Taşkın Deniz Yildiz |  Fertilizer |  Best Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr Taşkın Deniz Yildiz |  Fertilizer |  Best Researcher Award

Academician at  Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University, Department of Mining Engineering,  Turkey

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taşkın Deniz Yıldız is a distinguished academic at the Department of Mining Engineering, Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University. Since 2014, he has contributed significantly to academia, previously serving at Istanbul Technical University. Dr. Yıldız completed his MSc (2012) and PhD (2020) in Mining Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. He also holds a law degree from Beykent University (2016) and became a licensed lawyer in 2023. His research interests include mining legislation, mineral economics, resource management, and occupational safety in mines. He has published extensively, with a Google Scholar h-index of 19.

Profile:

🎓 Academic and Professional Background:

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Taşkın Deniz Yıldız has been an academician at Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University since 2014. He previously served at Istanbul Technical University for about four years. He earned his MSc (2012) and PhD (2020) in Mining Engineering from Istanbul Technical University. Dr. Yıldız also holds a law degree from Beykent University (2016) and became a licensed lawyer in 2023.

📊 Research and Achievements:

  • Publications: 35 articles (24 in Web of Science, 11 in other indexes), 1 book, 9 WOS/SCOPUS-indexed book chapters, 2 international books, 23 conference papers, and 56 mining sector journal articles.
  • Research Projects: Involved in the Istanbul Technical University BAP Project and European COST Actions.

Citation Metrics:

  • Google Scholar: 904 citations, h-index 19, i10-index 35
  • Web of Science: 201 citations, h-index 8
  • Scopus: 251 citations, h-index 10
  • AD Scientific Index (2025): Ranked 8th in his university in Turkey

💡 Research Interests:

  • Mining legislation, exploration, and operation
  • Mineral and resource economics
  • Cost analysis and benefit evaluation
  • Natural resource taxation and mining investments
  • Land use in mining and rehabilitation of abandoned sites
  • Mining waste management and occupational safety

🌐 Memberships:

  • Founding member, International Network ‘Acclimating Post-Mining Territories’
  • Member, Association of Geoscience, Mining and Metallurgy Professionals (YERMAM)
  • Member, Technology and Innovation Commission of Professional Development Association of Mining Engineers (MMMGD)
  • Member, European Association of Labour Economists
  • Member, Chamber of Mining Engineers of Turkey

Publication Top Notes:

  • “Waste management costs (WMC) of mining companies in Turkey: Can waste recovery help meeting these costs?”
    Resources Policy, 68, 101706, 2020 (64 citations)

  • “Evaluation of Forestland Use in Mining Operation Activities in Turkey in Terms of Sustainable Natural Resources”
    Land Use Policy, 96, 2020 (49 citations)

  • “The Impacts of EIA Procedure on the Mining Sector in the Permit Process of Mining Operating Activities & Turkey Analysis”
    Resources Policy, 67, 2020 (44 citations)

  • “Effects of the Private Land Acquisition Process and Costs on Mining Enterprises before Mining Operation Activities in Turkey”
    Land Use Policy, 97, 2020 (42 citations)

  • “The Share of Required Costs in Investment Amounts for Mining Operating Activities in Pasture Lands in Turkey”
    Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi (Journal of Engineering), 2019 (39 citations)

  • “Forest Fees Paid to Permit Mining Extractive Operations on Turkey’s Forestlands & the Ratio to Investments”
    Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi: Mineral Resources Management, 2020 (36 citations)

  • “The Effects of the Mining Operation Activities Permit Process on the Mining Sector in Turkey”
    Resources Policy, 69, 101868, 2020 (35 citations)

  • “How Can the Effects of EIA Procedures and Legislation Foreseen for the Mining Operation Activities to Mining Change Positively in Turkey?”
    Resources Policy, 72, 102018, 2021 (29 citations)

  • “Forest Costs Paid by Mining Enterprises During Investment Period to Carry Out Mining Operations in Forest Areas”
    Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi (Journal of Engineering), 2020 (28 citations)

