Prof. in Civil Eng. Department

Faculty of Eng., Qassim University, KSA

Topic: 

The European H2020 Projects Cheap-GSHPs & GEO4CIVHIC: Innovative coaxial heat exchangers for shallow geothermal installations

Biography:

Eng. Luc Pockelé, graduated at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel as electro-mechanical engineer. Worked 34 years in multi-national companies, respectively Procter and Gamble, UCB and Tate and Lyle. Started in engineering and project management on processing plants. Moved into managerial and executive positions in manufacturing, quality, environment, safety and supply chain. For the last 11 years he is managing an Italian SME, active in renewable energies in buildings, shallow geothermal in particular. Co-inventor of the patent request of the drilling methodology developed in European research project Cheap-GSHPs (grant agreement n° 657982).

Topic: 

H2020 Project GEO4CIVHIC: Innovative Applications for shallow geothermal installations

Biography:

Eng. Giulia Mezzasalma has graduated in Energy Engineering from the University of Padova in 2015. She has a master certification in project management in 2019. She works in RED Srl as project manager in European Project and as thermal engineer. She is expert in Renewable system, mostly Geothermal System. She is expert in Energy simulation and modelling, qualified as energy certificator.

Keynote Topic: 

Geochemical study of the giant Bayan Obo Fe-REE-Nb ore deposit, Inner Mongolia (Northern China): A clue to its genesis 

Biography:

Dr. Xiaoyong Yang is a full professor in School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. His major is geochemistry, his study is mostly interesting in mineral deposits.

Topic: Metallogeny of gold in the Western Altai-Sayan folded area

Biography: 

Alexandr I. Chernykh is the Director General of the FSBI "TsNIGRI" - the leading enterprise of the State Geological Service of the Russian Federation in the field of geology and metallogeny of diamonds, non-ferrous and noble metals. He holds PhD degree in geology and mineralogy. Dr Chernykh is a member of the editorial board of leading Russian geological journals, the author and co-author of more than 100 publications. A.I. Chernykh is an expert in the metallogeny and in the mineral exploration and prospecting methods for solid mineral deposits

Topic: The Forecasting, Assessment and Management of Natural and Technogenic Geodynamic Risks (on Example of Exploitation of oil-and-gas Deposit)

Biography: 

Professor Natalia A. Kasyanova obtained her Postgraduate program (doctoral degree) Ph.D (Geology) from the Moscow State Lomonosov University (1995). She develops the new scientific direction - “Present-day geodynamics and it influence of the crust deformation and fluid migration processes”. Her area of scientific interests is “Forecasting, search and prospecting oil and gas deposits”, “Present-day natural and technogenic geodynamic risks: forecast, assessment, management”, “Geodynamic ensuring of environmental and industrial safety” (for oil-and-gas, coal, atomic-chemical, building industries). She currently lectures “Forecasting and search of mineral deposits” at the Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University Geological Prospecting. She published over 200 papers.

Keynote Title: Getting big in the Archean

Biography:

Stanley Awramik is Professor of Biogeology in the Department of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, where he’s been a faculty member since 1974. He obtained his BA (geology) from Boston University and his PhD (geology) from Harvard. His research interests focus on stromatolites in time and space as well as microbial fossils. His field work has taken him all over the globe, but the main work has been in Australia, China, Canada, eastern California, and Wyoming. He found some of the oldest evidence of life on Earth – fossil bacteria about 3.5 billion years old. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Geological Society of America.

