diploma with molecular biological on nutritional effects on age- studies on steroid hormone related macular degeneration in resistance in endometrial cancer. cooperation with the Department He completed his PhD at the of Ophthalmology at the local Department of Nephrology University of Tuebingen. In Linz, and Rheumatology. With the Austria he was a senior scientist thesis entitled “Development of & deputy of zet-Life Science an in vitro model to evaluate the Laboratory, zet from 2007- 2008 biocompatibility of peritoneal and from 2009 –2015 of BioMed dialysates on resident and zet Life Science GmbH, he carried transient peritoneal cells” he won out research on cell membranes, 1998 Nils Alwall Award and 1999 cell barriers, drug discovery and Rheinisch-Westfaelischer Award. development of human 3D cell Subsequently, he joined the local and tissue models. His current Department of Gastroenterology, research focus lies on cancer cell Hepatology and Infectious biology and drug resistance.
62 63 Participating Scientists
Wael Mamdouh Ahmed Dr. Wael Mamdouh is citations worldwide. He has a an “Associate Professor” number of published U.S. patents of Nanotechnology, and related to Nanoparticle-based the leader of the largest Combinatorial Therapy for Breast dynamic research groups Cancer Therapy, and Essential oils at the American University nanoparticles and polysaccharides in Cairo (AUC), Egypt; Nanofibers for Antibacterial “Biomedical Polymer and Prebiotic applications. Nanocomposites, Dr. Mamdouh is the founder Hydrogels and Tissue of a recent Spinoff Company Engineering”. He received his (NANO-Fib-TECH) for producing MSc and PhD in Chemistry innovative nanotechnology- from the Katholieke Universiteit based antibacterial and Leuven (KUL) in Belgium in 2002 disinfectant nanofibers liquids and 2005, and his BSc degree for healthcare industry. This in Science: Chemistry from was funded by the Academy of Ain Shams University, Egypt in Scientific Research & Technology 1997. His research is focused (ASRT) in Egypt and incubated in on designing novel polymer collaboration with Bedaya Center nanocomposites, electrospun for Entrepreneurship & SMEs nanofibers, nanoparticles, Drug Development (GAFI), Ministry of delivery nanocarriers, antibacterial Investments in Egypt. Recently, nanocoatings and nanoscaffolds Dr. Mamdouh won the first place for wound dressings and tissue/ prize among 200 participants bone/cartilage regeneration, for the best startup in the 3rd Nanocosmetics, Nanoporous Cairo International Exhibition of membranes for biomedical and Innovation (Cairo Innovates 2016), packaging applications. His h-index November 19-20 organized by is 20; he has published many ASRT and supported by the Office papers in international journals of Scientific cooperation and such as Nature, Scientific Reports, Technology at the French Embassy ACS NANO, with more than 3200 in Egypt.
64 65 Mahmood Yaghoubi Prof. M. Yaghoubi International Award; Islamic obtained his BSc and MSc Cultural and Educational Award; from Shiraz University Distinguished National Professor in 1970 and 1972, of Iran; Tabatabi National Award, respectively. He received Iranian National Elite Foundation; his PhD from Mechanical Distinguished National Professor Engineering School of of Afzalipoor Award from Kerman Purdue University, USA University; One year scholarship (1978). He is a professor from International Center for at Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. Theoretical Physics, Trieste, He has published more than 190 Italy; Distinguished Mechanical articles in various international Engineering Professor from and national journals, two books Iranian Society of Mechanical (one book with Prof. Bahadori, Engineers; Distinguished Professor honored by the President of I.R. for four times of Shiraz University, Iran as the book of the year) and Shiraz, Iran. Prof. Yaghoubi more than 210 papers in national is a fellow member of Iran and international conferences. Academy of Sciences; Member His main research areas are: solar of ASME(1988-2015); Member energy, concentrating solar power of the International Advisory plant, passive cooling, convective Committee of World Renewable heat transfer, energy systems Energy Congress(1996-2000); and engineering education. He Fellow member of Iranian has been a visiting professor at Society of Mechanical Engineers; Palermo University, Italy (1987), Scientific Chair of several national and at Colorado State University, conferences; Editor-in-Chief USA (1994). Prof. Yaghoubi of Iranian Journal of Sciences obtained several honors and and Technology (1995-2010), awards among which are: Abadi managing director of Iranian Award from Iranian Ministry of Journal of Engineering Education, Housing; Iranian Distinguished managing director of Mechanical National Scholars; Kharazmi Engineering, ISME.
