Elias Charles Nyanza | Environmental | Best Academic Researcher Award

Dr. Elias Charles Nyanza |  Environmental | Best Academic Researcher Award

Senior Lecturer at  Catholic University Of Health And Allied Sciences, Tanzania

Dr. Elias Charles Nyanza is a Tanzanian public health expert and environmental and occupational health specialist. He currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at the School of Public Health, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (CUHAS) in Tanzania. Dr. Nyanza holds a Ph.D. in Population and Public Health from the University of Calgary, Canada, along with an MPH and BSc in Environmental Sciences and Management. His expertise spans quality assurance, environmental exposure assessment, and community health research. Over the years, he has played a key role in academic mentorship, research coordination, and program leadership, including serving as a program coordinator for the Master of Public Health at CUHAS. Recognized for his academic excellence and contributions to global health, he has received several prestigious awards, including the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and the Global Health Champion Award. His research focuses on HIV immunity, co-morbidities, and metal(loids) exposure, contributing significantly to public health advancements.

Profile:

🎓 Academic Background:

  • Postdoctoral Fellow (2023) – Mwanza Intervention Trial Unit, Tanzania

  • Ph.D. in Population and Public Health (2020) – University of Calgary, Canada

  • Master of Public Health (2011) – Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania

  • B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences and Management (2008) – Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

🏆 Awards & Recognition:

  • Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2015) – Prestigious award for leadership and academic excellence

  • Global Health Champion Award (2013) – University of Calgary, Canada

  • Community Health Sciences Achievement Award (2017, 2019)

  • Tom Feasby Graduate Award in Global Health (2014–2017)

  • Vice Chancellor’s Prize (2007, 2008) – Sokoine University of Agriculture

💼 Professional Expertise:

  • Senior Lecturer (2021–Present) – CUHAS, specializing in Public Health, Community Medicine, Environmental and Occupational Health

  • Crowdfunding & Social Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator (2014–Present) – University of Calgary & CUHAS partnership

  • Co-Team Leader (2012–Present) – Canadian One Health research-intensive field school in Tanzania

  • Environmental Senior Chemist & Quality Management Representative (2008–2011) – SGS African Assay, Mwanza

Citations:

Citations: 1,733 (All), 1,324 (Since 2020)
h-index: 21 (All), 20 (Since 2020)
i10-index: 34 (All), 31 (Since 2020)

Publication Top Notes:

  • Phthalate exposure and children’s neurodevelopment: a systematic review
    M. Ejaredar, E.C. Nyanza, K. Ten Eycke, D. Dewey
    Environmental Research, 142, 51-60 (2015)Citations: 327

  • Antenatal depression is associated with pregnancy-related anxiety, partner relations, and wealth in women in Northern Tanzania: a cross-sectional study
    M. Rwakarema, S.S. Premji, E.C. Nyanza, P. Riziki, L. Palacios-Derflingher
    BMC Women’s Health, 15, 1-10 (2015)Citations: 189

  • Geophagy practices and the content of chemical elements in the soil eaten by pregnant women in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities in Tanzania
    E.C. Nyanza, M. Joseph, S.S. Premji, D.S.K. Thomas, C. Mannion
    BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 14, 1-10 (2014)Citations: 108

  • Antenatal care and opportunities for quality improvement of service provision in resource-limited settings: A mixed-methods study
    A. Solnes Miltenburg, L. Van Der Eem, E.C. Nyanza, S. Van Pelt, P. Ndaki, …
    PLOS ONE, 12(12), e0188279 (2017)Citations: 90

  • A cross-sectional survey on knowledge and perceptions of health risks associated with arsenic and mercury contamination from artisanal gold mining in Tanzania
    E. Charles, D.S.K. Thomas, D. Dewey, M. Davey, S.E. Ngallaba, E. Konje
    BMC Public Health, 13, 1-8 (2013)Citations: 90

  • Toxic mercury versus appropriate technology: Artisanal gold miners’ retort aversion
    J.B. Jønsson, E. Charles, P. Kalvig
    Resources Policy, 38(1), 60-67 (2013)Citations: 89

