Majed A. A. Aldahdooh is an associate professor at the International College of Engineering and Management, Oman, affiliated with the University of Central Lancashire (UK). He earned his Bachelor of Engineering in civil engineering in 2009 from the Islamic University of Gaza, his MSc degree in structural engineering in 2011 at Universiti Sains Malaysia, and his PhD in structural engineering in 2014. He has been involved in academic teaching, research, and consultancy since 2011, with professional experience across Oman, Bahrain, Malaysia, and the State of Palestine. His research interests include sustainable construction materials, concrete performance, and structural engineering applications. He has published in peer-reviewed international journals and supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research. He is active in academic service and professional activities, including conference organization, editorial work, and research collaboration. In recognition of his academic and research contributions, he has received multiple institutional and international awards.

Azliyana Azhari is a lecturer in climate society and policy at the School of Arts and Social Science and the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, at Monash University Malaysia, in Malaysia. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Malaya, a Master of Science from Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia, and a PhD degree in environment and development from the National University in Malaysia, all in Malaysia. Her research interests cover climate change communication, environmental sustainability, climate-related atmospheric hazards and emission. Azliyana was a recipient of the 2023 Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research Capacity Building grant in 2023.

Annabel Banda is a doctor and director of the Centre for Wildlife Conservation and Research at Gwanda State University in Zimbabwe, where she supervises research projects. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degrees in biological sciences and tropical entomology received from the University of Zimbabwe. She earned a PhD in ecology and environmental science at Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe. Her research interests are in zoonotic diseases, the sociocultural determinants of health and illness, community engagement, endo and ecto-parasites of animals and dipteran pollinators. In recognition of her contributions to science and development, Banda received a Women in Science, Technology, and Innovation Recognition certificate in 2024. In 2023, she was awarded a Zimbabwe Emerging Faculty Development Program grant.

Devi is a senior-level scientist at CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, India. She completed her studies at the AcSIR, New Delhi, the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, and Kurukshetra University, India. Her research focuses on applied materials and instrumentation with a focus on catalytic hydrogen production, water and air pollutant degradation, and water quality monitoring. She has published more than 100 research papers, which together have received over 5,000 citations in the academic literature, edited seven books, filed five patents or copyrights, granted four design registrations or patents or trademarks, and developed four new technologies. Her recognitions include the NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award (2021) from the National Academy of Sciences, India; INAE Young Engineer Award (2020) from the Indian National Academy of Engineering; and Haryana Yuva Vigyan Ratan Award (2019) from the Government of Haryana, India. She is a member of the Global Young Academy (GYA), NASI, INAE, IASc, and INSA-INYAS. In 2022, she was listed among the eminent 125 women in science by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India.

Luisa Maria Diele-Viegas is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi, United States of America, and the chair of the Brazilian Association of Ecological Science and Conservation, in Brazil. She is also a permanent professor with the graduate program in ecology at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, where she teaches ecology and transdisciplinary courses, including ecological niche modelling and environmental problem solving. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in zoology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the Federal University of Pará, respectively, both in Brazil. She earned a PhD in ecology and evolution from the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her research interests include the impacts of human activities on natural and human systems, science governance and diplomacy, and ethnobiology. She is a member of the Global Young Academy, where she co-leads the addressing systemic discrimination committee. She is also the chair of the Brazilian chapter of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World.

Maamon Omar Ahmed Farea is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Innovative Design and Technology, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in physics from Ibb University, Yemen, in 2010, a Master of Science in physics (2019), and a Doctor of Philosophy in materials science (2024), both from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, India. He has held academic and research appointments in Yemen, India, and Malaysia, including a lecturer position at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, and a postdoctoral research fellowships at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia. His research focuses on gas sensors and conducting polymer nanocomposites for air quality monitoring and sustainable energy applications. He was awarded postgraduate and doctoral scholarships by the Higher Education Commission of Yemen, as well as a postdoctoral research fellowship from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia.