64 65 Participating Scientists
Arif Hepbasli Dr. Arif Hepbasli, who sources and sustainable energy has dealt with energy- technologies. Dr. Hepbasli is also related issues for 36 a Certified Energy Manager in years (of which ten years Turkey while he is the author and were spent working in co-author of over 650 papers as various Turkish industries of November 7, 2018 over 295 while the remainder has SCI-based papers with academic been spent teaching footprints of 48, 53 and 66, and at different universities citations of 7589, 10003 and 15075 since 1996), is a Professor and on the Web of Science (WOS), Founding Chairman of Energy Scopus and Google Scholar Systems Engineering Department basis, respectively, on a national at Yaşar University in Izmir, and international basis as well as Turkey. He worked as a Visiting several national and international Professor between 2004-2005 books and book chapters. He has at the University of Ontario served as a consultant for industry Institute of Technology, Canada, in cases involving his research and between 2010-2012 at King area and is also a member in the Saud University, Saudi Arabia. His International Advisory Board of research has been involved with various prestigious energy-related energy, exergy, exergoeconomic journals and an Associate Editor and exergoenvironmental of Journal of Energy Engineering analyses and assessments (ASCE) while also serving many of energy-related systems, energy journals and industrial energy/exergy efficiency and projects as a reviewer. He has been management systems/standards, a member of Energy Working ground-source and wastewater Group at Turkish Academy of heat pumps, utilization and Sciences (TUBA) since February potential of renewable energy 16, 2017.
66 67 Adeel Mahmood Dr. Adeel Mahmood is China, Research grant from working as the Head International Organization of Department of (WWF), national research grants. Environmental Sciences, He has international recognition GC Women University as Environmental Monitoring Sialkot, Pakistan. He has of Persistent Organic Pollutants completed his PhD in (POPs) and Toxic Metals; and their Environmental Biology Risk Assessment expert, where he and Ecotoxicology is running strong and productive from Quaid-I-Azam University international collaborations. Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr. Adeel Currently his research activities spent four years as a Research includes Occurrence, spatial and Scientist in China, where he temporal trends, atmospheric was awarded a prestigious PIFI transport and source identification Presidential Fellowship to conduct of inorganic and Persistent research in Environmental Sciences Organic Pollutants [POPs] in and Engineering. Scientific aquatic and terrestrial and biotic achievement in credit of Adeel resources of Pakistan; their effects are 70 (Approx.) SCI Publication on form and functionality of biota, with 175 IF, Research Productivity and ecological systems; species Award from PCST, Pakistan since level to assess the ecological last three years, Ranked among integrity and health conditions top 5 positions as environmental of an ecosystem; risks profiling scientist of Pakistan by PCST, of Solid Waste Dumping sites; Pakistan, Presidential Fellowship exploration and documentation of in 2016 by Chinese Academy medicinal flora, safety and efficacy of Sciences, China, Award of of ethno medicines; investigation PDRA Fellowship by Chinese of bio-active compounds from Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou indigenous medicinal plants via Institute of Geochemistry, different bioassays.
66 67 Participating Scientists
Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary Prof. M. Iqbal Choudhary He was appointed as an Assistant is Director and Professor Professor of Chemistry at H.E.J. of Bioorganic and Natural Research Institute of Chemistry Product Chemistry at the University of Karachi in 1988 and International Center for secured the position of Associate Chemical and Biological Professor and finally the Professor Sciences (H. E. J. Research in 1994 and 2000, respectively. Institute of Chemistry Since 1990, Prof. Choudhary and Dr. Panjwani Center has been among the world for Molecular Medicine and Drug leaders in the field of natural Research). He has completed his product chemistry, and has school and college education made pioneering contributions in Karachi and was admitted in in the discovery of novel natural University of Karachi to pursue products. He has discovered his BSc in 1980 followed by his many potent anti-epileptic and MSc in Organic Chemistry in anti-leishmanial compounds 1983. Prof. Choudhary joined the from indigenous medicinal plants research group of Prof. Atta-ur- that are under clinical trials. His Rahman, FRS in 1984 as one of the contributions to reverse bacterial PhD students in world renowned resistance to antibiotics represent H.E. J. Research Institute of seminal contributions in this Chemistry, University of Karachi important field. Prof. Choudhary in 1984. He then moved to the has 1016 publications (Citations Pennsylvania State University, USA 13,000, h-index=44) in the fields of as National Science Foundation organic and bioorganic chemistry, (NSF) scholar and completed along with 60 international patents his PhD research and secured (46 US Patents), 59 books and 40 his PhD degree in 1987. After chapters in books, published by completing his PhD, he proceed major U.S. and European presses. to Cornell University, Ithaca, USA On the basis of his research, 73 for his postdoctoral studies and students have been awarded completed his research work on PhD degrees in various areas of single-crystal X-ray Diffraction natural product and bioorganic studies of novel natural products. chemistry.