Topic: Relationship between geology and old worship sites in mountain areas of Japan

Biography:

Prof. Kawamura obtained his BSc (Geology) from the Hiroshima University and his PhD (Geology) from the Osaka City University. He is previously worked for Akita University in science education department of Faculty of Education and Human Studies as a professor. One of his research field is based on the application of field geology for historical science in the local area in Japan. He currently lectures geology at the University of Hyogo. His area of interest is Science education, Quaternary geology, and Geopark research. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Topic: Air Quality Modeling with Urban WRF-Chem system over a high altitude tropical City

Biography:

M.C. Miguel Noyola currently is a PhD student of the Center for Atmospheric Sciences (CCA), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Obtained his Master Degree at CCA-UNAM; and his BSc in the Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAMA) in Electronic Engineering in Control and Instrumentation Systems. Also did partial studies of master in Computing Science at the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN). From 2006 to 2016 worked as Head of the Department of Atmospheric Monitoring in the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change. At the same time, during 2007 and 2008 was part of the Staff of Technical Experts of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the Project to Strengthen Air Quality in Mexico. Has participated in projects of international relevance in the fields of air quality monitoring, field campaigns, air quality modeling, metrology, instrumentation, and QA/QC with government institutions and Universities in several countries as Colombia, USA, Honduras, Japan, Panama, and Peru. His current research is focused on air quality forecast and atmospheric monitoring over highly urban cities through the use of the Urban WRF-Chem modeling system, which includes the Building Effect Parameterization (BEP) model that represents the most sophisticated urban modeling scheme in WRF.

Keynote Title: Effect of Hydraulic Properties on the Formation of Mineral Deposits: Insight from Reactive Mass Transport Modelling

Biography:

Dr. Jianwen Yang obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Toronto, Canada, and is currently a full professor at the School of the Environment, University of Windsor, Canada. His research interest is mainly in lab- and field-based computational numerical modeling of subsurface fluid flow, heat transfer, and non-reactive/reactive mass transport in relation to applications in earth and environmental sciences.

Topic: Delineating the Source of Lead in the Urban Atmospheric Dust Based on Stable Isotopic Ratio: A Case Study fromPanzhihua City of Southwest China

Biography:

Yi Huang is a Professor in College of Geosciences at Chengdu University of Technology, China. She is a Principal Investigator at Mining Area Environment, State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (SKLGP). She obtained her PhD in 2007 from Chengdu University of Technology. She did her postdoctoral research at Chengdu University of Technology. Her main research areas are studies on the migration and transformation of heavy metals in soil, water, air and other environmental media near the earth surface, stable isotope geochemistry, as well as the heavy metal pollution prevention and control techniques. 

Topic: Groundwater Depletion: The Unintended Consequence of Surface Water Trade

Biography:

Dr. Hao Zhao obtained his BSc (Finance) from Peking University and his PhD (Economics) from California Institute of Technology. His PhD theses used economic principles to understand water use institutions in California, US, and discussed mechanism designs to achieve optimal groundwater aquifer management.  He currently works at the Economic Science Institute of Chapman University as a post-doc research associate. His current project includes using laboratory methods to understand the behavior of traders in common-pool resource markets under different market institutions. His area of interest is environmental and resource economics, and experimental economics. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Title: Vulnerability Assessment of Groundwater to Contamination Using Electrical Resisitivity Method at the Open Dumpsite in Gosa, Abuja, Nigeria.

Biography:

Dr. Abdulsalam Nasir Naeem is a Senior Lecturer in the Geophysics research group at the Department of Physics University of Abuja, Nigeria where his researches focuses on Groundwater Contamination and the environmental effects and potential theory geophysics. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, Master of Science degree and a doctorate all in Applied Geophysics. He was the Head of the department of Physics, University of Abuja, from 2016 to 2019. He has also served as the University of Abuja Director of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES). He did a postgraduate foundation course in astronomy and astrophysics in 2007 at the National Mathematical Centre, Nigeria. He is a member of some professional bodies which include; Nigerian Institute of Physics (NIP), Nigeria Mining and Geosciences’ Society (NMGS) and Society of Exploration Geophysics (SEG), USA. He has published his well research articles of more than thirty (30) and still counting in both local and international reputable journals. He has linkages with many scientists across Asia and Africa.

