Abubakar Ali | Renewable Energy | Best Research Article Award

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Dr. Abubakar Ali | Renewable Energy | Best Research Article Award

Chief Lecturer at Department of Chemical Engineering | Kaduna Polytechnic | Nigeria

Dr. Abubakar Ali is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, currently serving as Chief Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kaduna Polytechnic, Nigeria. With a career spanning decades in teaching, research and administration, he has demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing technical education and fostering innovation in sustainable engineering practices. His academic journey reflects a strong foundation in engineering sciences, further strengthened by advanced studies in environmental engineering and educational technology. He has contributed significantly to student mentorship, curriculum development, laboratory supervision, and project guidance, shaping the next generation of engineers. Beyond teaching, Dr. Abubakar Ali is committed to administrative leadership, having successfully held key positions such as Head of Department and departmental officer roles that enhanced academic and organizational efficiency. He is an active member of several professional bodies, including COREN, the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, and renewable energy associations, underscoring his commitment to professional development and collaboration. With expertise in renewable energy, environmental sustainability and chemical process design, Dr. Abubakar Ali’s career embodies a blend of academic excellence, practical application and visionary leadership that continues to leave a lasting impact on engineering education and research in Nigeria.

Publication Profile

Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar

Education

Dr. Abubakar Ali’s educational foundation is deeply rooted in engineering and technical sciences, which prepared him for a distinguished career in teaching, research and leadership. His academic journey began with strong primary and secondary schooling, followed by advanced preparatory studies that paved the way for higher education in engineering. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, laying the groundwork for his expertise in process design, chemical operations, and industrial systems. This was complemented by postgraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at the Master’s level, further strengthening his ability to address complex challenges in reaction engineering, thermodynamics and process optimization. His pursuit of knowledge extended into Environmental Engineering at the doctoral level, where his focus on sustainability, waste management and eco-friendly technologies broadened his research capacity to address global environmental issues. Recognizing the importance of pedagogy in technical education, he also obtained advanced qualifications in education to enhance his teaching effectiveness. These achievements reflect not only a commitment to academic excellence but also to lifelong learning, blending engineering knowledge with educational skills. His educational background continues to serve as the foundation for his professional achievements, research innovation and contributions to both the academic community and the wider society.

Professional Experience

Dr. Abubakar Ali has cultivated an extensive career in academia marked by progressive leadership, scholarly engagement, and significant contributions to technical education. His professional path began with early teaching roles where he laid the foundation for practical and theoretical engineering instruction. Over time, he rose steadily through the academic ranks, serving as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Principal Lecturer and ultimately achieving the position of Chief Lecturer. In these roles, he has been responsible for teaching core chemical engineering courses, supervising student research projects, guiding industrial training programs, and overseeing laboratory practices. His administrative expertise is equally notable, as he has served as Head of Department, coordinating academic planning, supervising faculty members and managing departmental operations. He has also contributed as a departmental officer responsible for student admissions, industrial work experience coordination, and timetable organization, ensuring academic efficiency and smooth departmental activities. Beyond his teaching and administrative duties, he has actively engaged in research dissemination, professional service and scholarly reviews for leading international journals. His blend of teaching, research and leadership demonstrates a holistic commitment to academic excellence and institutional development, positioning him as a vital contributor to the advancement of engineering education and professional practice in Nigeria.

Research Interest

Dr. Abubakar Ali’s research interests span across diverse yet interconnected fields within chemical and environmental engineering, with a strong focus on sustainability and renewable technologies. His doctoral training in environmental engineering has influenced his commitment to advancing research that mitigates the adverse impacts of industrialization and promotes eco-friendly solutions. He is particularly interested in renewable energy development, including solar energy applications and sustainable energy systems that address the growing global demand for clean power. Another area of focus is hazardous material management and environmental pollution control, where his work aligns with developing innovative strategies for waste minimization and safer industrial practices. In addition, he is keenly interested in process design, reaction engineering and optimization techniques that improve efficiency in chemical production while reducing environmental footprints. His research approach combines theoretical modeling with practical laboratory experimentation, bridging the gap between academic innovation and real-world application. By integrating renewable energy, environmental sustainability and chemical process engineering, his work contributes to addressing pressing global challenges such as climate change, resource depletion and industrial safety. Through mentorship and collaboration, he continues to inspire students and colleagues to explore research that benefits both the scientific community and society at large.