68 69 Ashraf Talib Al-Hinai Dr. Al-Hinai received his 2015, where he was involved in PhD from Pennsylvania chemistry and materials science State University in 2002 education and research. He in Materials Science currently works for PDO in the and Engineering. He graduate development program worked in the chemistry of material, corrosion, and department in SQU till integrity department.
68 69 Participating Scientists
Salim Hamood Al Harthi Dr. Salim Al Harthi is is a co-director of AIAP and a an Associate Professor member of SQU nanotechnology in surface physics team and is involved in teaching and nanotechnology. and promoting innovation at He has taught both SQU. He has contributed in undergraduate and building the research capabilities postgraduate courses in of SQU, by being the pioneer physics and advised more in establishing the first surface than 60 undergraduate science and nanotechnology students. He has also successfully laboratories in Oman and was also guided and supervised 12 MSc the leader of the surface science and 6 PhD candidates and and nanotechnology research contributed in training of many group in the college of science technical staff at the college. He at SQU. In the last 26 years, he has been a principal investigator has been very active in the field of for many internal and His Majesty microscopy where he supported projects and a co-investigator different colleges in setting up in certain TRC, industrial and the specification requirements, collaborative research projects. commissioning, maintenance He has published over 100 papers and training of staff in atomic in international journals, 150 force and electron microscopy. technical reports/proposals and 15 Presently, he is the chairman of papers in conference proceedings. the SQU electron microscopy Dr. Al Harthi has also a 10- committee. Dr. Al Harthi is the year experience as the General head of the risk management Manager of a leading logistics team and a risk management company in Oman. He has also director at SQU, and is responsible co-founded the enlightenment for establishing the complete risk consultancy company and management system at SQU, acted as the scientific advisor enabling him to make immense to Omicron Nanotechnology contributions to the development Company from Germany for 2 of risk management processes, years. Furthermore, Dr. Al Harthi infrastructure and safety.
70 71 Mohammed Zahir Al-Abri Dr. Mohammed Zahir nanotechnology in water Al-Abri is an Assistant and petroleum industries. Dr. Professor in Petroleum Al-Abri has several major & Chemical Engineering research projects in different Department, College of areas of water treatment and Engineering at Sultan desalination, nanotechnology for Qaboos University environmental and renewable (SQU), Oman. In energy applications, and addition to his academic membrane technology. He has position, he is the Director of more than 30 international Nanotechnology Research Center, journal papers, 25 international SQU. He completed all his tertiary conferences, 15 technical reports education from University of and two book chapters. Dr. Al- Nottingham (UK) from 2003- Abri is a member of a number 2007. His major interest lies in of international editorial boards. cutting-edge research in water He organized and co-organized treatment, membrane technology several international conferences and environmental engineering in nanotechnology and water including applications of treatment.
70 71 Participating Scientists
Mahad Said Baawain Dr. Mahad Said Baawain different areas of environmental is an Associate Professor engineering and management in the Department of (water & wastewater treatment, Civil and Architectural solid waste management and air Engineering, Sultan pollution modeling). Dr. Baawain Qaboos University. He has more than 75 international obtained his BSc in Civil journal papers, 50 international Engineering, Sultan conference, 20 technical reports Qaboos University, Oman and several book chapters. Dr. in 1998, MSc in Environmental Baawain served as the Chair of Engineering, Imperial College, UK the International Association for in 2000, and PhD in Environmental Hydro-Environment Engineering Engineering, University of Alberta, and Research (IAHR) Middle Canada in 2007. His research East and North Africa (MENA) interest covers several areas Collaborative Committee from among environmental engineering 2011 to 2016. He has served and management. Dr. Baawain as the Director of Center for has a number of major research Environmental Studies and projects and consultancy services Research at Sultan Qaboos during the last 10 years with a total University from February 2013 to value of around 6.5 million USD in February 2016.
