Prof. Girum Urgessa is a Professor of Structural Engineering at George Mason University. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a Fellow of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI). Before joining academia, he was a research engineer at Thornton Tomasetti and a structural engineer at Dekker. A passionate teacher, he is the recipient of the 2022 John Toups Presidential Medal for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. Prof. Urgessa is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Maryland.

Joao Castro Gomes is the professor and leader of the Centre of Materials and Building Technologies Research Unit at the University of Beira Interior since January 2007. João Castro Gomes graduated from the University of Minho with a degree in Civil Engineering. He completed his PhD studies at the University of Leeds in 1997. After the doctoral degree, he worked as a university lecturer and team leader until his appointment to the professorship. His research interests are the reuse of industrial and household wastes particularly mining waste to develop sustainable cementitious materials by alkali-activation and carbon adsorption. He was awarded several prizes related to carbon capture and utilization in the construction industry (1st Prize Climatelaunchpad Global competition 2018 - EIT Climate KIC, 1st prize Manuel António da Mota Foundation 2018, Winner idea within “Promove Regiões Fronteiriças/Promoting Border Regions” 2019 edition supported by the La Caixa Foundation / BPI and 1st Prize awarded by TAKE-OFF Project – Building Global Technology Entrepreneurs for Advanced Materials 2020 given to DARKCO2 business idea).

Professor Sandy Liddell Halliday MPhil MCIBSE CEng FWES HonFRIAS HonFRIBA Principal, Gaia Research www.gaiagroup.org Sandy is a chartered engineer and honorary fellow of both the RIAS and RIBA for pioneering services to the built environment and sustainability. She was voted one of the top 50 Women in Sustainability. She is a Director of the Scottish Ecological Design Association and writes a well-respected column on Sustainability for the RIAS magazine. Sandy is author of Sustainable Construction.

Diego (BSc, MSc, PhD, CIMA Cert BA, FHEA) is an experienced IT Project Management trainer, consultant, and university instructor with over 20 years of experience. He has taught, supervised, and supported more than 1,500 students at BSc, MSc, and PhD levels, both online and in-person, across a variety of institutions. Diego is a certified professional with qualifications from PMI (Project Management Institute) and CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), bringing a strong foundation in both academic and practical knowledge. Diego works as a consultant and trainer in the fields of Project Management, Business Information Systems & Governance, IT Strategy, and Security. He focuses on delivering practical insights and solutions that help organizations strengthen their project delivery, optimize IT strategies, and achieve their business objectives effectively.

Prof. Sandy Vanesa Rodríguez Merchán holds a Bachelor's degree in Physics from Universidad Nacional de Colombia (2014) and a Ph.D. in Energies from Universidad de Concepción, Chile (2021). Her research focuses on thermodynamic methods and life cycle analysis for assessing energy efficiency and sustainability in industrial processes. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher at the Electrical Machines Testing Laboratory, Universidad de Concepción, and a university lecturer. She has undertaken research stays in Sweden and has published on topics including the Water-Energy Nexus and risk management for energy infrastructure. Her expertise includes environmental impact assessment, resource efficiency, and electromobility. She is proficient in SimaPro and Aspen Plus and fluent in Spanish and English.

Prof. Okere Chinenye Elizabeth is a Professor in Civil Engineering department at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri with specialization in Structures. She obtained her Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering in 1998, Master of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Structural Engineering in 2006 and 2012 respectively, all from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where she distinguished herself as the top Civil engineering student in 1998. With over 18 years of experience, she has been dedicated to teaching and mentoring both undergraduate and postgraduate students (M.Eng and Ph.D) in civil/structural engineering, including overseeing their projects. Okere is a corporate member of both the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN). As a skilled Engineer registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), she is committed to excellence in every aspect of her work. Her professional pursuits also include engineering consultancy, project management, supervision of engineering projects, research, training and academic advisory roles. Okere has authored over 48 publications in reputable local and international journals and has served as a reviewer for various authoritative journals. Her teaching and research interests encompass concrete technology optimization, mathematical modelling, civil engineering materials and structural analysis. Furthermore, Okere Chinenye Elizabeth is a World Bank certified Procurement Management trained personnel, having undergone Advanced Certificate Executive Training Workshop/Courses in Procurement Management at the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards (CE-sPESS), FUTO, a program sponsored by the World Bank and supported by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Prof. Jaime Boris Irahola is a seasoned civil and structural engineer with over three decades of experience in infrastructure and construction management. He currently serves as a Senior Project Manager at HDR Inc. in Irvine, California, and is the CEO of The SPS Corporation, specializing in structural design and stormwater pipeline engineering services. During his tenure at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Mr. Irahola held several pivotal roles, including Office Chief for District 12 Construction, where he managed 120 engineers and administrators overseeing 92 projects totaling $1 billion. His extensive experience encompasses managing complex highway and bridge projects, structural design, and construction oversight. In academia, he contributes as a part-time lecturer at California State University, Long Beach, teaching various civil engineering courses. He also serves on the board of the Cal Poly Alumni Association, supporting scholarship initiatives. Mr. Irahola holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in California.

Prof. Ismail Farajpour is a civil engineering educator and researcher, currently serving as Chair of the Department of the Built Environment at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. With over a decade of academic experience, he previously held the position of Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Civil Engineering at South Carolina State University. His leadership focuses on advancing construction and engineering education through academic excellence, curriculum development, industry partnerships, and accreditation efforts. Holding a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Dr. Farajpour possesses extensive expertise in Computational Structural Analysis, Finite Element Analysis, and Computer Modeling. His research interests include engineering optimization, smart structures, advanced construction techniques, uncertainty quantification, model validation, coupled numerical models, robust design, and structural health monitoring. His teaching portfolio includes courses in structural engineering, construction management, and surveying. Dr. Farajpour is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Kevin Shird is a four-time published author, activist, and screenwriter. He has become an expert on using the past to build a better future. Shird began his very unorthodox journey at the tender age of sixteen when he started dealing drugs on the streets of Baltimore. This lead to him serving a total of almost twelve years in prison. Since leaving prison, Shird monetized his life’s lesson by authoring books on social issues. He lectures at colleges and universities across America on issues like education, public health policy, and mass incarceration. During the Obama Administration, he collaborated with the White House and President Obama’s Clemency Initiative. In 2018, he became an associate at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Medical Humanities and Social Medicine, where he coteaches a class on public health. Today, he co-teaches a course at Coppin State University.

Pierre Cerasi holds a position of Senior Scientist at SINTEF Industry, a member institute of the SINTEF non-profit research foundation based in Trondheim, Norway. Pierre received his PhD in Physics from the Denis Diderot University in Paris and went on to post-doc positions at Institut Français du Pétrole, Paris and Schlumberger Cambridge Research, UK (EU Marie Curie posistion), before joining SINTEF in 2000. He has 20+ years of experience in petroleum-related research in the disciplines of geomechanics and flow in porous media, in particular wellbore stability, solids production and formation damage. Since 2009, he has applied this expertise to CCS research and newly also to underground hydrogen storage. He has held the position of project manager for many Single Client, Joint Industry and Research Council of Norway projects during the past 24 years at SINTEF.

Alae Ben Moummad, is a Moroccan Civil Engineer and Fulbright grantee with a B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from the National School of Arts and Crafts of Meknes, Morocco. He has a modest background in construction site management since he worked in the field with private contractors in his country. Currently, Ben is pursuing his Ph.D. at Mohammadia School of Engineers in the Civil and Construction department with a focus on Construction Management. He’ll pursue a year of research at Michigan State University specifically in the School of Planning and Design of Construction, to concentrate on Green and Lean Construction

Prof. C. