Dr. Zhixun WANG received his B.Eng. and M.Eng. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from Central South University, and his Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. He is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
His research interests encompass the development of devices in fiber and fabric form factors for diverse applications, including sensing, actuation, energy harvesting, power supply, and data processing. His work has a highly interdisciplinary nature, combining materials, electrical, and mechanical engineering in the design, fabrication, and integration of fiber devices into system-level architectures. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Nature, Nature Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical Society Reviews. His work on semiconductor fibers has been recognized in a Nature editorial and featured by media outlets including Physics World and Tech Xplore.

Prof. Di Wei works to define iontronics as a new technological paradigm by programming ion-electron interactions for energy, information, chemical reactions and intelligent systems. He serves as the Principal Investigator at BINN and heads the Iontronics Laboratory. As Member of European Academy of Sciences and Arts), Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences, Life Fellow of National Academy of Inventors USA, External Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Foreign Member of the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in Finland and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, he has published about 200 papers including Nat. Energy, Nat. Commun., Sci. Adv., PNAS, Joule, Matter, Adv. Mater., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Energ. Environ. Sci., Chem. Soc. Rev. etc. as the first/corresponding author. Wei also has a portfolio of over 200 international patents (including PCT). Notably, 120+ patents have been successfully granted, many of which have been transferreds. Additionally, Wei has edited 6 English books, published by Wiley, Nature Springer and Cambridge University Press etc., focusing on nanotechnology for energy and information technology. His achievements have been recognized by the first prize of the Nokia Global Innovation and Excellence,and Brian Conway Prize from the International Society of Electrochemistry etc.

Professor Tomáš Polcar received his PhD from the Czech Technical University in Prague in 2005. Following a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, he returned to Prague, where he founded the Advanced Materials Group. He subsequently joined the University of Southampton, UK, where he became a Professor of Materials Science and Tribology and led the National Centre for Advanced Tribology at Southampton (nCATS).
His research has pioneered the understanding of high-temperature tribological behaviour of protective coatings, as well as the friction and wear mechanisms of two-dimensional materials and solid lubricants. More recently, his work has expanded into the bottom-up design of advanced materials for both fusion and fission nuclear systems, combining atomistic modelling with advanced materials characterisation to develop radiation-tolerant materials. In addition to his academic career, he has founded several technology start-ups and university spin-offs and is an active investor in research-driven deep-tech companies, helping to translate scientific discoveries into commercial technologies.

Prof. David Cardwell is Professor of Superconducting Engineering and, until September
2024, was Pro-Vice-Chancellor responsible for Strategy and Planning at the
University of Cambridge. He was also Head of the Engineering Department between 2014 and 2018. Prof. Cardwell, who established the Bulk Superconductor Research Group at Cambridge in 1992, has a world-wide reputation on the processing and applications of bulk high temperature superconductors, having authored over 400 technical papers since 1987. He is actively involved in international education, primarily in China, and has been a member of the Hong Kong University Grants Committee (UGC) since 2021. Prof. Cardwell was elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2012 in recognition of his contribution to the development of superconducting materials for engineering applications.

Prof. Robert Pullar is an Associate Professor at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy, were he has been a permanent Professor of Chemistry for 5 years.

He studied for a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry at the University of Leicester, MSc in Inorganic Chemistry at Bangor University, and a PhD in Materials Engineering from the University of Warwick, all in the UK. He also worked as a Research Associate in the Warwick Manufacturing Group, and then as a Research Fellow / Senior Research Fellow at London South Bank University and Imperial College London in the Department of Materials. He then had a Marie Curie Research Fellowship in Nanomaterials at IESL / FORTH in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, followed by 11 years at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, as a Principal Investigator.
He works in the area of Materials Science and Chemistry, focussing on ceramics, biomaterials, 3D printing of ceramics and oxides, sustainable materials and wastes valorisation, and nanomaterials made from green and aqueous synthesis methods. He has published >200 papers, as well as five book chapters as sole author, and also co-authored eight further book chapters. He has a large number of citations (>10,600), an h index of 52 (Scopus), an h10 index of 13 and a g index of 97. He has presented at over 130 conferences on five continents (>115 oral, >40 invited), and has given 40 invited lectures in the UK, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Turkey, Morocco, USA, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Dubai and India.

