Dr. Viktor Balema is an expert in novel electronic and energy materials, as well as non-conventional materials preparation techniques. He earned his BS/MS degrees from L'viv State University, Ukraine, and PhD from the A. Nesmeyanov Institute of the Academy of Sciences in Moscow. Subsequently, he conducted research at the universities of Karlsruhe and Leipzig, Germany as Visiting Scientist, then joined Ames Laboratory of the US Department of Energy. Over two decades, Dr. Balema directed the Hard Materials Segment and Materials Science R&D at Sigma-Aldrich Co. and held Senior Scientist and CTO positions at Ames Laboratory and in the chemical industry. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor at Clemson University, SC, USA. Dr. Balema has authored over 100 papers and patents, delivered numerous invited talks, and served as a reviewer for the US DOE, NSF, US CRDF, ACS PRF, and numerous peer-reviewed journals. His research has also been featured in popular scientific magazines, including New Scientist and Scientific American.

Victor R. Orante-Barrón, Ph.D. Associate Professor since february, 2010. Departamento de Investigación en Polímeros y Materiales. Universidad de Sonora. México. Education Ph.D., Materials Science, Universidad de Sonora. México. 2009. M.Sc., Polymers and Materials, Universidad de Sonora. México. 2005. B.Sc., Chemical Sciences, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey (ITESM). México. 1999. Research Fellowships Post-Doctoral Fellowship, in the Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory of Oklahoma State University. From 2009 to 2010. Supervisor: Dr. Eduardo G. Yukihara. Visiting Researcher, in the Department of Physics of University of South Africa (UNISA), from September 4 to December 6, 2015. Awards Member of the National System of Researchers (SNI, in Spanish) of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, in Spanish). Level 1, since January, 2011. Acknowledgement to Desirable Profile from Program for Professional Teacher Development (PRODEP, in Spanish) of the National Secretary of Public Education. Participation in Conferences 98 presentations of scientific contributions in national and international conferences. Publications 24 articles published in international journals. Organizing Committees Member of organizing committees for three international conferences. Teaching Professor of several courses for undergraduate and graduate students. Human Resources Training Advisor of three B.Sc. theses (two concluded, one in process), five M.Sc theses (four concluded, one in process), and one Ph.D. thesis (in process)

Dr. Meena Laad is currently Professor in Physics and Head of Applied Science Department at Symbiosis Institute of Technology, a constituent of Symbiosis International Deemed University, Pune, India. A doctorate in Physics with more than 28 years of teaching and research experience, Dr Laad specializes in synthesis and characterization of Metal, Polymer and Ceramic Matrix Composite materials, Intermetallic compounds, Nanolubricants. She has more than 60 research papers published in peer reviewed International journals with high impact factors. Dr Laad has been the recipient of several research grants and fellowships from prestigious national and international funding agencies such as University Grants Commission- Department of Atomic Energy Consortium for Scientific research, Defense Research & Development Organization, AICTE, UKIERI grant by British Council, UK. Dr Laad has 1 patent granted and 3 patents published to her credit. She has authored a book on Thermoluminescence in Inorganic solids and contributed book chapters published by Springer, Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Royal Chemical Society. She has been honored with National Award conferred to her as Best Researcher by the Society for Technologically Advanced Materials of India. Dr Laad has also received DUO India Professor fellowship 2020 with International collaborations from MHRD, Government of India and prestigious SPARC grant of DST, Govt. of India. Dr Laad is on Editorial board /Reviewer of some of the reputed international journals. She has been invited as keynote speaker, technical committee member, and session chair in several international conferences organized by Universities abroad.

Dr. Poushali Das is working as a senior research scientist at Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University, Canada. Prior to this, she held a postdoctoral position in the Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Israel. She completed her Ph.D. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. She has received prestigious awards including the DST INSPIRE Scholar Award (Government of India), Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Award (European Commission), and H.G. Thode Postdoctoral Fellowship (Canada). She has published many research papers in reputed international journals. She has been serving as a topic editorial board member and reviewer of reputed international journals. She has also worked as an international consultant for companies. Her research interests include multifunctional luminescent quantum dots and applications in sensors, biomedical field, smart nanocomposites, MXenes, 2D/polymer nanocomposites etc.