Omayra Beatriz Ferreiro Balbuena is a researcher in the Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, and in the bio and materials group, Polytechnic Faculty of the National University of Asunción (UNA), Paraguay. She earned a graduate degree in chemical engineering at the Faculty of Chemical Sciences of UNA, where she also teaches science and resistance of materials, and characterization of materials. From the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she earned her MsC degree in metallurgical and materials engineering, and her DSc degree in chemical engineering. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Faculty of Physical Sciences of the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. Her research interests cover membrane science and technology for food applications and wastewater treatment; the fabrication of polymeric materials for food packaging; and biomedical applications such as drug release systems. She has studied the use of waste to extract compounds of interest to industry, including the extraction of dyes such as anthocyanins, and other bioactive compounds for the food industry, as well as the extraction of collagen from fish skin.

Gülden Gökşen is an associate professor and head of the Department of Food Processing at the University of Tarsus, Türkiye, where she teaches courses in food science and technology, with a focus on nonthermal processing, nanoencapsulation, and sustainable, biodegradable, and active food packaging systems. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in food engineering from the University of Gaziantep, a Master’s degree in food engineering from Atatürk University, and a PhD in food engineering from Mersin University. She carried out postdoctoral research at Teagasc Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland, focusing on encapsulation technologies and new product development. Her research interests include bio-based materials, electrospinning and nanotechnology, alternative protein sources, in vitro digestion, food safety, and circular bioeconomy approaches. She has published many papers in high-impact journals indexed in the Science Citation Index and Science Citation Index Expanded, and serves as an editorial board member for several journals. In recognition of her scientific impact, she was listed by Stanford University among the world’s top 2% of scientists in 2025.

Yuhong Huang is a professor with the Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in China. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemical engineering from Huazhong Agricultural University and a PhD in environmental sciences from the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She also earned a PhD from Aalborg University, Denmark, and then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Technical University of Denmark. In 2019, she returned to China to continue her career. Her research interests are in the development of novel processes using ionic liquids to enhance the efficiency of enzymatic catalysis. The advanced ionozyme she developed was applied to the efficient production of a compound called cadaverine and the bioconversion of CO2. Currently, a pilot-scale facility for cadaverine production has been established. In recognition of her contributions to science and development, Yuhong Huang received the Hou Debang Chemical Youth Award, and the Min Enze Energy and Chemical Industry Award – Youth Progress Award.

Eric Faustino Jiménez-Andrade has been a professor at the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, in Mexico City, since 2022. He completed his undergraduate studies in physics at the Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla and earned his master’s degree in astrophysics at the National Institute for Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics in Tonantzintla, Mexico. He earned his PhD from the University of Bonn, Germany. Later, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico (US). His research interests cover galaxy formation and evolution. He primarily uses observations from the Very Large Array Observatory to investigate how star formation and black hole activity shape galaxies across cosmic time. He has been a vibrant promoter of the next-generation Very Large Array, a future radio interferometer of 263 antennas in the US and Mexico. The Mexican government acknowledged his academic career with the National Award of Scientific Journalism and Communication (2014), while the government of the State of Puebla, Mexico, awarded him the Youth Achievement Award Vicente Suárez (2018).

Pabasara Kalansuriya is a senior lecturer and former head of the Department of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka. She teaches biochemistry to medical undergraduates and leads interdisciplinary research in drug discovery and nanomedicine, with a particular emphasis on targeted drug delivery systems. She holds a Bachelor of Chemistry (First Class Honours) from the University of Colombo and earned her PhD from the University of Queensland, Australia. In recognition of her substantial contribution to research, she was awarded the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Theses in 2016 by the University of Queensland. Her current research focuses on the encapsulation of bioactive secondary metabolites into diverse nanocarriers to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, particularly for the management of iron overload disorders and type 2 diabetes. Her publication record of over 60 abstracts plus peer-reviewed research articles proves extensive collaborative and interdisciplinary research expertise. She actively engages with leading Sri Lankan industries to translate laboratory-based innovations into real-world applications.

Ali Talha Khalil is an associate professor and associate dean of research at the Lady Reading Hospital Medical Teaching Institution, and an internationally recognized researcher with a distinguished record of innovation and scientific leadership. He earned his PhD in biotechnology from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad (2018). His primary research interests encompass precision oncogenomics, biomaterials, and the ethics of science and technology. Khalil’s scholarly work has garnered significant international recognition, with over 9,300 citations and an h-index of 52. He is the recipient of a highly competitive multiyear project funded by NATO under the Science for Peace programme. In 2024, his contributions were honoured with the Pakistan Academy of Sciences’ Gold Medal for the most outstanding researcher under the age of 50. Khalil’s leadership extends to numerous professional organizations: he is a member of the American Society of Microbiology and a Fellow of the UNESCO Chair in nanoscience and nanotechnology. He has also completed the highly competitive AAAS-TWAS Science Diplomacy course.