  • “Urban Development and Mining in Istanbul – Ağaçli Coal Field and Its Rehabilitation”
    SWEMP 2016 (International Symposium on Environmental Issues and Waste Management), 2016 (27 citations)

  • “Are the Compensations Given to Mining Enterprises Due to the Overlapping with Other Investments in Turkey Enough? Expectations of Compensation for Profit Deprivation”
    Resources Policy, 75, 102507, 2022 (25 citations)

  • “How Can the State Rights Be Calculated by Considering a High Share of State Right in Mining Operating Costs in Turkey?”
    Resources Policy, 75, 102509, 2022 (25 citations)

  • “Overlapping of Mine Sites and Highway Route in Turkey: Evaluation in Terms of Mining Land Use Criteria and Land-Use Planning”
    Land Use Policy, 106, 105444, 2021 (22 citations)

  • “Possible Effects of Mining Zone Regulation on Mining Companies in Turkey & Evaluation of Mining Companies”
    Resources Policy, 71, 102011, 2021 (22 citations)

  • “Overlapping of Natural Stone Mining Field with High-Speed Train Project in Turkey: Was the Economic Public Benefit Evaluation Made Sufficiently?”
    Resources Policy, 74, 102241, 2021 (18 citations)

 

Zhizhou Ren | Agricultural Products | Best Researcher Award

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Mr Zhizhou Ren | Agricultural Products |  Best Researcher Award

postgraduate at College of Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing Agricultural University, China

Zhizhou Ren is a postgraduate researcher specializing in smart agriculture and non-destructive detection of agricultural products. His work focuses on integrating hyperspectral imaging, electronic noses, and deep learning for efficient wheat disease detection. He has published two SCI papers in high-impact journals and developed the GFNN model, achieving 98.76% accuracy in disease identification. Ren has contributed to four major collaborative projects and holds one patent. As a member of the China Electronics Society, he actively engages in research that enhances precision agriculture and food security.

Profile:

🔬 Research Focus:

Zhizhou Ren specializes in smart agriculture and non-destructive detection of agricultural products. His research integrates hyperspectral imaging, electronic noses, and deep learning algorithms to detect wheat diseases efficiently.

📚 Key Contributions:

  • Developed the GFNN model for detecting VOCs using an electronic nose, achieving 98.76% accuracy in wheat disease detection.
  • Published two SCI papers in Q1 and Q2 journals, including Agriculture-Basel and International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
  • Holds one patent and has contributed to four major collaborative projects funded by Jiangsu Province.

🏆 Achievements & Collaborations:

  • Active member of the China Electronics Society.
  • Engaged in consultancy and industry projects, contributing to agricultural disease management and food security.
  • Participated in prestigious research programs, including the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province.

Citations:

Citations: 948 (All), 947 (Since 2020)
h-index: 11 (All), 11 (Since 2020)
i10-index: 11 (All), 11 (Since 2020)

Publication Top Notes:

  • QPLEX: Duplex Dueling Multi-Agent Q-Learning
    J. Wang, Z. Ren, T. Liu, Y. Yu, C. Zhang
    Ninth International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR 2021) – 550 citations

  • Exploration via Hindsight Goal Generation
    Z. Ren, K. Dong, Y. Zhou, Q. Liu, J. Peng
    Thirty-third Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2019) – 99 citations

  • Towards Understanding Cooperative Multi-Agent Q-Learning with Value Factorization
    J. Wang, Z. Ren, B. Han, J. Ye, C. Zhang
    Thirty-fifth Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2021) – 61 citations

  • Proximal Exploration for Model-guided Protein Sequence Design
    Z. Ren, J. Li, F. Ding, Y. Zhou, J. Ma, J. Peng
    Thirty-ninth International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML 2022) – 47 citations

  • Generalizable Episodic Memory for Deep Reinforcement Learning
    H. Hu, J. Ye, G. Zhu, Z. Ren, C. Zhang
    Thirty-eighth International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML 2021) – 43 citations

  • Off-Policy Reinforcement Learning with Delayed Rewards
    B. Han, Z. Ren, Z. Wu, Y. Zhou, J. Peng
    Thirty-ninth International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML 2022) – 41 citations

