Shobhana Madhavan
Dr. Shobhana Madhavan, Professor Emeritus at the University of Westminster, London, and Jean Monnet Professor, is a distinguished economist renowned for her expertise in development, technology, transportation, and the environment. She pioneered the inclusion of environmental policy in academic curricula, earning recognition under the Jean Monnet Action Programme European Commission. Her research spans rural travel dynamics in India, technology transfer, and sustainable development, including co-authoring a seminal book on European Economic Integration and Sustainable Development. Dr. Madhavan’s influence extends beyond academia, advising the House of Lords on small and medium enterprise promotion. She organized an influential international conference on HIV/AIDS and Business in 2006. An active member of the International Sustainable Development Research Society, she contributes to shaping sustainable development discourse. As a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport, UK, she bridges academic rigor with practical application, leaving a lasting legacy of scholarly excellence and visionary leadership.
Wei Liao
Dr. Wei Liao is professor and director of the Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University. His research focuses on integration of solar, biological and Nano technologies for waste treatment and value-added fuels/chemical production. He also works on algal cultivation to reclaim water and generate value-added products, as well as innovative anaerobic cultivation systems to convert organic residues to renewable energy and other bioproducts. Dr. Liao’s expertise spans biological pre-treatment of lignocellulose materials, high-density enzymatic hydrolysis, and the development of advanced anaerobic digestion systems. He is also renowned for his work on organic acid production through fungal fermentation and the genetic modification of yeast for ethanol tolerance.
Klaus Hubacek
Klaus Hubacek is a Professor in Science, Technology and Society at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), and a visiting professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. He chairs the Integrated Research in Energy, Environment and Society (IREES) and the Energy and Sustainable Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG). His research, funded by Horizon 2020 and NASA, focuses on modeling human-environment interactions and forecasting carbon emissions. Klaus has held visiting positions at the University of Leeds, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Beijing Normal University and University of Cambridge, and IIASA. With over 200 peer-reviewed publications and recognition as a highly cited researcher, he has contributed significantly to climate change adaptation, ecosystem services management, and land use governance. He was also a lead author for the 6th assessment report of the IPCC.