Prof. Joao Labrincha is Full Professor at the Materials and Ceramic Engineering Department (University of Aveiro). He is an expert in ceramics processing and implemented a research line on Wastes Recycling and Sustainable Use of Resources, teaching disciplines on related topics.He supervised several Ph.D and MsC theses, participate/d in >30 R&D projects (9 as leader/responsible) and in >20 Contracts financed/in cooperation with industries.
João Labrincha has 22 patent applications (two of those as International PTC), and published >420 papers (Science Citation Index). He has >17400 citations and h = 68 (Scopus).He is Associate Editor of Journal of Sustainable MetallurgyandACerS - International Journal of Ceramic Engineering and Science.He is author/co-author of 8 book chapters and co-editor of 7 books.Recently he co-authored a book entitled “Materiais e Sustentabilidade”.

Clemente Pinto is an Assistant Professor of Structural Mechanics at the University of Beira Interior (Covilhã, Portugal) and a researcher in the field of new construction with natural stone. He began research on this topic in 2006 with a master’s thesis entitled Conception and Structural Analysis of a New Type of High-Strength Granite Pillar, and he completed his PhD in 2015 with the thesis Contribution to the Design of New High-Strength Granite Structures. His research is mainly focused on the mechanical behaviour of natural stone in civil engineering structural applications under high compressive stresses, the design and behaviour of end zones and joints, and the conception of new structural solutions using stone. Since 2023, Clemente Pinto has coordinated the organization of the International Symposium on New Construction with Stone, a multidisciplinary event that includes discussions and “hands-on stone” activities specially designed for graduate and secondary-school students, in which participants assemble and test structural stone elements to failure.

Prof. Brahim BEN FATHALLAH is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at
ENIT, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia. He is a senior researcher within the Mechanical,
Materials, and Processes Laboratory (LR99ES05) at ENSIT, holding an HDR, a PhD, and an
Agrégation. His extensive expertise lies at the intersection of mechanical engineering and
materials science, focusing on advanced materials such as steels, titanium, cobalt, and nickel
alloys. His research examines how machining and nitriding process parameters influence
microgeometrical, microstructural, and mechanical properties, with a strong emphasis on
surface integrity, fatigue resistance, and wear behavior. To model and optimize these
thermomechanical processes, his work incorporates machine learning algorithms (ANN, SVM),
statistical tools, and finite element modeling (FEM). His current projects drive innovation in
advanced manufacturing, highlighting the role of AI in metal additive manufacturing and
aerospace production.

Lawrence Cho is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, USA, and a faculty member of the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC). He also holds an associate research appointment at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-Boulder. Previously, he was a Research Assistant Professor at the ASPPRC and a Materials Research Engineer at NIST through the NRC Research Associateship Program.As a recipient of the 2026 NSF CAREER Award, his research focuses on applying fundamental steel science to practical challenges in the development of advanced steels for industrial applications. His recent interests include the design of cost-effective materials and energy-efficient processing routes to advance sustainability in the steel industry, with particular emphasis on industrial electrification, hydrogen service applications, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and steelsfor extreme service conditions.

Alejandro Perez Rodriguez is Full Professor of Electronics at the University of Barcelona (UB). Since October 2009 he is ascribed to the Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) as Head of the Solar Energy Materials and Systems (SEMS) Department. His research activities are centred in the development and advanced characterisation of cost-efficient thin film emerging inorganic photovoltaic (PV) technologies, using processes compatible with their industrial sustainable upscaling with very low environmental impact. Special emphasis in these activities is given to the exploitation of the technological flexibility of these technologies for advanced PV integration applications, including the development of flexible solar cells and innovative efficient transparent contacts for next generation semi-transparent devices specially suited for Building Integration and Agrivoltaics. The research department lead by Prof. Pérez-Rodríguez is one of the reference groups at world level in the development of sustainable emerging chalcogenide technologies, including technologies based on earth abundant materials as kesterites (Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)2 compounds) and antimony chalcogenide based technologies, being also one of the pioneering groups in the application of these technologies to indoor lighting conditions for IoT applications.