72 73 Rahma Ibrahim Al-Mahrooqi Dr. Rahma Al-Mahrooqi, widely on English language Sultan Qaboos teaching and learning in Oman University’s Deputy with major focus areas in teaching, Vice Chancellor for reading, literature, culture, English Postgraduate Studies communication skills, and Arabic and Research, is an as a native language. Dr. Al- Associate Professor of Mahrooqi co-edited 10 books on English at the College of the above-mentioned areas. A Arts and Social Sciences. creative write, Dr. Al-Mahrooqi Among many academic and has also published poetry and administrative positions held, prose in her native language, she coordinated tertiary English Arabic. Since her appointment courses and an ESP program for as Deputy Vice Chancellor SQU's College of Science and for for Postgraduate Studies and almost four years she was SQU's Research, she has been working Language Center Director. Dr. Al- towards the promotion of Mahrooqi was also the Director research, postgraduate studies, of Sultan Qaboos University’s innovation and entrepreneurship Humanities Research Center for a at SQU in particular and in Oman year and a half. She has published in general.
72 73 Participating Scientists
Sammer Yousuf Dr. Sammer Yousuf is understanding of the X-ray an Associate Professor technique, as well as organic of Organic Chemistry chemistry. She is also the pioneer at the H. E. J. Research of crystal engineering in Pakistan, Institute of Chemistry, where structural, physio-chemical, International Center for and biological properties of Chemical and Biological co-crystals are extensively Sciences, University of studied. Her discovery of anti- Karachi. She is among leishmanial constituents from the most promising young female a local medicinal plant Physlais scientists of Pakistan, recognized minima is an excellent example for her original contributions of basic to translational research. in the field of structural and This discovery has been patented bioorganic chemistry. She is the in USA and selected for clinical author of over 170 research papers trails under a Sindh Government in top international journals, funded project. Based on her and five chapters of books, with contributions in the field of cumulative impact factor of structural and medicinal chemistry, 250, total citations exceeding she has received prestigious TWAS 890. She has solved st5uctures Regional Prize for Young Scientist of many novel and interesting from Third World Academy of natural products by using single- Sciences (TWAS) in 2011, and has crystal X-ray diffraction studies also been elected as TWAS Young and demonstrated her in-depth affiliate in 2013.
74 75 Sergey V. Dobretsov Dr. Sergey Dobretsov is and tropical marine organisms the Director of Centre in different parts of the world. of Excellence in Marine Dr. Dobretsov has 26 years of Biotechnology and an teaching and 28 years of research Associate Professor experience. He has a number of in the Department of international research projects Marine Science and and consultancy services with Fisheries, Sultan Qaboos a total value of around 2 million University. He obtained USD. He published more than 90 his MSc in Biology-Zoology, peer review international articles, Leningrad State University, 2 books and 10 book chapters and Russia in 1991 and his PhD in obtained 5 patents. Dr. Dobretsov Biology, Saint-Petersburg State is the president of European University, Russia in 1998. His Society for Marine Biotechnology. main field of research focuses He has worked in leading marine on marine biotechnology for research centers in Russia, Hong the development of new non- Kong, Germany, and the USA. He toxic antifouling solutions and is on the editorial boards of the antimicrobial drugs. He has journals Marine Ecology Progress worked with polar, temporal, Series and Biofouling.
74 75 Participating Scientists
Khaled B. Letaief Dr. Letaief is a Chair awards including the 2016 IEEE Professor at the Hong Marconi Prize Award in Wireless Kong University of Communications and over 15 IEEE Science & Technology best paper awards. Dr. Letaief is (HKUST). While at HKUST well recognized for his dedicated he served as Dean of service to professional societies Engineering and Head of and in particular IEEE where he Electronic and Computer has served in many leadership Engineering department. positions including President of Under his leadership, HKUST the IEEE Communications Society, Engineering School has dazzled in the world's leading organization international rankings (rising from for communications professionals # 26 in 2009 to # 14 in the world with headquarter in New York City in 2015 according to QS World and members in 162 countries. He University Rankings). He received served as consultants for different the BSc degree with distinction, organizations including Huawei, MSc, and PhD degrees in ASTRI, ZTE, Nortel, PWC, and Electrical Engineering from Purdue Motorola. He is the founding University, USA in 1984, 1986, and Editor-in-Chief of the prestigious 1990, respectively. Dr. Letaief is an IEEE Transactions on Wireless internationally recognized leader Communications and has been in wireless communications and involved in organizing many networks with research interest in flagship international conferences big data analytics systems, tactile around the world. Dr. Letaief is a Internet, 5G systems and beyond. Fellow of IEEE and a Fellow of HKIE. In these areas, he has over 600 He is also recognized by Thomson papers along with 15 patents and is Reuters as an ISI Highly Cited the recipient of many distinguished Researcher.