Dr. Tomasz Krystofiak in 1994 was finished study of Faculty of Wood Technology at Agriculture Academy in Poznan. In 2002 he prepared a PhD dissertation and in 2019 habilitation. Author or co-author of more than 300 scientific publications in the scope of gluing and finishing of wood and wood based composites. To his research activities belongs surface phenomena, wettability, adhesion and adherence, modification, gluability and paintability of lignocellulosic materials. He was a Management Committee Member of COST Actions FP1006 and CA15216 and Working Group Member (FP1303 and FP1407). Since 2021 Guest Editor in 6 Special Issues in Coatings, Forests, Materials journals.

Dr. Neel Kamal Gupta is a dedicated researcher with a PhD from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), Mumbai, India, specializing in metal additive manufacturing. A young and dynamic expert in his field, Dr. Gupta holds two patents, with five more under review, and has published over 10 papers in renowned journals and conference proceedings, with several book chapters and publications under review. In addition to his research contributions, he serves as a reviewer for leading journals in his domain. Dr Gupta previously worked as a research scientist at IIT Bombay, where he worked on the development of a multi-material additive manufacturing setup with PhD students. Currently, he continues his work as a research scientist at TU Bergakademie Freiberg in Germany, driven by his passion for advancing metal additive manufacturing technologies.

Dr. Ghandi received his PhD in experimental chemical physics with a focus on radiation chemistry from Simon Fraser University in 2002. He did his postdoctoral research at the University of British Columbia and TRIUMF National Laboratory on materials science. He has also been invited visiting scientist at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK before joining Mount Allison University in 2005. Dr. Ghandi received his early tenure in 2009, and he was a member of the Chemistry and Biochemistry department as well as a member of the physics department of Mount Allison University until July 2018. In July 2018, he joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Guelph as an associate professor. Dr Ghandi has published more than 120 refereed papers, book chapters and patents that span a broad range of interests in material science, nuclear energy, physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, green chemistry, nanotechnology, and radiation physics and chemistry. The results of this research have implications for the development of new antimicrobial material, sensors, and energy technologies, increasing the lifetime of nuclear reactors as well as material to reduce radiation therapy side effects. He has also been one of the founding members of the Atlantic Green Centre and was the president of the International Society of Muon Spectroscopy. He was the VP of America (North, Central and South America) of the International Society for Muon Spectroscopy before that. He is the National Representative of the Physical and Biophysical Chemistry Division of IUPAC, the Co-Chair of the Environment Waste Management and Decommissioning Division of the Canadian Nuclear Society and the president of the Physical, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Division of the Chemical Institute of Canada. In 2009, he received the NBIF Breakthru (first prize) for opening inventive frontiers in the fields of polymeric materials, nanotechnology, and green chemistry. In 2010 he received the KEK Visiting Scientist Fellowship award for distinguished contributions to applications of muon science in studies of green technologies. In the same year, he received the Paul Paré Excellence Award for outstanding research without compromising excellence in teaching and service. He received this award again in 2013. In 2008 he received the leadership Mount Allison award for his contributions in training undergraduate research students at Mount Allison University (from both chemistry and physics programs). In the same year, he received the Marjorie Young Bell Award for his research on green chemistry. In 2017/2018 he received the Jean d'Alembert chair from the University of Paris/ Saclay in France. In 2024, he received the best paper award from the journal, nanomaterials. Ghandi was selected as one of the members of the five-year plan steering committee for TRIUMF national lab (selected by the director of TRIUMF) (2012-2015). He was the chair-elect of the TRIUMF national lab user group which is an elected position, by international users of TRIUMF and the chair of the user group selection committee for a new director of TRIUMF. He has been the Chair of many sessions and invited, and keynote speaker at many conferences on material science, nuclear chemistry, radiation chemistry, green chemistry, polymer science and muon science. He has been on the International advising board of the central laser facility in the UK. He has been on the review panels of different international particle accelerator proposal evaluation committees over the last few years. He was invited by CIC as a delegate of the Canadian Chemical Society, Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Chemistry to China (2008). He has organized international conferences, and symposia and serves often as a grant and paper reviewer and he is on the editorial board of several international journals.