Khadejah F. Mahmoud is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Nursing, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan. Her research focuses on promoting the use of person-centred language in substance-use disorders, increasing awareness of substance-use issues, developing stigma-reduction interventions, and facilitating the translation of evidence-based knowledge and skill sets into clinical practice, especially for persons with substance use disorders and women. She currently serves as an associate editor of the Substance Use and Addiction Journal and as a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Addictions Nursing. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2024 Sigma Theta Tau International Society Emerging Nurse Researcher/Scholar Award for the Middle East Region and the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Abuse’s Marianne Marcus Award. Her work has been funded through the Board of Directors Student Scholar Program, the Center for Regulatory Excellence Grant Program for Doctoral Students from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and the Thomas Nimick, Jr. Competitive Research Fund, among others.

Natalia Montellano Duran is the director of the Biotechnology Department at the Bolivian Catholic University San Pablo in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where she teaches solutions chemistry, and industrial biotechnology. She holds a degree in biotechnology and earned her PhD in biological sciences from the National University of Rosario, Argentina, with a focus on the structural and functional properties of quinoa proteins. Her research interests include bioactive compounds from plant-based sources, protein structure-function relationships, enzyme applications, STEM education, and science communication. She is actively involved in the promotion of women in STEM and has led national initiatives to strengthen scientific networks and outreach in Bolivia. In recognition of her contributions, Montellano Duran received the Plurinational Prize for Science and Technology, in 2023, and was selected as a member of the Global Young Academy, in 2025. She is also a founding member and leader of the Bolivian chapter of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, making significant strides in education and research capacity-building across Latin America.

Fabrice-Gilles Ndombi Avouba is an affiliated researcher with the Laboratory of Economic and Social Research and Studies, and a CAMES assistant professor at Marien Ngouabi University, where he teaches introductory econometrics, introductory research, and the economics of networks and solidarity. He holds a bachelor's degree in quantitative economics and a master's degree in applied economics from the Interuniversity Postgraduate Program in economics, as well as a doctorate in economics from Marien Ngouabi University. His research focuses on financial inclusion, governance, brain drain, SME efficiency, and family solidarity. In 2022, at the end of the international phase of the 3rd edition of the CAMES University Olympiad, he received the second prize in the economics section in Ivory Coast. In recognition of his academic excellence and contribution to science, the African Economic Research Consortium invited him to the technical training workshop on Panel and Time Series Econometrics in Kenya.

Samnang Nguon serves as the dean of the graduate school and director of the Ecosystem Services and Land Use Research Center at the Royal University of Agriculture, in Cambodia. He earned his PhD in agriculture in tropics and subtropics in 2014 from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic, and holds an Master of Science in food science from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Since 2006, his career has steadily advanced from a research assistant to a senior academic leader; he now chairs several doctoral boards and has mentored over 30 students. His research focuses on food safety, agroecology, and the ethnopharmacology of neglected crops. He has led and co-led 25 projects funded by donors like the European Union and the World Bank. In 2026, he received the Monisaraphon Medal and the 2020 Labor Gold Medal from the Royal Government of Cambodia. As a 2025–2030 TWAS Regional Young Affiliate and a 2019 Borlaug Fellow, he is dedicated to connecting young scientists across East and Southeast Asia to drive sustainable food security and improve community well-being. He has authored 20 peer-reviewed papers and presented at 40 international conferences.

