Il-Cho Park | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Il-Cho Park | Engineering | Best Researcher Award 

Professor | Mokpo National Maritime University | South Korea

Prof. Il-Cho Park is a highly capable and impactful engineering professional whose academic depth and extensive industry background position him as a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. With over five years of professional experience in the shipping industry and a focused academic trajectory in surface treatment engineering for marine materials, he has cultivated a rare blend of practical expertise and research-driven innovation. His career demonstrates steady progression from first-class engineer at Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd. to senior academic leadership as Professor at Mokpo National Maritime University, where he has served since 2020 while simultaneously holding the role of Chief Engineer. This dual track reflects his commitment to bridging industrial practice with scientific advancement, particularly in areas such as ship engineering, corrosion protection, surface treatment technologies, and marine pollution management. His academic credentials, including a master’s degree and a doctorate from Mokpo National Maritime University between 2013 and 2018, provide a strong foundation for advanced research in marine materials and engineering processes. Prof. Park’s expertise contributes significantly to improving maritime safety, enhancing material durability, and advancing eco-friendly engineering solutions within the marine sector. His career reflects sustained dedication to developing engineering methods that address real-world operational challenges, aligning with global priorities for sustainable and resilient maritime systems. Through active involvement in academia and maritime operations, he consistently demonstrates the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical technological improvements and industry standards. His contributions support the training of future marine engineers, promote innovation in surface treatment science, and address pressing environmental concerns linked to marine pollution. Overall, his professional record, specialized skill set, and commitment to continuous improvement highlight his suitability for the Best Researcher Award, underscoring his role as an influential figure advancing engineering excellence in the maritime field.

Profiles: ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

Park, I. C., & Kim, S. J. (2022). Cavitation erosion characteristics of hard chromium plated diesel engine cylinder liner. Transactions of the IMF.

Park, I. C., & Han, M. S. (2021). Solid particle erosion behavior of Inconel 625 thermal spray coating layers. Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment and Safety.

Park, I. C., & Han, M. S. (2021). Analysis of electrochemical corrosion resistance of Inconel 625 thermal spray coated fin tube of economizer. Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment and Safety.

Yang, Y. J., Lee, J. H., Park, I. C., & Kim, S. J. (2020). Investigation on electrochemical cathodic protection for cavitation-erosion reduction of anodized aluminum alloy. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Park, I. C., & Kim, S. J. (2020). Determination of corrosion protection current density requirement of zinc sacrificial anode for corrosion protection of AA5083-H321 in seawater. Applied Surface Science.

Prof. Il-Cho Park’s research advances the durability, safety, and sustainability of marine engineering systems through innovative surface treatment and corrosion-protection technologies. His work supports safer maritime operations, strengthens engineering materials for long-term industrial use, and contributes globally to cleaner, more resilient marine environments.

Sajjad Khanjani | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Sajjad Khanjani | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Research Scientist | Kermanshah University of Technology | Iran

Dr. Sajjad Khanjani is an accomplished Advanced Energy Systems Engineer with over three years of experience in energy conversion, renewable energy integration, and system optimization. His expertise spans advanced modeling, simulation, and sustainable energy technologies, including solar, wind, smart energy, storage, and biomass systems. As a researcher and project leader at institutions such as the Daneshmand Research and Development Institute, Iran’s National Elites Foundation, and Kermanshah University of Technology, he has contributed extensively to experimental and analytical studies in desalination, energy harvesting, and thermodynamic optimization. Dr. Khanjani’s publication record is remarkable, featuring multiple high-impact papers in prestigious journals such as Applied Thermal Engineering, Energy, Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy, and Cleaner Engineering and Technology. His recent works focus on advanced solar distillation, hybrid nanofluid applications, and biohydrogen production, reflecting his commitment to advancing sustainable energy-water nexus solutions. His technical proficiency covers a wide array of tools, including MATLAB, Python, ANSYS Fluent, Transys, Autodesk Inventor, and Aspen Hysys, supporting his deep analytical and design capabilities. Beyond research, he has demonstrated leadership by managing interdisciplinary projects on clean energy and guiding undergraduate research initiatives. Recognized for his achievements, he has received multiple awards from Iran’s National Elites Foundation, ranking among the top M.Sc. students in Mechanical Engineering. His current projects on optimizing hybrid desalination systems and machine learning-based energy optimization highlight his innovative approach toward achieving environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. With his strong academic background, impactful research contributions, and leadership in advanced energy technologies, Dr. Sajjad Khanjani exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding candidate for the Best Researcher Award.

Profiles: Google Scholar | LinkedIn | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

Khanjani, S., & Co-authors. (2025). Experimental optimization of modified solar distillation system using black horse algorithm and 6E/HT analysis for sustainable freshwater production. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, Elsevier.

Khanjani, S., & Co-authors. (2025). Photo-fermentation: Harnessing solar energy for biohydrogen production. In Book Chapter, Elsevier.

Khanjani, S., & Co-authors. (2025). Performance enhancement of a conventional solar still using a cylindrical solar water heater and Cu/Al2O3 hybrid nanofluid: A sustainable approach to water purification. Water Environment Research.

Khanjani, S., & Co-authors. (2025). Comprehensive analysis of a geothermal-based poly-generation plant to achieve optimal exergy, economic, and environmental performance. Energy.

Khanjani, S., & Co-authors. (2024). Experimental and analytical examinations of a single-glazed solar still desalination with a spray-feeding water system with an artificial neural network. Applied Thermal Engineering.

