Farhad Maleki | Bioenergy Production | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Farhad Maleki | Bioenergy Production | Best Researcher Award

Master student | Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic) | Iran

Farhad Maleki is a doctoral researcher in Energy Systems Engineering at K. N. Toosi University of Technology and serves as a teaching and research assistant at Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic). He completed his M.Sc. in Energy Systems Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology, specializing in thermochemical and biochemical waste-to-energy conversion and low-carbon technologies. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field at K. N. Toosi University of Technology, expanding his expertise in circular carbon systems and industrial energy optimization. His primary research centers on waste-to-chemicals, circular economy frameworks, thermoeconomics, and sustainable hydrogen systems. Emerging interests include port decarbonization, techno-economic assessments, solar desalination materials, and energy demand forecasting. He has contributed to academic and applied research as a teaching and research assistant at Amirkabir University of Technology. His industry-linked experience includes energy auditing at Shahid Beheshti Power Plant and process modeling for Butia Iranian Steel Company under academic supervision. Farhad has developed exergy and thermoeconomic models for converting agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, and CO₂ into value-added fuels such as ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen. His work advances scalable low-carbon industrial development through circular carbon integration, process optimization, and environmental assessment. His research outputs support global decarbonization, resource efficiency, and green transition strategies. He has accumulated 41 citations on Google Scholar  reflecting his impactful academic contributions and emerging research influence. He actively collaborates with faculty researchers in sustainable energy and waste valorization domains. His research aims to bridge industrial sustainability, circular carbon technologies, and renewable energy integration. By linking waste valorization with low-carbon process engineering, he seeks to support global climate neutrality, resilient energy infrastructures, and sustainable policy innovation. He has 33 citations from 5 publications, with an h-index of 2.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ResearchGate

Featured Publications 

1. Maleki, F. (2025). Exergy and thermoeconomic comparison of sustainable methanol and ammonia production from waste and CO₂. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2025.119148

2. Maleki, F. (2025). Unveiling the potential of bio-based petrochemical development for a sustainable circular economy: A global perspective. Chemical Engineering Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.167974

3. Maleki, F. (2025). 2D cotton fabric coated with 3D chitosan/carbon-black aerogel for continuous efficient solar desalination. Chemical Engineering Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.163276

4. Maleki, F. (2024). Integrated analysis of a hydrogen-based port: Energy, exergy, environmental, and economic sustainability. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.12.332

5. Maleki, F. (2024). Sustainable hydrogen supply chain development for low-carbon transportation in a fossil-based port region: A case study in a tourism hub. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.03.362

Aifani Confidence Tahulela | Sustainable Waste Management | Best Researcher Award

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Ms. Aifani Confidence Tahulela | Sustainable Waste Management | Best Researcher Award

Researcher | Durban University of Technology | South Africa

Dr. Aifani Confidence Tahulela is a distinguished researcher currently serving as Research Coordinator at the BRICS Research Institute, Durban University of Technology, South Africa, where she develops and leads collaborative research strategies across BRICS nations. She is pursuing her PhD at Durban University of Technology, building on her academic foundation with an MTech and BTech in Public Management (both Cum Laude) from Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and a National Diploma from the Central University of Technology. Her research focuses on sustainable waste management, circular economy development, and international cooperation on environmental governance. She has authored impactful publications, including contributions to Sustainable Waste Management: Policies and Case Studies (Springer, 2020), and recent studies in Sustainability and Taylor & Francis volumes addressing global environmental cooperation and household waste management. Dr. Tahulela’s international recognition includes multiple awards such as the Best Research Paper Award at HAMID University, Qatar (2021), BRICS Postgraduate Forum Best Paper Award (2022), Space Science PhD Award (2022), and Project Leader of the Year, BRICS (2023). She has also secured competitive scholarships from the National Research Foundation, the Department of Higher Education and Training, and the China Scholarship Council. Beyond her research, she has contributed to academic development through roles at North West University and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, organizing workshops, supervising theses, and mentoring early-career researchers. Her expertise spans both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, supported by proficiency in SPSS, NVIVO, and Atlas.ti. Dr. Tahulela also plays an active role in international academic collaboration, having organized major conferences such as the 10th World Toilet Association International Conference on Waste, Water, and Sanitation. With her strong editorial contributions and her commitment to advancing global sustainability dialogues, she continues to make significant scholarly and policy impacts in the fields of sustainable development and environmental governance.

Profile: Google Scholar 

Featured Publications

  1. 1. Tahulela, A. C., & Ballard, H. H. (2019). Developing the circular economy in South Africa: Challenges and opportunities. Sustainable Waste Management: Policies and Case Studies: 7th IconSWM—ISWMAW.

  2. 2. Tahulela, A. C. (2017). Effect of social norms and attitudes towards domestic waste in a selected formal settlement in the Western Cape, South Africa. Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

  3. 3. Tahulela, A. C., Tshikovhi, N., & Netswera, F. (2023). BRICS and global environmental cooperation: An assessment of sustainability pathways beyond COP26. Taylor & Francis.

  4. 4. Tahulela, A. C., Hashemi, S., & Lourens, M. E. (2025). Household waste disposal under structural and behavioral constraints: A multivariate analysis from Vhembe District, South Africa. Sustainability.

  5. 5. Liang, X., Liang, C., Guan, J., & Tahulela, A. (2023). Emerging trends and strategic responses in quantitative empirical research on cultural novelty. Journal of Sociology and Ethnology.