Topic: Geochemical method of early diagnostics of nucleation and evaluation process of strong Earthquakes

Abstract: 

Long time monitoring for geochemical and gas composition of underground water in Armenia reveals the possibility for early diagnostic of earthquake nucleation process.  Detailed analysis of obtained data time series reveals the existing close connection between the strong earthquake preparation process and the change in underground water chemical composition.  To track changes of the chemical composition in water of self-flowing wells temperature, pH, Eh, Na, K, F, Cl, Ca, He, CO2, SO4, etc. were determined daily from three observation points.

The reaction of data time series on most strong earthquakes occurred at the time of study shows that most strong preventive geochemical signal comes almost 4.5 mounts prior the main shock.  It is coming in form of change in statistical characteristics of data time series. The signal is different for solved gas and mineral composition of water. However the “synchronization” in the time of its arrival leave no doubt that they are strongly connected to the upcoming seismic event.

The dynamics of He in the water turn out to be most sensitive to the change in area prior to strong events. It seems to be more universal then other elements. Surprisingly the preventive signal coming rather in the form of mitigation of changes in dynamics of obtained series then in form of anomaly.

Statistical analysis of data shows the dependency of signal characteristics and the distance of observation point from the epicenter of upcoming event.  The repeating pattern of preventing geochemical signal for earthquakes with different distance from observation points and different magnitude allow to make some conclusions about  nature of earthquake preparation process in the region.

The comparison of obtained results with data from other regions bring us to the conclusion that more dense observation network in the area may lead to the possibility of more evident and precise diagnostics of the beginning of earthquake nucleation process in hypocenter and monitoring of its evolution. Close observation of seismic hearth will lead to determination of upcoming earthquake parameters long time before it strike.

Title: Role of Biotechnology in Water Science for Future generations

Biography:
Mr. Robert William Raj. A obtained his BSc (Microbiology) from Madras University, MSc (Microbiology) from Bharathidasan University and M.Tech (Industrial Biotechnology) from Bharath University (Deemed). He previously worked for Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, R&D Center, Shozhanganallur., India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.as Research Executive. His research was based on the Biotechnological Aspects of Basic Groundwater Hydrology for mitigating the Hydrological Extremes. He currently works for Symbiotec Pharmalab Pvt. Limited, Phase – II, Pharma Zone (SEZ), Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, India. His area of interest is Biotechnology, Fermentation, Bioprocess, Groundwater Hydrology, Water Cycle, Groundwater flow, Coastal underground interaction of fresh water and salt water, Flood and Drought Management. He has published two papers in peer reviewed journals.

Topic: Geotechnical Design, Construction and Monitoring of Tailings Dams – Tailings Impoundment Failure Prevention

Biography:

Dr. Farzad Daliri is a geotechnical/geoenvironmental/tailings R&D specialist with more than 12 years of experience working in several civil/geotechnical engineering projects related to infrastructure, mine, embankment design, tailings dam design, municipal waste management, etc. He has extensive knowledge of geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering and has developed a profound network through interactions with the leaders in Canadian and international construction industries. He received doctoral degree of geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineering from Carleton University, Ottawa in 2013. Dr. Daliri’s unique expertise is geotechnical and environmental aspects of mine waste and tailings management. Dr. Daliri is the author of more than 20 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers and is the reviewer of prestigious journals in the field of geotechnical, environemntal and mining engineering. He is a registered professional engineer (P. Eng.) in Ontario and Alberta and member of Americal Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS), International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and several other technical societies.

Topic: Mitigating the Algorithmic Non-Uniqueness in Nonlinear Least Squares Objective Function by Gramian Constraints

Biogrpahy: 

Dr. Jide Nosakare Ogunbo obtained his BTech (Geophysics) from the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria, and his PhD (Geophysics) from the University of Science and Technology of China. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States of America. He is currently a Brain Korean (BK) researcher at the Seoul National University, South Korea. His PhD research was based on the joint inversion of seismic and electromagnetic data with cross-gradient (structural) constraints. His area of interest is optimization of extant geophysical technology to deliver accurate solutions in a timely fashion.