  • Period teasing, stigma, and knowledge: A survey of adolescent boys and girls in Northern Tanzania
    A. Benshaul-Tolonen, S. Aguilar-Gomez, N. Heller Batzer, R. Cai, …
    PLOS ONE, 15(10), e0239914 (2020)Citations: 70

  • Maternal exposure to arsenic and mercury and associated risk of adverse birth outcomes in small-scale gold mining communities in Northern Tanzania
    F.P.B. Elias C. Nyanza, D. Dewey, M. Manyama, J.W. Martin, …
    Environment International, 137, 105450 (2020)Citations: 69

  • Spatial distribution of mercury and arsenic levels in water, soil, and cassava plants in a community with a long history of gold mining in Tanzania
    E.C. Nyanza, D. Dewey, D.S.K. Thomas, M. Davey, S.E. Ngallaba
    Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 93, 716-721 (2014)Citations: 54

  • Effects of prenatal exposure and co-exposure to metallic or metalloid elements on early infant neurodevelopmental outcomes in areas with small-scale gold mining activities in Tanzania
    E.C. Nyanza, F.P. Bernier, J.W. Martin, M. Manyama, J. Hatfield, D. Dewey
    Environment International, 149, 106104 (2021)Citations: 53

 

Zeeshan Zafar | Climate Change | Best Researcher Award

Dr Zeeshan Zafar |  Climate Change | Best Researcher Award

Postdoctoral Researcher at  Wuhan University,  China

 

Dr. Zeeshan Zafar is a physical geographer and researcher with expertise in remote sensing, GIS, and environmental modeling. His work focuses on machine learning applications in hydrology and climate change impact studies, particularly in urban and natural ecosystems. Dr. Zafar has contributed to research publications on carbon storage modeling, LULC, urban heat islands, and soil erosion, and he actively collaborates on projects assessing ecological health risks and sustainable urban planning.

 

Publication Profile

Education:

Dr. Zeeshan Zafar completed his Ph.D. in Physical Geography from Northwest University, Xi’an, China. He holds an M.S. in Remote Sensing & GIS from PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Professional Experience:

Dr. Zafar is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at Wuhan University, China, where he focuses on advanced GIS and ecological modeling methodologies. Previously, he served as a GIS Manager at GreenAge Services in Pakistan (2016-2018) and as an Instructor at Virtual University, Pakistan (2013-2016), where he developed remote sensing and GIS curricula and trained students in these fields.

Research Interest:

Dr. Zafar’s research integrates machine learning, hydrological modeling, ecosystem services, and climate change impacts. His expertise extends to ecological modeling, land-use/land-cover (LULC) change, urbanization, and land surface temperature modeling. He is proficient in advanced spatial analysis using satellite data, machine learning, deep learning, and statistical modeling.

Author Metrics:

Dr. Zafar has published extensively in reputable journals, including Ecological Informatics, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, and Water Supply. His research, recognized for its impact on understanding climate and urban dynamics, is supported by over 20 peer-reviewed articles and ongoing submissions to high-impact journals. His work is regularly cited by peers in environmental science and remote sensing domains.

