Julio Pino | Engineering | Lifetime Achievement Award

Prof. Dr. Julio Pino | Engineering | Lifetime Achievement Award 

Professor | Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí | Ecuador

Dr. Julio Cesar Pino Tarragó is a distinguished mechanical engineer and Senior Professor I with a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain (2008), and a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Holguín “Oscar Lucero Moya” (1993). With extensive experience in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, he has delivered courses in strength of materials, theoretical mechanics, mechanical design, physics, statistics, operation and maintenance of agricultural machinery, design of experiments, ergonomics, and reliability of mechanical systems, among others. He has supervised numerous master’s and doctoral theses focused on tribology, agricultural machinery performance, biodigesters, and advanced manufacturing techniques, while also leading significant research projects internationally, including in Cuba, Spain, and Ecuador. His research interests encompass mechanical design, tribology, agricultural machinery, renewable energy, process optimization, and educational technologies using artificial intelligence. Dr. Pino Tarragó has an extensive publication record, including Scopus-indexed Q1-Q3 journals, peer-reviewed books on structural steel design, experimental methods, and engineering education, and articles in Latindex and SciELO journals, reflecting his scholarly impact with 207 citations, H-index 6, and i10-index 5. He has contributed to community-oriented projects, such as sustainable energy solutions for rural areas and constructivist teaching methodologies supported by AI, and has actively engaged in mentorship, leadership, and educational innovation. His awards and honors recognize his commitment to teaching excellence, research leadership, and societal impact in engineering and education. Overall, Dr. Pino Tarragó represents a highly accomplished professional whose expertise, research achievements, and leadership have significantly advanced mechanical engineering and educational practices, positioning him as an influential figure capable of shaping future innovations and mentoring the next generation of engineers globally.

Profiles: Google Scholar | ORCID | LinkedIn | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

  1. Pino Tarragó, J. C.,. (2025). Artificial intelligence and soft skills in civil engineering education: A Latin American curriculum gap with global implications. Research in Globalization, 100307.
    Citations: 20 | H-index: 6

  2. Pino Tarragó, J. C. (2025). Technology and innovative pedagogical strategies in foreign language teaching: Experience at UNESUM. Revista Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología, Q3.
    Citations: 15 | H-index: 6

  3. Pino Tarragó, J. C. (2025). Technology and Gamification in English Teaching for Civil Engineering: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Revista Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología, Q3.
    Citations: 12 | H-index: 6

  4. Pino Tarragó, J. C. (2024). Integrated Wastewater Treatment Technology: Efficiency of Lime and Eichhornia crassipes for Agricultural Irrigation. Revista Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología, Q3.
    Citations: 10 | H-index: 6

  5. Pino Tarragó, J. C. (2024). NEUROTIC in the process of teaching-learning in higher education. Revista Electrónica Formación y Calidad Educativa (REFCalE), 12(3).
    Citations: 8 | H-index: 6

Xingyu Zhou | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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.