Environmental Science and Green Energy

Dr. Fenglong Fan (Burag), originally from Inner Mongolia, China, is passionate about leveraging innovative biotechnologies to address global water environment challenges, especially developing advanced wastewater treatment technologies & sustainable wastewater resource recovery while mitigating the spread of resistance genes. M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tohoku University, and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, Kyoto University, Japan where he currently works as a Ph.D. researcher. Dr. Burag has particularly focused on targeting the removal of PFAS/antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and pioneered work on innovative Ozone-Cathode Microbial Fuel Cells (O₃-MFCs), integrating biotechnology with the development of advanced catalytic materials for next-generation advanced wastewater treatment systems. Actively involved in national scientific research projects funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan. In addition, he serves as the representative director of the Japan Society of Environmental Materials (JSEM).

Dr. Norzita Binti Ngadi is currently serving as Deputy Director for Research & Innovation as well as Academic & Student Affairs at UTM Pagoh Campus. Dr. Norzita’s research portfolio spans sustainable waste management, innovative adsorbent development, wastewater treatment, biomass valorisation and reaction engineering. She is a key member of UTM’s Sustainable Waste Management Research Group, with work focused on waste to energy systems, adsorption modelling and pollutant removal technologies. Her publication record includes 157 indexed journal articles along with additional conference outputs (236 total publications) and she has led or participated in 94 research grants, notably including international and national funding as project leader or member. Her mentorship record is equally remarkable: supervising 50 master’s and 28 PhD candidates, alongside a substantial supervision load of undergraduate trainees. While a current Scopus based h index and citation count of 38 and 6123, respectively, her high publication output and active grant portfolio indicate a strong impact in her fields of environmental and chemical engineering. Beyond academia, Dr. Norzita is actively involved in community and industry network projects, reflecting her contributions to sustainable development and community well being.

Dr. Yasushi Uematsu is a distinguished expert in wind, snow, and structural engineering, with a career spanning over four decades. He earned his Bachelor’s (1977), Master’s (1979), and Ph.D. (1982) degrees from the Faculty of Engineering at Tohoku University, Japan. He began his academic journey as a Research Associate at Tohoku University in 1982 and steadily advanced through key roles, including Associate Professor and Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering.
 In 2002, he served as a Visiting Professor at Concordia University, Canada. His leadership roles include Associate Dean at Tohoku University (2013) and President of the National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Akita College (2019). Currently, he serves as a Senior Research Fellow and Specially Appointed Professor at the New Industry Creation Hatchery Center, Tohoku University.
Dr. Yasushi Uematsu has held international positions, such as Doctoral Co-supervisor at Harbin Institute of Technology and Chief Advisor at Tianjin Research Institute for Water Transport Engineering, China.
He has authored 245 peer-reviewed publications, focusing on wind effects on structures and renewable energy systems. His recent work includes studies on wind loading of photovoltaic panels and the dynamic response of storage tanks, contributing significantly to sustainable structural engineering.

Dr. Salomeh Chegini is an environmental and energy engineering specialist with a multidisciplinary background in petrochemical engineering, biorefinery, and sustainable infrastructure. She holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering, focusing on methane production from wastewater sludge, and has extensive expertise in waste-to-energy technologies, anaerobic digestion, and bio-based solutions for climate-resilient infrastructure.
Her work integrates biotechnological advancements, renewable energy systems, and industrial process optimization to drive sustainable development in energy and environmental sectors. She has collaborated with industry and academia in various roles including as a lecturer, researcher, project manager, and consultant.
Dr. Chegini is a member of several professional organizations, including the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), and The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She has received multiple awards and scholarships and has presented at international conferences on bioenergy, circular economy, and climate resilience.

Hardev Singh Virk was born in Kamoke, district Gujranwala (now in Pakistan) on 23rd Feb. 1942. He received his M.Sc. in Physics from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (1963) and Doctorate in Nuclear Physics from Marie Curie University, Paris (France) in 1972. He served in Punjabi University, Patiala (1965-79) and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (1979-2002). His research interests are manifold: Nuclear & Radiation Physics; Geochronology; Earthquakes & Environment; Ion Tracks & Nanotechnology; History & Philosophy of Science; Sikh Religion and Punjabi Literature.

Professor Virk retired from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar in June 2002 after serving as Director Research and Dean Academic Affairs. He was re-employed as Director Research, DAV Institute of Engineering & Technology, Jalandhar (2008-2011); Adjunct Professor, Akal University, Baru Sahib (2010-till date); Visiting Professor, SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib (2013-17); and Professor of Eminence, Punjabi University, Patiala (2017-19).