Publication Top Notes
  • Selection of medical clinic for disease diagnosis by using TOPSIS method
    RM Zulqarnain, S Abdal, B Ali, L Ali, F Dayan, MI Ahamad, Z Zafar
    International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 61(1), 2020.
  • Application of TOPSIS method in decision making via soft set
    RM Zulqarnain, S Abdal, A Maalik, B Ali, Z Zafar, MI Ahamad, S Younas
    Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, 24(3), 18208-18215, 2020.
  • Trend analysis of the decadal variations of water bodies and land use/land cover through MODIS imagery: An in-depth study from Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
    Z Zafar, MS Mehmood, MI Ahamad, A Chudhary, N Abbas, AR Khan
    Water Supply, 21(2), 927-940, 2021.
  • Fostering deep learning approaches to evaluate the impact of urbanization on vegetation and future prospects
    Z Zafar, MS Mehmood, Z Shiyan, M Zubair, M Sajjad, Q Yaochen
    Ecological Indicators, 146, 109788, 2023.
  • Time Series Analyses and Forecasting of Surface Urban Heat Island Intensity Using ARIMA Model in Punjab, Pakistan
    MS Mehmood, Z Zafar, M Sajjad, S Hussain, S Zhai, Y Qin
    Land, 12(1), 142, 2022.
  • Performance assessment of machine learning algorithms for mapping of land use/land cover using remote sensing data
    Z Zafar, M Zubair, Y Zha, S Fahd, AA Nadeem
    The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, 27(2), 216-226, 2024.
  • Spatial Downscaling and Gap-Filling of SMAP Soil Moisture to High Resolution Using MODIS Surface Variables and Machine Learning Approaches over ShanDian River Basin, China
    AA Nadeem, Y Zha, L Shi, S Ali, X Wang, Z Zafar, Z Afzal, MAUR Tariq
    Remote Sensing, 15(3), 812, 2023.
  • Generalized fuzzy TOPSIS to solve multi-criteria decision-making problems
    RM Zulqarnaın, M Saeed, B Ali, S Abdal, M Saqlaın, MI Ahamad, Z Zafar
    Journal of New Theory, 40-50, 2020.
  • Comprehensive assessment on groundwater quality, pollution characteristics, and ecological health risks under seasonal thaws: Spatial insights with Monte Carlo simulations
    C Jia, AR Altaf, F Li, I Ashraf, Z Zafar, AA Nadeem
    Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 22, 100952, 2023.
  • Mapping flood extend and its impact on land use/land cover and settlements variations: A case study of Layyah District, Punjab, Pakistan
    S Soomro, C Hu, MW Boota, MHAA Soomro, S Jian, Z Zafar, X Li
    Acta Geophysica, 69, 2291-2304, 2021.
  • Application of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Soft Matrices for Disease Diagnosis
    RM Zulqarnain, M Saeed, MI Ahamad, S Abdal, Z Zafar, M Aslam
    International Journal of Discrete Mathematics, 5(1), 4-9, 2020.
  • The spatial coupling effect between urban street network’s centrality and collection & delivery points: A spatial design network analysis-based study
    MS Mehmood, G Li, A Jin, A Rehman, V Wijeratne, Z Zafar, AR Khan
    PLOS One, 16(5), e0251093, 2021.
  • Predictive modeling of regional carbon storage dynamics in response to land use/land cover changes: An InVEST-based analysis
    Z Zafar, M Zubair, Y Zha, MS Mehmood, A Rehman, S Fahd, AA Nadeem
    Ecological Informatics, 102701, 2024.
  • Disease identification using trapezoidal fuzzy numbers by Sanchez’s approach
    RM Zulqarnain, XL Xin, B Ali, S Abdal, A Maalik, L Ali, MI Ahamad, Z Zafar
    International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 61(1), 13-18, 2020.
  • Effects of Temperature and Pressure on Reservoir Fluids and Seismic Properties of Reservoir Rocks
    MI Ahamad, Z Zafar, M Arsalan, A Rehman, M Sajid, RM Zulqarnain
    International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 63, 36-43, 2020.
  • Spatiotemporal dynamics analysis of surface water body and snow cover area to climate change in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan
    Z Zafar, MS Mehmood, A Akbar, MA Khan
    Physical Geography, 44(5), 600-619, 2023.
  • Evaluating land use/cover change associations with urban surface temperature via machine learning and spatial modeling: Past trends and future simulations in Dera Ghazi Khan
    MS Mehmood, A Rehman, M Sajjad, J Song, Z Zafar, Z Shiyan
    Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11, 1115074, 2023.
  • SAFER-ET based assessment of irrigation patterns and impacts on groundwater use in the central Punjab, Pakistan
    AA Nadeem, Y Zha, L Shi, Z Zafar, S Ali, Y Zhang, AR Altaf, M Afzal
    Agricultural Water Management, 289, 108545, 2023.
  • Modelling the Climate Change on Crop Estimation in the Semi-Arid Region of Pakistan Using Multispectral Remote Sensing
    Z Zafar, S Farooq, MI Ahamad, MS Mehmood
    Optics, 9(1), 1-7, 2020.
  • Assessment of urbanization impacts on vegetation cover in major cities of Pakistan: Evidence from remotely sensed data
    Z Zafar
    GeoJournal, 89(4), 167, 2024.