Topic: Dynamic response around a circular tunnel subjected to P-wave scattering

Topic: The Blake Bahama Escarpment Abyssal Giant Pockmarks: Evidences for Structurally-Controlled Fluids Circulation at Carbonate Platform Scale

Keynote Talk: Seismic tomographic research of the Lithosphere beneath Australia, North and South America, China, Finland, Antarctica, Africa and India. How does this impact on the surface geology, mineralization and the mechanism of plate tectonics

Biography:

Robert Watchorn obtained his BSc (Geology) from Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) and his MSc (Geology) from the University of Melbourne. He has worked for Aberfoyle Tin NL, Western Mining Corporation and for many other companies after he formed an exploration and mining geology consultancy in 1999. His current research is based on the application of pattern recognition software for structural analysis and exploration in geoscience, geography and geoarchaeology groundwater in the South African Karoo aquifers. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Chandra obtained his M Tech (Water Resource Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and his PhD (Biogeochemistry) from the Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier. He previously worked for the Électricité de France as Greenhouse Gas emissions consultant. His PhD research was based on quantifying net greenhouse gas emissions from a hydroelectric reservoirs, Nam Theun 2 (NT2) in subtropical region of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Asia. He currently works at the APRIL Group Indonesia. His area of interest is understanding impact of large-scale land use change on greenhouse gas balances. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Severin Hohensinner (graduate engineer and Ph.D. in Landscape ecology/planning) has been a research assistant at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria, since 2001, with a focus on the reconstruction of historical river/floodplain hydromorphology and modelling of fluvial processes with special emphasis on the Austrian Danube. The results of his studies contribute to the identification of historical living conditions for the biocoenoses in riverine ecosystems. He is involved in several interdisciplinary projects in the fields of aquatic ecology, river restoration and environmental history.

Dr. María Fernanda Gazulla obtained her PhD in Chemistry Science from the University Jaume I (UJI) of Castellón, Spain. She is the responsible for the Analysis Area in the Ceramic Industries Research Association (AICE). She has previously worked as Associate Professor in the Engineering Chemistry Department from the UJI for ten years.

She is the author of more than 95 scientific publications, has participated in national and international conferences with 80 communications and has carried out more than 90 R+D Technical Projects, both private and public. It is worth highlighting the publications on the chemical characterization of ceramic materials and the development of measurement methods for geological samples and ceramic materials by WD-FRX.

It is also worth mentioning the participation in the preparation of reference materials in collaboration with various institutions: U.S Geological Survey, International Association of Geoanalysts (IAG) and Central Geological Laboratory of Mongolia in collaboration with the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)

Dra. Selene Solorza-Calderón received her Bachelor degree in Applied Math in 1997 from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico (UABC); her MSc degree in Earth Sciences from CICESE, Mexico, in 1999; and her PhD degree in Earth Sciences from CICESE in 2005. She is a researcher of the Math Department in the Faculty of Sciences, UABC. Her research interest includes image processing, pattern recognition in digital image and wave propagation in poroelastic media. She is member of the Mexican National Research System (SNI), and she had the recognition of the required profile in the teacher professional development program in the bachelor level (PRODEP). Also, she is a member of the Directive Council of the Accreditation Council for Educational Programs in Mathematics (CAPEM).

Dr. Cristobal Condori Quispe obtained his BSc (Geophysics) from the National University of Saint Augustine
– Peru and his Doctorate (Geophysics) from the University of Brasilia - Brazil. He is previously
worked for the Institute Geophysics of Peru. His Doctorate research was based on the application of seismological
methods as Receiver Function, Ambient Noise Tomography to study the crustal and upper
mantle structure, and Shear Wave Splitting to investigate patterns of mantle flow in northern Peru. He
currently lectures seismology at the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the National University of
Saint Augustine. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Jorgen Randers is professor emeritus of climate strategy at the BI Norwegian Business School. He has always worked on issues of the future, especially related to sustainability, climate, and energy. Professor Randers lectures and provides advice all over the world, and increasingly in China.