Research Skills

Dr. Abubakar Ali possesses a robust set of research skills that reflect his deep training in chemical and environmental engineering as well as his practical experience in applied research. He is skilled in laboratory experimentation, where he designs, supervises and evaluates experimental procedures related to process optimization, waste treatment and renewable energy systems. His expertise extends to computational modeling and simulation, enabling him to analyze chemical processes, assess system performance and develop strategies for sustainable engineering practices. He demonstrates strong competence in hazardous material analysis, risk assessment and environmental impact evaluation, which are crucial in ensuring industrial safety and compliance with environmental standards. Additionally, his experience in supervising student projects has honed his ability to design and guide research methodologies, from data collection to interpretation and reporting. His editorial contributions as a reviewer for reputable international journals highlight his critical thinking, analytical precision, and commitment to advancing scientific knowledge. Equally important are his organizational and collaborative skills, which allow him to lead multidisciplinary research teams, secure research grants, and foster partnerships that extend the reach of his work. These research capabilities underline his role as both an innovator and mentor in the advancement of engineering research and practice.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Abubakar Ali’s career is distinguished by numerous recognitions that reflect his scholarly excellence, professional service and contributions to engineering education and research. His appointment as a reviewer for the highly regarded Elsevier Journal of Hazardous Materials stands as a testament to his expertise and global recognition within the scientific community. He has earned memberships in prestigious professional organizations such as the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, highlighting both his technical proficiency and pedagogical commitment. His engagement with the Solar Renewable Energy Society of Nigeria underscores his forward-looking orientation toward renewable energy solutions. In his academic environment, he has been consistently entrusted with leadership roles, including Head of Department and officer positions that directly impacted student training, curriculum management and institutional governance. These appointments reflect the confidence his peers and institution place in his leadership and vision. Each recognition and professional milestone demonstrates not only his dedication to continuous growth but also his determination to advance engineering education, research excellence and sustainable solutions that address national and global challenges in energy and the environment.

Author Metrics

  • Total Citations: 142

  • h-index: 5

  • i10-index: 5

Publications Top Notes

1. Characterization of petroleum sludge from refinery industry biological wastewater treatment unit
Citations: 29 | Year: 2017

2. Characteristics of the effluent wastewater in sewage treatment plants of Malaysian urban areas
Citations: 28 | Year: 2018

3. Analysis of solid residue and flue gas from thermal plasma treatment of petroleum sludge
Citations: 27 | Year: 2019

4. Thermal plasma: A technology for efficient treatment of industrial and wastewater sludge
Citations: 26 | Year: 2016

5. Thermal plasma treatment of municipal solid waste incineration residue: A review
Citations: 12 | Year: 2016

Conclusion

Dr. Abubakar Ali’s professional journey exemplifies a career dedicated to advancing knowledge, fostering innovation and nurturing future leaders in chemical and environmental engineering. His educational achievements, from foundational studies to advanced qualifications, provided him with the expertise and vision to contribute meaningfully to academia and society. His professional experience as a lecturer, researcher and administrator demonstrates a balance between teaching excellence, research innovation, and leadership. With research interests that address sustainability, renewable energy and industrial safety, he aligns his work with pressing global challenges, offering solutions that benefit both industry and the environment. His recognized research skills and editorial contributions reflect his ability to uphold scientific rigor and mentor students and colleagues toward impactful research outcomes. The awards and honors he has received further affirm his standing as a respected academic and professional within Nigeria and beyond. Guided by a vision of institutional growth, academic excellence and community development, Dr. Abubakar Ali continues to shape the future of engineering education and research. His career represents a legacy of scholarship, leadership and service that will continue to inspire generations of students and professionals in the years to come.

Sandra Hervías-Parejo | Ecology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Sandra Hervías-Parejo | Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Postdoctoral Researcher at Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies(UIB-CSIC), Spain.

Dr. Sandra Hervías-Parejo is a leading island ecologist with expertise in biotic interactions, food webs, and the role of keystone species in ecosystem functioning. Her work focuses on how global change and invasive alien species alter ecological complexity and resilience, particularly in fragile island systems. Dr. Hervías-Parejo has pioneered multilayer ecological network frameworks that reveal the cascading effects of species loss. She integrates empirical fieldwork, mathematical modeling, and long-term ecological data to address biodiversity conservation challenges. With a research footprint across the Galapagos, Seychelles, Canaries, Tierra del Fuego, and Svalbard, she brings global insight into local conservation actions. Her landmark contributions include quantifying the role of missing data in multilayer network robustness, advancing the theory of “function keystoneness,” and integrating multilayer food web analysis into island biogeography. Dr. Hervías-Parejo has published 45 ISI-indexed articles, 93% in Q1 journals, and her studies have been cited over 675 times, earning her a Google Scholar H-index of 22. She is a frequent contributor to policy-related reports, international conferences, and top-tier academic journals. Her research aligns with global sustainability goals, especially those targeting biodiversity protection and climate action. With a strong leadership profile, she continues to mentor the next generation of ecologists and conservationists.