76 77 Omar Awadh Al-Rawas Prof. Omar Al-Rawas respiratory conditions in Oman, is the Director of SQU especially Asthma. He is the Medical Research Country Coordinator in the Centre. He received his International Study of Asthma undergraduate (MBChB) and Allergies in Children (ISAAC). and postgraduate He contributed to more than 90 training and research publications in peer-reviewed (Clinical Training in journals in these areas, in Respiratory Medicine addition to many conference and PhD) from University of presentations and published Glasgow, UK. He is a Professor and abstracts. He provides tertiary Senior Consultant Pulmonologist clinical care as Senior Consultant at the Department of Medicine of Pulmonologist in SQUH with College of Medicine and Health referrals from all over Oman. Sciences (COMHS) & Sultan Leadership positions held in the Qaboos University Hospital past include; Dean of COMHS - (SQUH). He is a member of Council SQU, Chairman of SQUH Board, of Trustees of Oman Medical Head of Department of Medicine, Specialty Board (OMSB) and the COMHS, President of Oman Council of Trustees of Arabian Medical Association; Chairman Gulf University and Chairman of OMSB Internal Medicine of the National Committee for Scientific Committee; Chairman Respiratory Service. His research of the Health Sector Open Grant focus is on lung function in health Committee of the Oman Research and disease, epidemiology of Council.
76 77 Participating Scientists
Fatma Ali Al Ma’Mari Dr. Fatma Al Ma’Mari is record of publications amongst Assistant Professor in the best in the field. She has Physics Department at involved in a team of scientists Sultan Qaboos University. from the University of Leeds who She has been awarded have demonstrated for the first the degree of Doctor time how to generate magnetism of Philosophy from the in metals that are not naturally University of Leeds (UK) magnetic. Her research has in 2016. She joined the featured in Nature, with a News Condensed Matter Physics group report in their front website and at the University of Leeds after a News & Views article in the her PhD as a visiting researcher in same journal issue reporting conjunction with Sultan Qaboos the findings. She also published University. She undertook her in Nature Nanotechnology, undergraduate studies at Sultan Nature Material and PNAS Qaboos University before which are the top journals in taking a Master’s degree at the physics field. Currently, she University of Loughborough. works in establishing research She is interested in experimental collaborations with different condensed matter research in institutes in nanotechnology- magnetism and spintronics. Dr. based spintronics for electronic, Fatma has achieved an excellent power or computing applications.
78 79 Max Paoli With a BSc (Hons.) in level and advanced university Biochemistry and a DPhil courses, and supervised over a in Chemistry, Dr. Max dozen PhD and MSc students. Paoli worked in the area He was a course convener in of protein structure and Australia where he developed molecular recognition a lecture series on proteomics. for almost 20 years. In Cambridge, he was a tutor His research work took at St. John’s College. Dr. Max him from York, UK, to Paoli has worked with the World laboratories in New Zealand and Academy of Sciences (TWAS) the US, including the Harvard for the last three years, serving Medical School. With academic as Programme Coordinator. He positions in Australia and in the is in charge of overlooking the UK, he was also a BBSRC David activities of the Academy, such Phillips Research Fellow at the as the PhD and Postdoctoral University of Cambridge, UK, for Fellowships, Research Grants, 5 years. Dr. Max and his group Exchanges, Prizes. Dr. Max Paoli solved the structures of several is interested in various issues protein-ligand complexes and related to the use of science and published research articles in scientific education for sustainable peer-reviewed international development, and has lectured on journals. He taught both entry sustainability and the SDGs.