He has spent one third of his life in academia, one third in business, and one third in the NGO world. He was president of BI Norwegian Business School 1981-89, and Deputy Director general of WWF International 1994-99. He has been the chair of three Norwegian banks, non-executive member of numerous corporate boards, both in Norway and abroad.

Professor Randers has written many papers and books, starting with co-authoring The Limits to Growth in 1972. His recent writings include 2052 – A Global Forecast for the Next Forty Years in 2012, Reinventing Prosperity with Graeme Maxton in 2016, and Transformation is feasible! with Johan Rockstrøm and others in 2018.

Professor Charles Howard qualified as a Doctor of Medicine from Guy’s Hospital Medical School in 1974 and as F.R.C.S. (Lon) in 1980 His research interested included osteomyelitis, Ultrasound in Orthopaedics, bone healing and the development of orthopaedic devices. He was appointed Associate Professor in Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem in 1980. Interest in the sustainability crisis, global warming and other environmental issues led to study for a B.Sc. in Environmental Studies  from Open University (Milton Keynes) and from there interest in geology. He has published 62 papers on orthopaedic topics, 5 on geological topic and one on paleontology in peer reviewed journals

Victor Manuel Bravo Cuevas is a Biologist with MSc and Ph.D. degrees from the Faculty
of Science and the Institute of Geology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
He works at the Museum of Paleontology of the Autonomous University of the State of
Hidalgo. His research areas include ichnology of terrestrial vertebrates from the Mesozoic
and Cenozoic of Mexico and paleobiology of Cenozoic mammals from Mexico. He has
published in several peer-reviewed journals. He has the recognition of National Researcher
Level I and served as Titular Member of the National Council of Paleontology (INAHMexico)
from 2017 to 2020.

Dr. Gerald Raab received his BSc (Earth Sciences) in 2012 and his MSc (Earth Sciences) in 2015,
both at the Graz University of Technology (Austria). During his master he studied one year Mining
& Engineering Geology in Finland. His PhD in Earth System Sciences was based on a new
technique to quantify surface denudation variations over multi-millennia within the denudational
zone. His defended his “Tor Exhumation Approach – TEA” in 2019 at the University of Zürich
(UZH, Switzerland), where he currently hold a post-doctoral position. His geochronological skill
sets, publications and overview of past projects can be found on www.geraldraab.com.

MSc Dragana Adamovic obtained her BSc (Chemistry) from the University of Craiova, Romania and her MSc (Environmental Chemistry) from the same University. She works in Mining and Metallurgy Insitute Bor (Serbia) as an Engineer in the instrumental analysis department. She is currently in her final year of doctoral studies at  Akita University, Japan. Her PhD research is based on environmental impacts on groundwater and river water in the Bor and Majdanpek mining areas located in Eastern Serbia. She has published several papers in peer reviewed journals.MSc Dragana Adamovic obtained her BSc (Chemistry) from the University of Craiova, Romania and her MSc (Environmental Chemistry) from the same University. She works in Mining and Metallurgy Insitute Bor (Serbia) as an Engineer in the instrumental analysis department. She is currently in her final year of doctoral studies at  Akita University, Japan. Her PhD research is based on environmental impacts on groundwater and river water in the Bor and Majdanpek mining areas located in Eastern Serbia. She has published several papers in peer reviewed journals.MSc Dragana Adamovic obtained her BSc (Chemistry) from the University of Craiova, Romania and her MSc (Environmental Chemistry) from the same University. She works in Mining and Metallurgy Insitute Bor (Serbia) as an Engineer in the instrumental analysis department. She is currently in her final year of doctoral studies at  Akita University, Japan. Her PhD research is based on environmental impacts on groundwater and river water in the Bor and Majdanpek mining areas located in Eastern Serbia. She has published several papers in peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Grit Steinhoefel is a geochemist with a focus on non-traditional isotope systems. She obtained her MSc (Geology) from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and her PhD (Geochemistry) from the Leibniz University of Hannover (Germany). She has previously worked at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (Germany), the German Research Center for Geosciences, and the Pennsylvania State University (USA) as a poc-doctoral researcher. She is currently a senior scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Germany). Her research interests include method development and application of non-traditional isotope systems to understand past and modern processes at the Earth surface and in marine settings.