Funmilola Oluwafemi is a chief scientific officer at the Nigerian Space Agency, National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria. Her research areas are space life sciences, gravitational biology, space biochemistry, and extreme isolated and confined environments research. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry (Bowen University), a Master of Science degree in membrane biochemistry and biotechnology (University of Ibadan), and a PhD in space biochemistry (Federal University Oye-Ekiti), all in Nigeria. She’s currently principal investigator and a leading expert of microgravity research, with the Space Life Sciences Division, NASRDA. She won simulated microgravity equipment called Clinostat from the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in 2015. During her PhD she won four scholarships: Zonta Amelia Earhart Women in Aerospace 2022; African-German Network of Excellence in Science-Program Advocating Women in Science 2021; UNESCO International Centre for Biotechnology Nigeria 2021; and Climate, Food and Farming Global Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Development Scholar 2021. She’s a United Nation’s Space and Global Health Network member.

Mané Seck is a lecturer in physics at Gaston Berger University in Senegal, where she did all her higher education studies. She obtained a master’s degree in renewable energies and a PhD degree in applied physics, specializing in materials and electronic devices. Seck carried out research visits at the Madrid Institute of Materials Sciences, in 2023 and 2025, the Chemical Engineering Department of the Polytechnique Montréal, in 2021, the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the University of Manchester, in 2019, and the Laboratory of Physics of Materials and Nanomaterials applied to the environment, in Tunisia, in 2018. Her research interest is in green electronics. She won the first jury’s prize of the 2022 edition of the international competition “My thesis in 180 seconds”, in Montreal. In 2019, she was internationally selected as a young scientist to participate in the 69th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting on physics in Germany.

Serge Theophile Soubeiga is an associate research professor in the Department of Biomedical and Public Health at the Institute for Health Sciences Research (IRSS) in Burkina Faso. Prior to joining IRSS in 2018, he worked as a biologist in the Molecular Biology Laboratory at Saint Camille Hospital from 2013 to 2018. He holds a Master of Science degree in molecular biology and genetics from the University Joseph Ki-Zerbo in Burkina Faso. He was an ADDRF fellow (cohort 2016) and earned a PhD in molecular biology/virology from the same university. He teaches courses in genomics, genetics, proteomics, and epigenetics at universities in Burkina Faso and supervises students in these fields. His research interests include infectious diseases (mainly HIV, hepatitis viruses, dengue virus, and SARS-CoV-2), antimicrobial resistance, cancer, metabolic disorders, and, more recently, nutriepigenetics and the gut microbiota. Soubeiga is a member of the International AIDS Society, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine, and the African Society of Genetics (Burkina Faso section).

Eman O. Taha is an associate professor at the Petroleum Applications Department of the Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute in Cairo, Egypt. She is a member of the Polymer Nanocomposite Center of Excellence and the Nanotechnology Unit at the same institute. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Al-Azhar University, followed by a Master of Science and a PhD in solid state physics from Cairo University. Her academic background is enriched by international research fellowships at the University of New Mexico, USA, and at the National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon, France. Her research focuses on advanced polymer nanocomposites, fiber-reinforced polymers, and shape-memory materials for sustainable applications in energy, construction, and radiation shielding. Her achievements include the 2024 Dr. Mohamed Amin Lotfy prize in physical sciences from the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology. She is an associate member and trusted reviewer of the Institute of Physics, United Kingdom. She is also a full member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, and a member of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World.

Khalil Tamersit is an associate professor at the National School of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of Algiers, Algeria, where he teaches electronics, nanoelectronics, nanosensors, device modelling, and advanced computational methods for nano-scale systems. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in medical instrumentation (2008), Master of Science degree in biomedical electronics (2010), and PhD in medical electronics (2018) from Batna University, Algeria. His recent work includes nano-actuators, nano-optoelectronic devices, and quantum transport modelling in advanced nanoscale transistors. He has published more than 70 scientific papers in international journals and conferences, most of them as first and corresponding author. He has served as secretary general of the IEEE Algeria Section, and as chair of the IEEE Sensors and Nanotechnology Council Algeria Chapters. He currently serves as an editor at Scientific Reports Journal. For his scientific contributions, he received the Royal Society Rising Star Africa Prize (UK) in 2022, the TWAS Young Arab Scientist Prize in 2021, and the 2021 Best Paper Award at the 44th IEEE International Semiconductor Conference.