78 79 Participating Scientists
Yusuf Baran Prof. Yusuf Baran has been recognized and awarded been working as a by national and international full professor at Izmir accredited institutions holding Institute of Technology, more than 100 awards. Prof. Izmir Turkey. After Yusuf Baran has been honored receiving his bachelor as “2013 Young Scientist” by degree in Dicle University, World Economic Forum (WEF) Department of Biology in 2013. Dr. Baran’s selection is (1994-1998), he earned in recognition of his academic his MSc and PhD degrees in 2002 excellence, commitment to and 2006, respectively, in the society and potential to change Middle East Technical University, the world through science. He Department of Biology. During got “Outstanding Young Person his PhD studies, he worked in of Turkey in Scientific Leadership the Medical University of South Award”, by International Young Carolina for 6 months in 2005. Leaders and Entrepreneurs in He has been as a Faculty at 2014. Dr. Baran also earned Izmir Institute of Technology, “Science Award” by Turkish Department of Molecular Biology Academy of Pharmacy in 2017, and Genetics since 2007. Dr. “Outstanding Young Scientist Yusuf Baran has been involved in Award” by Experimental more than 35 scientific research Hematology Association in 2016, projects supported by national by Science Heroes Association and international organizations. in 2014, and by Turkish Academy He has co-authored in more of Sciences in 2010. Dr. Baran than 350 papers in peer- focused on molecular biology reviewed journals and abstracts. of cancer, science policies and His scientific achievements have science diplomacy.
80 81 Ahmad Zaharin Aris Prof. Ahmad Zaharin Chancellor Fellowship Award, Aris specializes in the SEARCA Professorial Chair, The field of Hydrochemistry, Golden Globe Tigers Award 2017 Environmental – Best Professor in Environmental Chemistry and Analysis, Studies, shortlisted for Zayed and Environmental International Prize, and 1st runner Forensics. He played a up for 2016 National Young key role in establishing Scientist Award. He is currently the environmental an Editorial Board Member for forensics context and accelerates Scientific Reports (Q1), Associate the research and policy strategies Editor for Environmental that now have become parts Geochemistry and Health (Q1), of the Malaysia Transformation Guest Editor for Chemosphere Plan. He involved in more than 50 (Q1) special issue journal on projects locally and internationally “Drinking Water Quality – New and published more than 280 Issues, Risks & Solutions”, and academic writings with over 3300 many more. Some of his research citations and has few patents findings have been used to and a copyright. The Elsevier’s set up national guidelines and Scival Spotlight has ranked him policies on environmental issues. third among the list of global He sits as a steering committee experts under the category of member and expert advisor to Distinguished Competency of the Department of Environment water quality, sediment and Malaysia in their “Legislative pollution. This extraordinary Provisions for Inclusion of accomplishment has granted Environmental Forensic in him with prestigious awards Prosecution” and responsible for such as Young Scientist and Vice its policy ratification.
80 81 Participating Scientists
Kamran Bagheri Lankarani Professor Kamran Bagheri the head of health promotion Lankarani specialized in group in Iranian Academy of internal medicine and Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. attained an advanced Furthermore, he serves as a fellowship degree in chairman of International Journal gastroenterology at of School Health and Women’s Shiraz University of Health Bulletin and editor in Medical Sciences, Shiraz, chief of Shiraz E Medical Journal Iran. He was the minister and Annals of Colorectal. His of Health and Medical Education, research interests include vice chancellor of Shiraz Public Health, Econometric University of Medical Sciences, Analysis, Gastroenterology and manager of Shiraz Nemazee Hepatology, NASH Adverse Drug Hospital, and head of the internal Reactions, Traffic Accidents, and medicine department. Now, he is National Innovation Systems. He distinguished professor of internal published more than 300 journal medicine and works as a director articles and wrote 10 books. He in Health Policy Research Center also works as an editorial board and head of online MPH program, member and reviewer for several with a focus on health policy, international and national journals affiliated to Shiraz University in the field of medicine and public of Medical Sciences. He is also health.
82 83 Saeed Sarkar Prof. Sarkar earned his in 2005 and a board member of Ph.D. in Medical Physics Nanotechnology Committee in from Surrey University, Ministry of Health and Medical UK, in 1994 and is Education since 2007. He has currently an academic been a member of Board of member of Tehran Trustees at Kashan University University of Medical of Medical Sciences and two Sciences (TUMS) where other research Institutes since he was the head of 2008. More than 50 M.Sc. and Medical Physics Department for 30 Ph.D. students have been seven years (1997- 2004). He supervised by Professor Sarkar. has been the secretary general He has published about 150 of Iran Nanotechnology Initiative peer review journal publications Council (INIC) since 2008. This and 3 books. He is the winner council is responsible for policy of more than 10 awards and has making, development, and 15 USA and European patents. promotion of Nanotechnology He is also a member of editorial in Iran. He has also been the board of four scientific Journals. director of Institute for Advanced He has established 8 knowledge- Medical Technologies (IAMT) based companies, two of which since 2002 where over 150 are engaged in designing and researchers are active in R&D. He construction of Nanotechnology is also the founder and a board lab instruments and the other member at Iranian Association three companies are producing of Nanotechnology established medical equipment.