Publication Profile

Scopus

Orcid

Google Scholar

Education

Dr. Hervías-Parejo’s academic background reflects a deep and sustained commitment to ecological science and conservation. She earned her PhD in Ecology from the University of Murcia, Spain, in 2014, following years of field and theoretical research in ecological interactions and conservation biology. Her doctoral training built upon a prior Master’s degree in Invasive Species Management (2009), also at the University of Murcia, where she developed a keen interest in the ecological impacts of non-native species. Earlier, she completed a Certificate in Teaching Skills from the University of Granada (2006), supporting her pedagogical development and future teaching roles. Her academic journey began with a Degree in Biology (2004), which she undertook jointly at the University of Granada and the University of La Laguna in Tenerife—giving her first-hand exposure to island ecosystems that would become central to her career. This strong educational foundation, blending ecological theory, teaching methodologies, and applied conservation management, laid the groundwork for her later groundbreaking research on keystone species, food web networks, and ecosystem restoration. Her academic progression demonstrates a consistent focus on the interface between ecological science and real-world environmental challenges, particularly within vulnerable and complex island systems.

Professional Experience

Dr. Hervías-Parejo currently holds the position of Interim Substitute Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Granada, Spain, a role she began on May 9, 2025. Her professional journey has been dynamic and internationally engaged, marked by high-impact postdoctoral appointments. From November 2022 to May 2025, she worked on a prestigious ERC Advanced Grant, which she left upon securing her current teaching role. Prior to that, from August 2020 to July 2022, she held a Vicenç Mut Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the Government of the Balearic Islands (CAIB). Between 2018 and 2020, she contributed as a postdoctoral researcher at IMEDEA (Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies) in Spain. Her earlier international experience includes a postdoctoral position at the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos (2016–2017), where she gained critical insights into island ecology and conservation management. Throughout these roles, she contributed to and led major research efforts on biodiversity loss, network ecology, and conservation interventions. Her professional path illustrates a consistent evolution toward academic leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful scientific inquiry across world-renowned ecological institutions.

Research Interest

Dr. Hervías-Parejo’s research interests center on the ecology of island systems, with a strong emphasis on biotic interactions, ecosystem restoration, and the effects of global environmental change. She specializes in food web theory, functional traits, and multilayer ecological networks, especially in the context of invasive species and keystone species dynamics. A defining theme of her work is understanding how species loss and ecological simplification affect biodiversity and function in fragile ecosystems. Her scientific curiosity extends to quantitative ecology, ecological modeling, and the application of multilayer networks to track and predict changes in community structure. Her fieldwork spans iconic archipelagos such as the Galapagos, Seychelles, Canary Islands, Svalbard, and Tierra del Fuego. In these systems, she investigates species hierarchies, pollination effectiveness, and avian-seabird ecology, linking fundamental research to conservation outcomes. Her interests also encompass human-mediated disturbances, particularly the role of alien species and the mechanisms by which they alter ecosystem resilience. These interdisciplinary and globally-relevant research topics underpin her contributions to environmental policy, ecological forecasting, and sustainable management strategies that aim to protect biodiversity amid escalating climate and anthropogenic pressures.

Research Skills

Dr. Hervías-Parejo possesses a comprehensive suite of research skills spanning empirical fieldwork, theoretical ecology, and quantitative modeling. She is a recognized innovator in the development and application of multilayer ecological networks, having pioneered methodologies to estimate interlayer edge weights, integrate spatiotemporal variability, and assess function keystoneness. Her technical toolkit includes network analysis, biodiversity metrics, statistical modeling, and ecological informatics, as well as proficiency in GIS-based habitat mapping and bioacoustics monitoring—notably for estimating populations of burrowing seabirds. She has also contributed novel insights into plant–pollinator networks, species interaction strength, and dietary analysis of invasive predators using ecological and statistical tools. Equally strong in field ecology, Dr. Hervías-Parejo has led biodiversity surveys, species monitoring programs, and ecological restoration assessments in remote and logistically challenging island environments. In the lab and office, she exhibits skill in data synthesis, hypothesis testing, and manuscript development, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex models into conservation applications. Her work is deeply collaborative, incorporating interdisciplinary tools to bridge the gap between fundamental science and practical conservation. These integrated research capabilities allow her to deliver high-impact insights on ecological resilience, species interactions, and restoration strategies.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Hervías-Parejo has achieved a remarkable track record in securing competitive research funding, totaling over €5.8 million, with more than €2.5 million acquired as principal investigator or lead coordinator. Her success includes prestigious programs such as the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, the Vicenç Mut Postdoctoral Fellowship, and other national and international funding bodies. These accomplishments reflect both scientific excellence and leadership in large, interdisciplinary teams. In recognition of her expertise, she has been invited as a reviewer for over 22 high-ranking SCI-indexed journals, including Nature Communications, Ecology Letters, Global Change Biology, and Journal of Applied Ecology. She also serves as an associate editor for Food Webs and the Management of Invasive Species Journal, and she is listed as a scientific expert in the Spanish State Research Agency’s Expert Collaborators Bank (BECA). Dr. Hervías-Parejo’s work has been featured in major policy-oriented publications and global media outlets such as Nature Portfolio. These accolades underscore her position as a thought leader in conservation science and affirm the societal relevance of her work, particularly in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals targeting biodiversity conservation and climate action.