Dr. Qadir Bux, widely known as Imran Latif Qureshi, was born on 8th October 1982 in Pakistan. His academic voyage began with a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from QUEST, Pakistan in 2005. Nevertheless, the pinnacle of his educational journey was a PhD from UTHM, Malaysia in 2012, where he delved deep into the study of penetration scabbing and perforation of hard projectiles on concrete blocks. Over the years, Dr. Imran Latif has served academia with distinction. Currently, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nizwa, Oman. His past associations include institutions such as the University of Buraimi, Oman, COMSATS Pakistan, and UTHM Malaysia. In addition to his professorial roles, Dr. Imran Latif is an integral part of various professional bodies, including IAPS, IAENG, and IFERP, among others. He's been an influential member of the staff Advisory Council at UON Oman and an active contributor to the Academic Advisory Committee of the Pakistan School in Oman. Furthermore, Dr. Imran Latif’s editorial insights are valued in journals like MDPI journal and UTHM's IJSCET. He’s also a sought-after reviewer for journals in his field. Acknowledgment of his hard work and dedication has come in various forms. Notable among his accolades are the Best NSEFYP Committee Member, the Best PhD FKAAB UTHM in 2012, and the International Student Scholarship from UTHM.

Dr Yong Yi currently works as a Professor-level Senior Engineer in China Southern Power
Grid Co Ltd. His researches focus on battery energy storage system, novel dielectricmaterial for application of electrical power system; condition monitoring for smart electrical
grid; machine learning for high-temperature polymer-based dielectrics; conductor aginginsmart electrical grid; high voltage engineering. He is a reviewer of about 20 international
Journals. He is editorial members of 4 international Journals. He was 5 conference chairs. He authored and co-authored over 80 journal publications. He is a senior member of IEEE. He has attracted more than 1 million dollars in research grants from industrial partners, National Natural Science Foundation of China, etc.

Dr. Masood Mohandes is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southampton. His research focuses on structural health monitoring, structural dynamics, vibration-based damage identification, and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to civil infrastructure. His current research develops autonomous, real-time monitoring frameworks for ageing railway bridges by integrating advanced signal processing, statistical learning, and numerical and experimental methods. His work aims to improve the safety, resilience, and service life of critical infrastructure through intelligent monitoring technologies. Before joining the University of Southampton, he held a postdoctoral position at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy. He holds a PhD in Structural Engineering from Sapienza University of Rome and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kashan.He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed journal publicationswith over 800 citations to his research and has received several competitive research awards, including a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship.

Hadi Erfani is an Environmental Scientist from Iran. He has International Patents Related to the Environment and has Written Good Articles to Solve the Problems of the Sustainable Development Goals, Which Have Helped a lot. His Achievements Have Earned Him Refereeing in the World's Top Journals and Winning Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals in the World Invention Competition, and He is Among the Top 3% of Scientists in the World. He is a Keynote Speaker at Most Scientific Conferences, World Congresses, and is Well-Known in the Environmentalist Field. He has been able to Solve Environmental Problems of Air Pollution, Waste Management and Recycling, and Water and Wastewater Treatment with Good Suggestions in his Articles. He is a Humanitarian Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program.

Dr. Israel C. Ribeiro is a dedicated Computational Chemist and Data Scientist with extensive expertise in materials discovery through first-principles simulation, high-throughput screening, and machine learning. His professional background includes significant experience in both academic research and industrial R&D, where he has successfully bridged the gap between theoretical DFT-based design and experimental synthesis. Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at UMONS (Belgium), Israel specializes in the development of neural network interatomic potentials (NNIPs) and ML-driven structural search algorithms to model complex organic-inorganic interfaces. He is recognized for his technical proficiency in automating large-scale HPC simulation workflows and his ability to translate computational outputs into actionable insights for materials synthesis teams. With a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and an MBA in Data Science & Analytics, he is committed to accelerating the development of advanced materials for energy and environmental applications through innovative, data-driven approaches.

Amiya Mandal is a Research Scholar in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), India, working in the Smart Materials Research Laboratory under the supervision of Prof. K. L. Yadav. He is pursuing his PhD in Physics with a research focus on ‘lead-free perovskite ceramics for environment-friendly energy storage’, particularly dielectric and ferroelectric materials for advanced capacitive applications. His research interests include structure–property relationships, relaxor ferroelectrics, dielectric behaviour, energy-storage performance, and advanced materials characterisation.He is a recipient of the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF) and has qualified for GATE and JEST with national ranks.
His research has resulted in publications in reputed international journals, including Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Small, Chemical Engineering Journal,Journal of Energy Storage, Batteries &Supercaps, Ceramics International, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C and Journal of Alloys and Compounds. His recent work explores the development of lead-free dielectric ceramics with enhanced recoverable energy density, efficiency, and low-field energy-storage capability. He has also presented his research at several national and international conferences, including ICMAT-2025 in Singapore.