82 83 Participating Scientists
Mohammad Esmaeil Akbari Prof. Mohammad Esmaeil of Comprehensive Cancer Control Akbari is a Professor of Centre (CCCC), President of Iranian Surgical Oncology at Association of Medical Education, Shahid Beheshti University Director of “Comprehensive of Medical Sciences Organization Advisory Community (SBUMS), Tehran I.R. Iran. Health (COACH)” institute (NGOs), He has shouldered various Iran (since its initiation, 2005), responsibilities and Founder and President of the assumed administrative Association of Medical Education positions which include: Head of of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Cancer Research Centre (CRC), Member of the Islamic Association SBUMS, Tehran, Member of Board of Isfahan Medical University (since EURAMA (Europa-Asian Breast the Islamic Revolution), Member Cancer Association) and Focal point of Iranian and the American of the association in Iran, Editor in Association of Surgeons, President Chief of International Journal of of the Association of World No Cancer Management (IJCM), Head Tobacco, Khordad Foundation’s
84 85 scientific adviser, Member of the (2years), President of Shariati Supreme Council for medical Hospital (2 years),Vice President education, Member of the Islamic and Consultant of the Isfahan Association of Isfahan before the University of Medicine (4 years), revolution, Chancellor of Isfahan Head of the COACH Institute, Medical Sciences (5 years), Advisor Managing Director of Esfehan to the World Health Organization Blood Transfusion (8 years), for medical care, Head of the Professor of Shahid Beheshti Clinical Research Committee (two University of Medical Sciences, terms), Advisor to the Minister Member of the Board of Trustees and responsible for Community of Isfahan and Hamadan University Oriented Medical Education (2 of Medical Sciences, Vice Minister years), Founding member of the of Health and Medical Education Association of Youth and Religion (8years), Member of Cancer Toyserkan (from 1344 AD to the Control Committee, Ministry of revolution), President of the Isfahan Health and Medical Education Regional Health Organization (MOH&ME).
84 85 ParticipatingRequired Scientists Addresses Sultan Qaboos University
86 87 86 87 ParticipatingRequired Scientists Addresses Holiday Inn AlSeeb Muscat
88 89 88 89 ParticipatingScientific Scientists Centers
1. The Innovation & Technology Transfer Centre: Established recently in 2018, this the centre will not only build upon Centre contributes to Oman’s SQU’s existing infrastructure and social and economic development capabilities in innovation at SQU, by supporting young Omanis in but will also help fulfil national learning about, and engaging objectives in relation to strategic in, every aspect of innovation socio-economic development. and entrepreneurship, thereby The Innovation & Technology stimulating activities and initiatives Transfer Centre has five sections that lead to the creation of spin- which will be overseen by the offs and start-ups that contribute centre’s director. These sections to the diversification and are: Training, Mentoring and sustainability of Oman’s economy. Outreach; Industry Linkages and It does this in a national context Licencing; Incubation; Intellectual where Oman continues to place Property; and Innovation and a heavy emphasis on innovation Technology Transfer Studies. as a way of promoting economic The director is also responsible diversification, job growth, and for overseeing the Innovation global competitiveness. The Fund and the Innovation & Centre is also mandated by Entrepreneurship Society. An SQU’s Strategic Plan 2016-2040, Innovation Factory, under a which underlines the importance manager who reports to the of establishing an independent centre’s director, is also attached centre for innovation. As a result, to the centre.
90 91 2. Medical Research Centre: The establishment of the conduct high-quality research in Medical Research Centre at major themes that are of strategic SQU was considered a vital importance to the sultanate. step for producing high quality As such, the Medical Research medical research of a broad and Centre will carry out advanced specialized nature conducted in medical research, coordinate well-equipped laboratories. The medical research facilities and establishment of the Medical expertise at SQU, and create a Research Centre encourages scholarly environment conducive greater collaboration between to innovation and excellence in stakeholders within Oman and research while also promoting across the country and the region, research collaboration. and also allows researchers to
3. Sustainable Energy Research Centre: As the first research Centre in the the individual efforts of energy sultanate dedicated to sustainable researchers from Sultan Qaboos energy, the Centre covers research University under one umbrella themes that include energy policy covering all areas of sustainable and strategy issues, renewable energy. The Centre also aims to energy, integrated power systems, provide energy consultancy for all energy management and rational sectors and to conduct research use, and their economic and social that supports the graduation of aspects. The Centre aims to unify master’s and doctorate students.