Dr. Archana obtained his B.SC Engg. (Chemical Engineering) from the BIT Sindri, Dhanbad,
Jharkhand, India and her PhD (Petroleum Engineering) from the Indian Institute of
Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India. She is previously worked
for Wipro technologies Ltd Banglore as software developer during 2006 to mid 2008 and also
Worked as Business Analyst/Lead Developer In Wipro Technologies for Client National Grid
during Jul 2009 to Mar 2010 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK. Her Phd research work was
based on Characterization of porous media using Tracer technique, which was based on
experimental as well as numerical study. Her area of interest was Reservoir Characterization,
Reservoir Simulation, Natural Gas Engineering, and Petroelum economics.

Dr. Aboaba obtained his BTech (Applied Geophysics) from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, an MS (Geophysics) at the University of Oklahoma, and his Ph.D. (Geosciences) from the University of Arkansas. He previously worked with Degeconek a hydrocarbon asset management consultancy firm in Nigeria as a Geoscientist and as a Geophysicist with British Petroleum, USA. His Ph.D. research was based on the characterization of paleokarst features using 3D seismic and well-log data in the US Midcontinent. His research interests are in quantitative/qualitative seismic interpretation, seismic attribute analysis, and rock physicsDr. Aboaba obtained his BTech (Applied Geophysics) from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, an MS (Geophysics) at the University of Oklahoma, and his Ph.D. (Geosciences) from the University of Arkansas. He previously worked with Degeconek a hydrocarbon asset management consultancy firm in Nigeria as a Geoscientist and as a Geophysicist with British Petroleum, USA. His Ph.D. research was based on the characterization of paleokarst features using 3D seismic and well-log data in the US Midcontinent. His research interests are in quantitative/qualitative seismic interpretation, seismic attribute analysis, and rock physics

Dr. Elssa Pandit obtained her MSc (Biotechnology) from the Utkal University and PhD (Biotechnology) from Ravenshaw University, Odisha, India. She has previously worked at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack. She is co-developer of 12 new rice varieties released for cultivation in various states of India. Breeder seed indent through DAC, Ministry of Agriculture of the rice varieties recently released by her is 47.1qtl/yr (2020) from which a minimum of 3,01,440qtls of certified seeds are produced with a tentative coverage 1004480ha land giving net gain of Rs.70.33crores/annum (additional @Rs.7000/ha) due to extra production (at least 5qt/ha) as compared to the existing varieties. Her research area focuses on gene pyramiding/stacking and GWAS for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in rice. She has published 47 research articles in high impact International journals, 39 conference papers and book chapters. She has received many awards/fellowships of national/international repute.

Warren Day is a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri and his doctorate in geology and geophysics from the University of Minnesota. Warren’s research focus is on regional framework geology, the evolution of ore-forming systems, and mineral resource studies. He is currently the Science Coordinator for the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative.

Louise K. Comfort is Professor and former Director, Center for Disaster Management, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh. Her degrees are in political science, Ph.D., Yale University and M.A., University of California, Berkeley. She is affiliated faculty with the Policy Lab, CITRIS, University of California, Berkeley. She is a Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration and received the 2020 Fred Riggs Award for Lifetime Achievement, Section on International Comparative Administration, American Society for Public Administration. Her most recent book is The Dynamics of Risk: Changing Technologies and Collective Action in Seismic Events, Princeton University Press, 2019, which received the 2020 Don K. Price Award for Best Book from the Section on Science, Technology, and Environmental Politics, American Political Science Association. She currently serves as Chief Editor, Social Sciences, Natural Hazards Review, member Editorial Board, American Review of Public Administration and Board, International Comparative Policy Analysis Forum.