Raj Kumar Thapa is an assistant professor in the pharmacy programme and director of the Research Center, Invention and Innovation Center at Gandaki University, in Pokhara, Nepal. He earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences at Pokhara University, and completed his MSc and PhD in pharmacy, specializing in formulation and drug delivery at Yeungnam University, in the Republic of Korea. He has held postdoctoral and research scientist positions at the University of Delaware (US), and the University of Oslo, in Norway. Thapa has authored more than 60 scientific publications. His research focuses on advanced therapeutic strategies for cancer and chronic wound treatment, particularly targeted nanoparticles, gene delivery systems, and antimicrobial formulations. His work bridges pharmaceutical science with translational healthcare innovation. He has been listed among the world’s top 2% of scientists in the Stanford University–Elsevier global ranking (2020–2025). In recognition of his outstanding scientific contributions, he received the prestigious Science and Technology Youth Award from the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, in 2024.

Vilma Umanzor is a Honduran periodontist and academic recognized for her contributions to clinical periodontology, implantology and dental education in Latin America. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Catholic University of Honduras, completed postgraduate training in periodontics and implantology at the Autonomous National University of Honduras, and obtained a Master’s degree in dentistry from the Latinoamericana University. She lectures in periodontology and research methodology at the Autonomous National University of Honduras and coordinates the periodontics specialty at the Catholic University of Honduras, mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is a member of the International Association for Dental Research, the International Team for Implantology and the Honduran College of Dental Surgeons. She co-authored Latin American consensus and Delphi studies on periodontology and implant dentistry and published peer-reviewed clinical research between 2021 and 2025. Her work advances evidence-based periodontal therapy, academic training and regional scientific collaboration.

Carla Eloisa Fernández Espinoza is a Bolivian biologist specializing in freshwater ecology, with a focus on plankton dynamics and high-altitude Andean lakes. Since 2018, she has been a researcher at the Unit of Limnology and Aquatic Resources at the Higher University of San Simón (Universidad Mayor de San Simón, UMSS), Bolivia. She earned her PhD in aquatic resources engineering from Lund University, Sweden, in 2018, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Her doctoral research explored the adaptive strategies of daphnids to ultraviolet radiation. Additionally, she holds a Master in environmental sciences, a Diploma in ecology and environment, and a Bachelor in biology, all from UMSS. Her research explores the relationship between plankton dynamics and water quality in extreme environments. For her scientific contributions, she has been awarded with the 2022 Marie Curie Award from the National Academy of Sciences of Bolivia, the 2022 TOYP Cochabamba-Bolivia Award for Leadership and Academic Achievements, and has been selected to represent Bolivia at the 2022 UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists.

Delfina Hlashwayo is a faculty member and researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), in Mozambique. She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and health and a Master of Science in food safety, both from UEM. Hlashwayo earned a PhD in biosciences and public health from UEM, receiving the distinction 'excellent' for her thesis. Her research focuses on public health and One Health approaches. Passionate about science diplomacy, she collaborates with international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Hlashwayo is an experienced consultant for the European Commission and has been an academic editor for the Public Library of Science (PLOS) since 2022. In recognition of her contributions to science and development, Hlashwayo was a joint winner of the 2024 Policy and Deliberation Challenge at the UN World Food Forum, and was named a Fellow of the 2024 UN Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship. In 2022, she received the Rising Star Award for emerging HIV investigators from the San Diego Center for AIDS Research.

Samamalee Upekshi Kankanamge is a senior lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka. With the same university, she held the head of the department position (2018–2021) in pharmacy. She holds a bachelor's degree in pharmacy (first-class honours) and a master's degree in industrial analytical chemistry, earned at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ), Sri Lanka, where she is currently pursuing her PhD in pharmaceutical science. Her research explores the potential therapeutic benefits of natural compounds and traditional remedies, looking for new compounds, formulations, or delivery systems for medications. She has a record of 42 research publications including 10 original articles, 7 review articles, and 25 conference papers. She won twice the title of best oral presentation awards for her PhD research findings, at the International Research Conference in Health Sciences (USJ) and Lincoln International Multidisciplinary Conference, Lincoln University College, Malaysia, in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

Koloko Brice Landry is a senior lecturer in molecular biology at the University Institute of Technology, University of Douala, Cameroon, where he earned his BSc and MSc degrees in animal biology. He received his PhD in molecular biology at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, Pakistan, under the CEMB-TWAS Postgraduate Fellowship (2016–2020). In 2017, he received the Elsevier Foundation–TWAS Sustainability Case Studies Competition Prize. For his achievements as a young promising scientist, TWAS nominated him to attend the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (in physiology and medicine) in 2023, in Germany. In 2024, he was awarded a fellowship offered by the Committee for International Cooperation and Development from the University of Pavia, Italy. He recently received the 2024 TWAS-DFG Cooperative Visits Programme award from TWAS and DFG (German Research Foundation) to pursue a research collaboration in Germany. His research interests cover the molecular and therapeutic aspects of chronic liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, using plant-based natural compounds.