Dr. Sunirmal Jana born on 12th July, 1966. He did his Master of Science Degree in Chemistry in the year 1991 from Kalyani University, India and obtained his Ph.D. (Science) degree in 1998 from Jadavpur University, India. He also completed Bachelor of Education degree (B. Ed.) and “Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) organized “Leadership Development Programme (LDP 0905)” Management Course for middle to senior level leaders” at CSIR HRDC, Gaziabad, India. In December 1997, Dr. Jana joined CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), Kolkata, India as a Junior Scientist. Presently, he is working at the same Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) as Chief Scientist of CSIR under Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India and Senior Professor of Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR). Dr. Jana is also performing his duties as a Course Co-ordinator and as a Professor for the course, “Structural and Functional Coatings” of AcSIR. He is also worked for 6 years as Guest Teacher for B. Tech. students in Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India on the subjects, “Sol-gel materials, carbon nanotubes, sonochemical synthesis etc.” from 2016 to 2021. Dr Jana is actively involved / coordinated / performed / performing as Principal Investigator (PI) / Co-PI of various National and International Research Projects. His current research activities basically are dielectric / metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) based sol-gel thin functional nanostructured films/coating, superhydrophobic cum antibacterial coatings, carbon based nanomaterials, low thermal expansion nanostructured glass-ceramics etc. for different applications. At present, he has published over 80 SCI/peer reviewed research papers (h-index: 24; i10-Index 51, Citations: ~2000) in internationally reputed different journals, 9 Book Chapters, 8 Conf. Proceeding, 85 conference papers and 5 Indian Patents. He has already guided 6 Ph.D. (Science/Engineering) students and also guiding several Ph.D. students. In addition, he has already supervised 15 M.Tech/M.Sc/B.Tech. students for the projects to fulfill their respective degrees. Under his active leadership, three major facilities (Solar Panel Coating, Drain Coating and Smelter cum Reactor) of national importance have been created indigenously at CSIR-CGCRI. He is the Fellow and Life Member of International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS), Japan and Indian Institute of Ceramics. Dr. Jana is an elected member of the Council of Indian Ceramic Society for the four terms (years 2015 and 2016; 2017 and 2018; 2019 and 2020; 2023 and 2024) and he is working as one of the EC members of Materials Research Society of India (MRSI), Kolkata Chapter, India. He is also the life members of CHD C Division Council, Bureau of Indian Standards, Materials Research Society of India, Indian Ceramic Society, Electron Microscopy Society of India, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science and NCE Bengal & Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. Dr. Jana is the life-time Fellow of International Society for Development and Sustainability (Japan) and Indian Institute of Ceramics, India. Dr Jana is one of the Senior Members of International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI), Hong Kong. Dr. Jana availed Brain Pool Fellowship from Korean Federation of Science & Technology Societies (KOFST) and worked as a visiting scientist at Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, South Korea for one year during 2005-2006. He also did his research work as visiting scientists in other prestigious research Institutes in abroad (Slovenia and Portugal). Presently, Dr. Jana is functioning as one of the Editor/Associate Editor/Editorial Board Member including Advances in Nanoparticles (Scientific Research Publishing), General Chemistry (USA), Kenkyu Journal of Nanotechnology and Nanoscience (Kenkyu Group, India), Journal of Advanced Nanomaterials (Isaac Publishing Co. Ltd., Hong Kong), Source Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (USA), Journal of Material Science and Nanoengineering (Neonex International Online Publishing Pvt. Ltd, India). He also delivered 26 Plenary / Keynote / invited talks in India/abroad and also chaired the technical sessions at various national/international conferences / seminars / symposia. Dr. Jana also evaluated / examined several PhD theses / conducted PhD Viva voce Examinations as an external examiner of many Indian Universities (e.g. Karunya University, Sastra University, Manonmaniam Sundaranar Univerisity, Alagappa University, Periyar University, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur; Formerly Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur, West Bengal, India, Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), India). He has participated in different events as a speaker, panelist, roundtable moderator / session chairman. He is a regular reviewer of research manuscripts from American Chemical Society (ACS), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Elsevier, Spingers, Taylor & Francis, IOP, SCIRP etc. In addition to winning several poster paper awards, Dr. Jana won prestigious Distinguished Scientist Award of Venus International Research Awards (VIRA-2016) by Venus International Foundation, Chennai, India in the year 2016.