Dr. Emmanuel Fritsch is a professor of physics at the university of Nantes in western France. He holds a geological engineering degree from the ENSG, Nancy, Eastern France, and a Ph.D. from the Sorbonne (university Paris VII) in Paris. He worked for nearly ten years at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the USA, where he became a Graduate Gemologist (GG), and was promoted manager of GIA Research from 1992 to 1995.  His research is currently conducted at the Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN-CNRS) in Nantes, western France. Dr. Fritsch interests range wide, with all aspects of science that can be applied to gems, and his self-assigned mission is to make gemology more scientific. He has authored over 350 articles and collaborated to nearly 20 books. He is responsible for the DUG (Diplôme d’Université de Gemmologie) diploma.

Dr. Maria Zakrevskaya obtained her B.Sc. (Geology), M.Sc. (Geology), and Ph.D. (Stratigraphy/Palaeontology) from the Moscow State University (Paleontology department). Since 2007 she has been working at the Laboratory of Precambrian organisms of the Palaeontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, Russia) as a research scientist. Her Ph.D. research was focused on the paleoecological analysis of Late Ediacaran communities of benthic macroorganisms of the South-Eastern White sea area. Her area of interest is paleobiology, paleoecology, and taphonomy of the Ediacaran organisms. She took part in several expeditions conducted by the Institute in the frame of the problem of Evolution of the Ancient Biosphere. She has published various papers in peer-reviewed journals and participated in different conferences.

Dr. Vázquez obtained his BSc (Geology) from the University “Dr. Antonio Núñez Jiménez” of Moa, Cuba and his PhD (Geology) from the University of Barcelona, Spain. He is previously worked for the Moa University as a professor and research. His PhD research was based on the Tectonostratigraphic Evolution of Cauto-Guacanayabo Basin in Eastern Cuba. He currently lectures Physic Geology, Introduction to Field Methods and Stratigraphy at the Yachay Tech University of Ecuador. His area of interest are Basin Analysis, Petroleum Geology, Stratigraphy, and Tectonic. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Lingwei Li obtained her BSc (Environmental Science) from the University of Wisconsin Madison and Master of Science (Atmospheric Science) from the Ohio State University. She currently is a PhD student (Atmospheric Science) from the Ohio State University. Her PhD research mainly focus on the Southern Ocean circulation during the last deglaciation and applications of isotopes and geotracers on paleoceanography

Dr. Mohamed Attwa obtained his BSc (Geology) from the University of Zagazig, Egypt and his PhD (hydrogeophysics) from Hannover University, Germany. He is an associate professor of hydrogeophysics and environmental geophysics at Zagazig University, Egypt. He was previously worked for the Leibniz Institute for applied geophysics (LIAG) in Hannover, Germany as a researcher. Currently, he is working for national authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS) in Egypt as a consultant of geophysics. His PhD research was based on the application of geoelectrical methods for groundwater explaration and saltwater intrusion mapping. He currently lectures geoelectrical modeling, structural geophysics and environmental geophysics at Zagazig University, Egypt. His area of interest is geophysical imaging and hydrogeophysics. He has published various papers in peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Crusius obtained his BA (Chemistry) from Carleton College and his PhD (Geochemistry ) from Columbia University and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. He has worked for the USGS since 2003, and has been an Affiliate Associate Professor at the UW School of Oceanography since 2011. He has worked on a variety of problems in environmental geochemistry, and chemical oceanography, and has been working on high-latitude glacial dust as a source of iron, and other metals, to the ocean, for about ten years.

Dr. Carmo Horta obtained his BSc (Agronomy) from the University of Lisbon, Portugal and her PhD
(Agronomy) from the University of Cordoba, Spain. She is a full-time professor in the School of Agriculture
of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Portugal in the scientific area of soil science and fertilization.
Her PhD was based on the phosphorus dynamic in agricultural soils and its agronomic and environmental
behavior. Her currently area of interest is on the use and development of alternative crop fertilizers from
bio-wastes and the evaluation of their agronomic and environmental effects. She has published various
papers in peer reviewed journals.