  • Learning Long-Term Reward Redistribution via Randomized Return Decomposition
    Z. Ren, R. Guo, Y. Zhou, J. Peng
    Tenth International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR 2022 Spotlight) – 39 citations

  • On the Estimation Bias in Double Q-Learning
    Z. Ren, G. Zhu, H. Hu, B. Han, J. Chen, C. Zhang
    Thirty-fifth Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2021) – 24 citations

  • Self-Organized Polynomial-Time Coordination Graphs
    Q. Yang, W. Dong, Z. Ren, J. Wang, T. Wang, C. Zhang
    Thirty-ninth International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML 2022) – 13 citations

  • Efficient Meta Reinforcement Learning for Preference-based Fast Adaptation
    Z. Ren, A. Liu, Y. Liang, J. Peng, J. Ma
    Thirty-sixth Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2022) – 12 citations

  • Object-Oriented Dynamics Learning through Multi-Level Abstraction
    G. Zhu, J. Wang, Z. Ren, Z. Lin, C. Zhang
    Thirty-fourth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI 2020) – 11 citations

  • Full-Atom Peptide Design based on Multi-modal Flow Matching
    J. Li, C. Cheng, Z. Wu, R. Guo, S. Luo, Z. Ren, J. Peng, J. Ma
    Forty-first International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML 2024) – 7 citations

  • Enhancing Protein Mutation Effect Prediction through a Retrieval-Augmented Framework
    R. Guo, R. Wang, R. Wu, Z. Ren, J. Li, S. Luo, Z. Wu, Q. Liu, J. Peng, J. Ma
    Thirty-eighth Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2024) – 1 citation

  • Bridging Distribution Gaps: Invariant Pattern Discovery for Dynamic Graph Learning
    Y. Jin, M. Wang, Y. Xiong, Z. Ren, C. Huo, F. Zhu, J. Zhang, G. Wang, H. Chen
    World Wide Web 27 (4), 44 (2024)

 

Simion Matsvai | Agribusiness | Best Researcher Award

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Dr Simion Matsvai |  Agribusiness |  Best Researcher Award

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa

Simion Matsvai is a distinguished academic with over 10 years of experience in teaching, research, and community engagement. His areas of expertise include Applied Economics, with a focus on Financial Economics, Agricultural Economics, Environmental & Natural Resources Economics, Development Economics, and Health Economics. Matsvai has contributed to various national and international research projects, showcasing adaptability and a commitment to excellence. Skilled in analytical tools such as Excel, R, E-Views, STATA, and SPSS, he is dedicated to advancing research and consultancy within his field.

Profile:

Academic Qualifications:

  • PhD in Agricultural Economics (University of Fort Hare, 2016-2020)
  • Master of Commerce in Industrial Strategy and Trade Policy (Great Zimbabwe University, 2011-2012)
  • BSc (Hons) in Economics (University of Zimbabwe, 2003, 2006)

Work Experience:

Current Employment

  • Senior Lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University, Faculty of Commerce (Feb 2013 – Present)
    • Specializes in advanced modules including International Finance, Macroeconomics, Environmental Economics, and Econometrics.
    • Dissertation supervision and research mentoring.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Walter Sisulu University, 2024-2025)

Agribusiness Development Specialist (Intercountry Peoples Aid, 2010–2013)

Consultancy Experience:

Simion Matsvai has co-researched a variety of impactful studies for national and international organizations, including work on economic development, youth empowerment, agricultural policies, and financial systems.

Conferences & Workshops:

  • International Conference on Time Series and Forecasting (2023, Gran Canaria, Spain) – Presented on ICTs and Economic Growth.
  • 19th African Finance Association Conference (2023, Cape Town, RSA) – ICTs and Agricultural Total Factor Productivity Change in South Africa.
  • Beef Enterprise Strengthening Workshop (2023, Masvingo) – Discussed Agricultural Financing Models.

Skills & Expertise:

  • Statistical Software: Excel, R, E-Views, STATA, SPSS, FRONTIER, N-Logit, etc.
  • Research: Extensive experience in data analysis, methodology development, and report writing.
  • Teaching: Strong academic background in economics, with experience across postgraduate and undergraduate programs.