Mónica Mazariegos is a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) Research Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. She obtained a Doctor of Science degree in population nutrition from the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico. She was recently recognized as a Global Health Fellow by the Vanderbilt-Emory-Cornell-Duke Global Health Fellowship Consortium, and as a 2023 Young Scientist Researcher by the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences. With over 12 years of experience in nutritional epidemiology, she specializes in the identification and analysis of health challenges from a life-course perspective, applying complex longitudinal data analysis and multilevel approaches in population health. Her research focuses on the epidemiology of all forms of malnutrition, the design and evaluation of nutrition and health policies, maternal and child health, pregnancy and reproductive health across the life-course, and the social and urban determinants of obesity and diabetes. Mazariegos has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications and continues to contribute to evidence-based solutions for improving the population's health.

Zainun Mustafa is an early-career faculty member at the Fakulti Sains dan Matematik, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia. She holds a Bachelor of Science (with honours) in biology with education and earned her PhD in science education from Universiti Sains Malaysia. With almost a decade of experience teaching in government schools, Zainun also has held research-related interim roles at the Centre for Science and Environmental Studies, and at the Institute of Islamic Understanding, as a research officer at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Regional Centre of Expertise for Education for Sustainable Development, and at the National Child Development and Research Centre. Zainun served as a specialist in intergovernmental institutions, where she trained educators across Southeast Asia and the Global South. Besides serving as the education unit fellow at the Centre of Biodiversity and Conservation, Zainun is an early-career scholar for the programme 'Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in ASEAN/Southeast Asia'. Her contributions to training and research in science education have been supported by grants from Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Chenglai Wu is a professor with the International Centre for Climate and Environment Sciences at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He also serves as a graduate student supervisor at the University of CAS. He earned a Bachelor of Science in atmospheric science from Nanjing University, China, and a PhD in meteorology from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (CAS) and the University of CAS. His research focuses on the development and application of earth system models by improving the dust emission, aerosol processes and aerosol-climate interactions, as well as adopting models for climate prediction and future projection to mitigate the impact of climate change and meteorological disasters. He is one of the key developers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences earth system model. In 2022, he was awarded as a young talent in computational geosciences by the Tsinghua University–Inspur Group. He has published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Ahlam Zaid Alkilani, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Zarqa University, Jordan. She earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Jordan and her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Technology from Queen’s University Belfast, UK. An expert in polymeric and nanoparticle-based transdermal drug delivery systems, she has authored numerous high-impact publications, achieving an H-index of 20 and ~3,000 citations. Her pioneering work has earned prestigious honors, including the L’Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science Award (Levant Region) in 2024 and selection to the TWAS Young Affiliates Program (2023–2028). She has also received Best Poster Awards at leading international conferences. Through her leadership, research, and mentorship, Dr. Alkilani is advancing pharmaceutical innovation and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Mary Amoako (nee Adjepong) is a lecturer and dietician with the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi, Ghana. At KNUST, she teaches metabolism in health and diseases, nutrition through the human life cycle, and nutrition in emergencies. She holds a Bachelor of Sciences in biochemistry and biotechnology and a Master of Philosophy in human nutrition and dietetics, both from KNUST. She earned a PhD in human nutrition from Michigan State University, East Lansing (US) and a professional certification as a registered dietician with the Allied Health Professions Council, Ghana. She is interested in global nutrition, dietetics, child and maternal nutrition. She received the Borlaug Higher Education in Agricultural Research Development (2014), and the Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (2016), both from USAID. She is an early-career fellow of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World. In 2023, she received the L'ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Award, for Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities Sustainable Development Goals grant.