90 91 ParticipatingScientific Centers Scientists
4. Nanotechnology Research Center: The Center solidifies the presence research leadership and builds of Sultan Qaboos University human capacity in the area of regionally and internationally nanotechnology, and contributes in the fields of nanotechnology to sustainable development at and serves as the primary house national, regional, and global of expertise in nanotechnology levels. in the sultanate. It provides
5. Omani Studies Centre: The vision of the Centre is to help The Centre conducts scientific maintain and promote the cultural research and offers consulting heritage associated with Oman’s services that help preserve and unique cultural identity across disseminate knowledge about all aspects of the humanities. As Oman. It also collaborates with such, the Centre seeks to be an local and international institutions important source of social, cultural, and encourages research studies and historical sciences that are relevant to the sultanate. related to Omani civilization.
92 93 6. Humanities Research Centre: The Centre seeks to promote work is especially important as various areas of research by SQU is often seen as a house assuming a leading role in the of intellectual expertise that field of the humanities through can help people deal with the the advancement of research increasingly complex demands work and the development of placed on them in this era and tools to ensure its ability to face meet governmental and non- the rapid global challenges that governmental institutional affect all areas of life. The Centre’s requirements.
7. Oil and Gas Research Centre: The Centre encourages and coordinates high quality research, supports scientific research and training and consultation in areas strategic studies in areas related that are vital for the effective to oil and gas, and contributes development of the country, to transferring, localizing, and in addition to training Omani developing unconventional nationals in research related to oil and innovative technologies. and gas. The Centre also conducts and
92 93 ParticipatingScientific Centers Scientists
8. Earthquake Monitoring Centre: The Centre offers services to the or potential damage. The Centre community through research operates through a network of studies related to earthquake twenty stations distributed in monitoring. In doing so, it seeks various areas in the sultanate. to measure the potential threat It also monitors seismic waves of earthquakes in ways that can coming from the seismic zones assist in discovering the best of all levels whether they are means of limiting their effect and/ tangible or intangible.
9. Centre for Environmental Studies and Research: The Centre plays an important role and institutes with initiatives that in organizing and coordinating contribute to the conservation of studies and research related to natural resources that can help the environment through scientific achieve sustainable development. research and by raising awareness The Centre contributes to the of environmental issues and formation of environmental topics related to the sultanate. policies and offers assistance to The Centre also collaborates with organizations and stakeholders various governmental associations that seek its input.
94 95 10. Water Research Centre: The Centre offers its services to The Centre explores research the community through the study priorities in areas of water, of mechanisms to develop the while also offering information water sector in Oman, in addition to researchers and providing to coordinating research related research services, consultancies to water in an effort to develop and analysis through available water resources and protect them university resources. from pollution and depletion.
11. Earth Science Research Centre: The Centre was established to of Oman’s various geological contribute to and support the aspects in which it stands as the sultanate’s economy through the primary source of geological data development of the ideas and in the country and of investment strategic technology necessary opportunities in this area. In for pioneering strategy for addition, the Centre also provides environmental research in various advice on the exploration and areas of earth science and exploitation of mining and especially in oil, gas and mining. excavation. The Centre supervises a database
94 95 ParticipatingScientific Centers Scientists
12. Communication and Information Research Center: The Center supports the the sultanate by promoting the development of scientific process of transferring sustainable research and higher education technology to the country. In through the establishment addition, the Center implements of partnerships between research strategies which meet the governmental institutions, SQU, information and communication and industry in areas of joint technology requirements of research programs related to Oman in both the short and long information and communication terms. technology. It contributes to
13. Centre for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems: This Centre is responsible for Centre offers advice and technical supervising the coordination of support to national agencies activities and research projects and the community in general related to Remote Sensing, Aerial with the aim of promoting joint Photography and Geographic collaboration. The Centre also Information Systems (GIS) within organises training courses, SQU. It also coordinates between workshops, lectures, and SQU, relevant ministries, industry, conferences related to Remote and other institutions outside Sensing and GIS at local and the sultanate. In addition, the international levels.
96 97 14. Centre for Excellence in Marine Biotechnology: The Centre is concerned with prosperity in this area. This is capacity building and the optimal especially the case because the use of Omani marine resources. sultanate has a long coastline It seeks to encourage sustainable and diverse marine resources development in Oman that will that are currently unexplored and encourage future growth and exploitable.
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