Publication Top Notes:

  1. Sustainability Reporting Strategy and Its Determinants Among Resource-Based Companies
    Corporate and Business Strategy Review, 2025
    DOI: 10.22495/cbsrv6i1art9
    Contributors: Leward Jeke, Sanderson Abel, Kudakwashe David Chitaukire, Julius Mukarati, Pierre Le Roux, Simion Matsvai

  2. Determinants of Microfinance Demand (Evidence from Chiredzi Smallholder Resettled Sugarcane Farmers in Zimbabwe)
    Sustainability, 2024-11-08
    DOI: 10.3390/su16229752
    Contributor: Simion Matsvai

  3. Technical Efficiency Impact of Microfinance on Small Scale Resettled Sugar Cane Farmers in Zimbabwe
    Cogent Economics & Finance, 2022-01-05
    DOI: 10.1080/23322039.2021.2017599

  4. Characterisation of Smallholder Resettled Sugarcane Farmers and Their Perceptions Towards Microfinance in Zimbabwe (Chiredzi)
    Journal of Agribusiness and Rural Development, 2021-10-11
    DOI: 10.17306/J.JARD.2021.01308
    Contributors: Simion Matsvai, Abbissynia Mushunje, Simbarashe Tatsvarei

 

Aboubacar Diallo | Agri Awards | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Aboubacar Diallo | Agri Awards | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Aboubacar Diallo, AfricaRice, Mali

Aboubacar Diallo is a Malian researcher and consultant specializing in Climate Information Services (CIS). He is currently affiliated with the AICCRA project at AfricaRice in Mali, where he plays a key role in supporting climate-smart agriculture and advancing agricultural research. With extensive experience in agronomy, natural resource management, and climate resilience, Aboubacar has been instrumental in coordinating and implementing various research projects across Mali. His expertise includes data analysis, research proposal development, and impact assessments, particularly in the agricultural sector. Aboubacar is proficient in using tools such as SPSS, STATA, and QGIS for analyzing socio-economic data. He has also served as a technical officer and consultant on several studies related to cotton production, food security, and local governance in Mali.

Publication profile

Scopus

🎓 Academic Qualifications:

Aboubacar Diallo is a highly skilled researcher with extensive academic and professional experience in agronomy, natural resource management, and climate services. He has contributed to numerous research projects and consultations in Mali, focusing on agriculture, food security, and climate-smart practices.

💼 Professional Experience:

  • Coordinator & Technical Officer: Cashew Project (PAFAM), Mali (2020–2022)
    • Managed project activities, supported technical teams, and provided training.
  • Senior Researcher/Consultant: Agronomic Research Center (CRRA), Mali (2018–2020)
    • Developed research proposals and analyzed agricultural data.
  • Consultant/Associate Researcher: Numerous research projects on cotton quality, local governance, and food security (2015–2023).

🧠 Key Skills:

  • Expertise in research proposal writing, impact assessment, and data analysis (socio-economic and econometrics).
  • Proficient in software such as SPSS, STATA, QGIS, and KoboCollector for research and data processing.

🌱 Recent Consultations:

  • Better Cotton’s Climate-smart Agricultural Practices: Mali (2022–2023)
  • Cotton Quality Study: CMDT-Mali (2020)
  • Local Governance and Democracy Study: NIMD, Mali (2019)

🏆 Trainings & Certifications:

  • Workshop on Leadership Essentials (2018)
  • Borlaug Higher Education Conference on Agricultural Impact (2017)
  • Intensive English Training: University of Ghana (2016)

Publication Top Notes:

  • A gendered analysis of farmers’ access to and willingness to pay for climate information services: Evidence from rice farmers in Mali
  • Correction to: Climate change adaptation strategies, productivity and sustainable food security in southern Mali (Climatic Change, (2020), 159, 3, (309-327), 10.1007/s10584-020-02684-8)
  • Local knowledge of Saba senegalensis fruits against malnutrition in Mali
  • Climate change adaptation strategies, productivity and sustainable food security in southern Mali