Author Metrics

  • Total Citations: 679

  • h-index: 13

  • i10-index: 22

Publications Top Notes

1. Estimating population size of a nocturnal burrow-nesting seabird using acoustic monitoring and habitat mapping

  • Authors: S. Oppel, S. Hervías-Parejo, N. Oliveira, T. Pipa, C. Silva, P. Geraldes, M. Goh, et al.

  • Journal: Biodiversity Data Journal (Pensoft Publishers)

  • Year: 2014

  • Citations: 111

2. Assessing the impact of introduced cats on island biodiversity by combining dietary and movement analysis

  • Authors: S. Hervías, S. Oppel, F.M. Medina, T. Pipa, A. Díez, J.A. Ramos, et al.

  • Journal: Journal of Zoology

  • Year: 2013

  • Citations: 74

3. Studying the effects of multiple invasive mammals on Cory’s shearwater nest survival

  • Authors: S. Hervías, A. Henriques, N. Oliveira, T. Pipa, H. Cowen, J. Ramos, et al.

  • Journal: Biological Invasions

  • Year: 2012

  • Citations: 55

4. Spatial foraging segregation by close neighbours in a wide-ranging seabird

  • Authors: F.R. Ceia, V.H. Paiva, R.S. Ceia, S. Hervías, S. Garthe, J.C. Marques, et al.

  • Journal: Oecologia

  • Year: 2015

  • Citations: 46

5. Species functional traits and abundance as drivers of multiplex ecological networks: first empirical quantification of inter-layer edge weights

  • Authors: S. Hervías-Parejo, C. Tur, R. Heleno, M. Nogales, S. Timóteo, A. Traveset

  • Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society 

  • Year: 2020

  • Citations: 35

6. Pollination effectiveness of opportunistic Galápagos birds compared to that of insects: From fruit set to seedling emergence

  • Authors: S. Hervías-Parejo, A. Traveset

  • Journal: American Journal of Botany

  • Year: 2018

  • Citations: 33

7. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater: does laurel forest restoration remove a critical winter food supply for the critically endangered Azores bullfinch?

  • Authors: R.S. Ceia, H.L. Sampaio, S.H. Parejo, R.H. Heleno, M.L. Arosa, J.A. Ramos, et al.

  • Journal: Biological Invasions

  • Year: 2011

  • Citations: 30

8. Tripartite networks show that keystone species can multitask

  • Authors: S. Timóteo, J. Albrecht, B. Rumeu, A.C. Norte, A. Traveset, C.M. Frost, et al.

  • Journal: Functional Ecology

  • Year: 2023

  • Citations: 24

9. Small size does not restrain frugivory and seed dispersal across the evolutionary radiation of Galápagos lava lizards

  • Authors: S. Hervías-Parejo, R. Heleno, B. Rumeu, B. Guzmán, P. Vargas, J.M. Olesen, et al.

  • Journal: Current Zoology

  • Year: 2019

  • Citations: 22

10. Dispersal of fern spores by Galápagos finches

  • Authors: S. Hervías-Parejo, J.M. Olesen, M. Nogales, A. Traveset, R. Heleno

  • Journal: Journal of Ornithology

  • Year: 2019

  • Citations: 16

Conclusion

Dr. Sandra Hervías-Parejo exemplifies a new generation of ecologists who combine theoretical innovation, field-based insight, and policy relevance. Her work advances the scientific frontier in island ecology, multilayer networks, and ecosystem resilience, while directly informing strategies for restoration and biodiversity protection. With extensive experience across renowned ecological hotspots and strong ties to global research networks, she operates at the intersection of ecological science and real-world conservation impact. Her publications, citations, editorial work, and international collaborations demonstrate a sustained commitment to excellence and leadership in environmental science. Notably, she maintains a consistent focus on training young scientists, fostering careers in academia, NGOs, and the environmental sector. Through her methodological breakthroughs, field innovations, and ability to frame local findings within global contexts, she has significantly contributed to our understanding of species interactions and ecological stability in the Anthropocene. Her integrated, interdisciplinary approach not only enhances ecological knowledge but also strengthens the practical capacity of society to address biodiversity loss and climate challenges. Dr. Hervías-Parejo’s profile reflects a balance of scientific rigor, creative inquiry, and collaborative spirit—qualities that position her among the foremost voices in contemporary ecology.