Professor Virk has published 475 research papers in national & international journals; 45 books and 150 articles on Science Education & Science Policy in India. He has presented his Research Papers and Invited Talks in 100 National and 70 International Conferences in 50 countries. He is a globe trotter. He is recipient of several awards, viz., Senior Associateship of International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy (1988-93); Shiromani Award as Best Writer of Scientific Literature in Punjabi awarded by the Punjab State Languages Department (1993); Honourable Mention Award of Templeton Foundation (USA) for a Project on Global Perspectives of Science & Sikh Religion (2005); and FRAY International Sustainability Award by FLOGEN Stars Outreach (2022). Presently, he is Professor of Eminence (Honorary), SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib (India).

Jobst H. Kerspe is a mechanical engineer with a strong academic background in materials science and metal forming. He earned his engineering degree from TU Clausthal-Zellerfeld (1976) and completed his mechanical engineering qualification at TU Stuttgart, Institute for Metal Forming Technology (1981).
He began his professional career at BBC/ABB Heidelberg (1981–1985), where he was responsible for the installation and management of prototype manufacturing for the NaS high-energy battery project. Since 1985/86, he has been leading his own engineering, consulting, and development company, TEB Dr. Kerspe (now TEB Dr. Kerspe GmbH), specializing in advanced engineering solutions.
Kerspe has collaborated with several industrial partners, including König Metall GmbH & Co. KG, Schwarz Systems, and orao GmbH, and has been actively involved in national and international funded R&D projects. He currently serves as CEO of TEB Dr. Kerspe GmbH.

Dr. Eng. Giorgio Dodero is the President of IPG Industrial Project Group Srl, founded in 1973. Initially established as a conceptual and feasibility consultancy, IPG has evolved into an international engineering, consultancy, and research organization. Its mission is to offer technical know how and experience globally through a network of expert firms and specialists. The company provides feasibility studies, research activities, and engineering services, collaborating with institutions such as the Polytechnic Institute of Milan and Warwick University (UK).
Dodero, born in Genoa, holds a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Milan and completed additional studies in Chemical Engineering. During his tenure at ENEL, the Italian state-owned utility, he led major multinational projects in power generation, including hydro, renewable, fossil, and nuclear plants. He has authored over 78 papers on power, chemical, and petrochemical plant design, with a focus on carbon capture and utilization technologies.

Mark Bomberg, D.Sc. in Engineering (Warsaw Technology University; Lund University, Sweden, 1974) is a distinguished expert in building physics and environmental quality management. He is a Research Professor at Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, and Research and Development Manager at DFIE, Inc. He is also an Honorary Member of the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment (BETEC) Committee of the National Institute of Building Science (NIBS), Washington, D.C.

Bomberg’s career includes a 25-year tenure at the National Research Council of Canada and serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Building Physics from 1984 to 2018. He has taught and collaborated globally, including in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Poland, and China.

He is a guest editor for journals such as Energies and Buildings and Frontiers, and has received prestigious awards in building physics in both the U.S. and Canada. His research focuses on the popularization of science, particularly in heat, air, and water transport, material science, and construction material durability.

With over 222 research papers and eight books, Bomberg has achieved significant recognition, including 94,000 reads on ResearchGate and an interest score in the top 6% of researchers.

Bomberg resides in Canada, with frequent work in the U.S. and Europe.

Professor Tsuyoshi Fujita is a Professor of the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo and he is currently a Chair Professor of the Department of Urban Engineering. He is a former Director of Social Environmental Systems Research Center, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan. He is also currently an Appointed Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology in the field of applied energy. His research fields are eco industrial development, carbon neutral city, urban environment simulation system, circular economy planning and spatial LCA, where he has published as many as 200 journal papers. He is engaged in several national research projects to develop integrative urban technology and policy simulation system for Japanese and Asian cities and regions.
He is a member of the National Council SDGs Future City Initiative and Eco-model City Promotion of Japan. He is also engaged in academic positions such as a counselor of the International Society of Industrial Ecology, Chair of Editorial Board, Journal of Environmental Systems Research, Japan Society of Civil Engineering. He received a Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo in 1997 as well as a MCP (Master of City Planning) degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991. He was formerly an Associate Professor in Osaka University and a Professor in Toyo University after working in the construction company as an urban planner for ten years before moving to the NIES in 2006.

Dai-Yeun Jeong is the Director of the Asia Climate Change Education Center in South Korea and an Emeritus Professor of Environmental Sociology at Jeju National University, where he served as a professor from 1981 to 2012. He holds a BA and MA in Sociology from Korea University and a PhD in Environmental Sociology from The University of Queensland, Australia. His career includes notable roles such as President of the Asia-Pacific Sociological Association, Teaching Professor at The University of Sheffield, and Delegate for South Korea to both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the OECD Environmental Meeting. He has been involved in high-level policy-making as a member of the Presidential Commission on Sustainable Development of the Republic of Korea and as a Research Associate for the National Assembly's Environmental Policy Committee. He also served as Acting Director of the Jeju Secretariat for the UNESCO World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves. With 13 books, including Environmental Sociology, and 60 academic papers published internationally, his research spans over 100 environment-related projects funded by both domestic and international organizations. His work continues to influence environmental sociology and climate change education globally.