Xingyu Zhou | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. Xingyu Zhou | Engineering | Best Researcher Award 

Assistant Professor | Beijing Institute of Technology | China

Dr. Zhou Xingyu, Assistant Professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, is an accomplished researcher specializing in renewable energy and electric vehicles. He earned his Ph.D. in Vehicle Engineering from Chongqing University in 2020, following a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Automation from the same institution. Dr. Zhou has extensive professional experience, including his current role as Assistant Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering and Vehicle Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology since March 2023, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the same institute from 2020 to 2023, where he contributed to the National Engineering Research Center for Electric Vehicles. His research interests focus on vehicle powertrain optimization, intelligent energy management, stochastic and data-driven modeling, and electric vehicle motion planning for enhanced energy efficiency. He has demonstrated expertise in multi-objective optimization, machine learning applications for powertrain design, and integration of fuel cell and hybrid electric vehicle systems. Dr. Zhou has led and participated in multiple high-impact research projects, including a National Natural Science Foundation of China Youth Project and key provincial and national projects on electric vehicle energy optimization and system integration. He has published 27 Scopus-indexed documents with 448 citations and an h-index of 11, in reputed journals such as Applied Energy, Journal of Power Sources, Journal of Cleaner Production, and IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, serving frequently as corresponding author. His awards and honors include the Best Student Paper Award at the 2018 Italian Conference on Machines and Mechanisms. In addition, he contributes to the academic community as a reviewer for top journals and Guest Editor of Sustainability. Dr. Zhou Xingyu’s strong technical expertise, leadership in research projects, international collaborations, and commitment to sustainable innovation make him a highly deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award, reflecting both outstanding academic achievements and meaningful contributions to advancing green mobility and energy-efficient transportation solutions globally.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

Sun, C., Zhang, C., Sun, F., & Zhou, X. (2022). Stochastic co-optimization of speed planning and powertrain control with dynamic probabilistic constraints for safe and ecological driving. Applied Energy, 35, 119874.

Zhou, X., Sun, C., Sun, F., & Zhang, C. (2022). Commuting-pattern-oriented optimal sizing of electric vehicle powertrain based on stochastic optimization. Journal of Power Sources, 545, 23178.

Zhou, X., Sun, F., Zhang, C., & Sun, C. (2022). Stochastically predictive co-optimization of speed planning and powertrain controls for electric vehicles driving in random traffic environment safely and efficiently. Journal of Power Sources, 528, 231200.

Zhou, X., Sun, F., Sun, C., & Zhang, C. (2022). Predictive co-optimization of speed planning and powertrain energy management for electric vehicles driving in traffic scenarios: Combining strengths of simultaneous and hierarchical methods. Journal of Power Sources, 523, 230910.

Zhou, X., Sun, F., & Sun, C. (2021). Machine learning aided methods for reducing the dimensionality of the comprehensive energy economy optimization of fuel cell powertrains. Journal of Cleaner Production, 327, 129250.

Saurabh Kumar | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Saurabh Kumar | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor | IIMT University | India

Dr. Saurabh Kumar is an accomplished researcher in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a focus on water quality, corrosion monitoring, wastewater treatment, and sustainable engineering practices. He is currently serving as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Thammasat University, Thailand (July 2024 – June 2025). Prior to this, he worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at IIMT University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India (June 2023 – June 2024). His academic journey began with a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from Darbhanga College of Engineering, Bihar, under Aryabhatta Knowledge University (2013 – 2017), followed by an M.Tech in Environmental Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Patna (2018 – 2020). He pursued a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at NIT Patna, Ministry of Education, Government of India (2020 – 2023), where his research focused on “Monitoring and Modelling of Corrosion Rate in Drinking Water Distribution Network.” Dr. Kumar has a strong research profile, with publications in SCI, Scopus, and IEEE-indexed journals such as Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, and Nature’s Scientific Reports. He has authored a book, contributed to book chapters with reputed publishers, and presented papers at multiple international conferences, including IEEE and Springer platforms. His work reflects the integration of conventional engineering with advanced tools such as machine learning for solving environmental challenges.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID

 Publications

  1. Kumar Saurabh, Singh R., Maurya N.S., Water quality analysis and corrosion potential of the distribution network of Patna, Bihar, India. J. Environ. Eng. Sci., 2022, 17(4), 164–174. (ESCI)

  2. Kumar Saurabh, Singh R., Maurya N.S., Assessment of corrosion potential based on water quality index in the distribution network of urban Patna, Bihar, India. J. Nat. Environ. Pollut. Technol., 2022, 21(5), 2117–2127. (Scopus)

  3. Kumar Saurabh, Singh R., Maurya N.S., Raj V., Monitoring of the corrosion in the pipeline of the distribution network using weight loss method & image processing technique. J. Mater. Eng. Perform., 2022. (SCI)

  4. Kumar Saurabh, Singh R., Maurya N.S., Modelling of corrosion rate in the drinking water distribution network using Design Expert 13 software. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 2023. (SCI)

  5. Rajeev R., Kumar Saurabh, Singh R., Monitoring of traffic noise pollution in urban Patna, Bihar, India. Noise Vib. Worldwide, 2023. (Scopus)

  6. Kumar P., Kumar Saurabh, Kumar M., Chaubey A., Nayak J., Groundwater flow and solute transport modelling: A mathematical analysis. Indian J. Environ. Prot., 2024, 44(3), 257–264. (Scopus)

  7. Shivam H., Sharma D., Bansal T., Pande R., Kumar Saurabh, Weesakul U., In-vessel bioconversion of garden waste into compost with an emphasis on process efficiency and compost quality. Eng. Appl. Sci. Res., 2025, 52(1), 105–111. (Scopus)