Isidoro Russo graduated with honors in Architecture and Building Engineering at the University of Salerno in 2018. In 2018, he was an intern at Drever International based in Belgium. In 2021, he obtained a PhD title in "Risk and Sustainability in Civil, Architectural and Environmental Systems (XXXIV cycle)" - address "Advanced technologies, infrastructure and land protection for sustainable development" - at the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Salerno, where since 2022 he is a Junior Researcher in “Roads, railways and airports”. He collaborates by supervising the realization of bachelor’s and master’s degree theses on topics related to roads, railways and airports. Since 2018, he is a member of the Laboratory of "Roads, Railways and Airports" (link) based at the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Salerno. Since 2023, he contributes to teaching in the course of “Fundamentals of Road Design and Construction” for the bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and the bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environment Engineering, as well as in the course of “Roads, railways and airports” for the master’s degree in Civil Engineering. His main areas of research include: statistical analysis of accidents, risk analysis, computational fluid dynamics, people evacuation process, concrete spalling, road pavement combustion, road tunnel resilience, traffic simulation, and electric vehicle safety. He is an Editorial Member of the journal "Digital Transportation and Safety (link)", as well as an Academic Editor of the journal "PLOS ONE (link)". He was Chief Guest Editor of the Special Issue “Risk and Resilience Analysis of Road Tunnels” of “Sustainability”, and is Chief Guest Editor of the Special Issue “Sustainable Transportation: Driving Behaviours and Road Safety” of “Sustainability” (link). He was a speaker at several national and international conferences, receiving the best paper award in the field of road tunnels' safety at "The 9th Symposium on Pavement Surface Characteristics". He is a co-author of 18 papers published in international and national journals and conference proceedings, as well as a reviewer for international journals such as “Applied Sciences”, “Infrastructures”, “Scientific Reports”, “Reliability Engineering & System Safety”, “Transportation Research Record”, “Sustainability”, and “Journal of Transportation Safety & Security”.

Pedro Fonte is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, Portugal. He is an Integrated Member of the Center for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) at the University of Algarve and a Collaborative Researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (iBB) at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon. He has expertise on developing cutting-edge nanocarriers for drug delivery. His research is dedicated to pioneering targeted and controlled drug delivery systems that effectively cross biological barriers, enhancing treatment precision and efficacy. He is also a specialist in the lyophilization and solid-state characterization of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, ensuring the stability and bioactivity of drugs. Moreover, his expertise extends to the structural characterization of therapeutic proteins, vital for advancing biopharmaceutical innovations. Currently, his groundbreaking work is primarily focused on revolutionary applications in cancer treatment and wound healing. Pedro Fonte has successfully coordinated several funded scientific projects, establishing valuable collaborations with researchers and academics worldwide. His publication record includes over 50 papers in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, 10 book chapters, and 1 edited book. His contributions to the scientific community and society have garnered him many awards and distinctions, including recognition as one of the Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University.