Dr Ajak Duany Ajak has PhD in Mining and Metallurgical Engineering from Curtin University, Post Graduate Diploma of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence from Columbia Engineering, Master of Enterprise (Management) and Master of Mining Engineering from The Melbourne University of Melbourne, Graduate Certificate of Applied Statistics from Swinburne University, Bachelor Mining Engineering from Ballarat School of Mine, Diploma of Theology/ Seminarian from KISOM, and Advanced Certificate of Peace and Conflict Management. He is a Mining and data analytics Consultant with 16 years of proven project management and leadership skills in data analytics, natural resources development, risk management strategies and community development. As a skilled researcher, mineral development experts, risk and decision analyst who regularly speak in international conferences and published journal articles with prestigious International Journals, Dr Ajak is a leader whose expert opinions counts as he has featured on the Fairfax Media Australian Dandenong Leader Newspaper on June 7, 2010 and on Melbourne Business School magazine in 2014 for leadership skills. 

Mark Kachanov is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University (USA). His field is micromechanics and fracture of materials, with applications (in particular, to rock mechanics). He has published 150 articles (15 of them on rock mechanics) and two books; his Web-of-Science citation index is 43. Has done consulting work in rock mechanics for Shell-Netherlands and Shell-USA, Marathon Oil, and Schlumberger.

Dr. Moshood Adegboyega Olayiwola holds PhD Palaeontology from the Evolutionary Studies Institute, Wits University, South Africa in 2014, Certificate of achievement in Electronic Data Processing and M. Phil. in Applied Geology from O.A.U., Ile-Ife, Nigeria in 1999 and 2007, respectively, MSc. Mineral Exploration (Geophysics Option) from U.I., Ibadan, Nigeria in 1998 and B.Sc. Geology from A.B.U., Zaria, Nigeria in 1994.

He is a Senior Research Fellow and Associate Lecturer at the Institute of AG Leventist Natural History Museum and the Department of Geology, OAU, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, respectively, since 2000 to date. He did his Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Evolutionary Studies Institute, Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa from 2014-2015.

His area of research interests are Palynology, Biostratigraphy, Palaeoecology and Geology. He has worked on various aspects, range from palynostratigraphy, palynofacies to sedimentology  of the Miocene-Pleistocene Agbada successions of Niger Delta Basin, southeastern Nigeria. In addition, he has used palynology and palynofacies tools to reconstruct Sequence stratigraphy, palaeoecology and petroleum potentials of subsurface upper Eocene-lower Oligocene deposits, Dahomey Basin, Southwestern Nigeria and middle-upper Cretaceous Calabar Flank Sediments, Southeastern Nigeria. He is currently working on Quaternary Palynology of Opa and Osun Rivers in Ile-Ife and Osogbo, Southwestern, Nigeria, respectively.

Moshood lives in Modakeke, Osun State, Nigeria, with his wife and children. Contact Moshood at moshood.adegboyega@gmail.com or mayiwola@oauife.edu.ng.

Sabatino Cuomo is Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Salerno, Italy.

He is Coordinator of LARAM School (International School on “LAndslide Risk Assessment and Mitigation) for PhD students, and Board Officer for the Italian Chapter of IGS (International Geosynthetics Society).

Prof. Sabatino Cuomo serves as Associate Editor-in-Chief of Geoenvironmental Disaster Journal, Springer, and member of the Editorial Board of Computers and Geotechnics, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Soils and Foundations, Geotechnical Engineering, and Environmental Geotechnics.

His research interests include Landslide Mechanisms, Solid-fluid transition, Landslide Dynamics, Regional slope stability, Slope erosion, Geosynthetics reinforcement, Laboratory testing of unsaturated soils, Constitutive Modelling.

He has published more than 150 papers in international journals and conference proceedings.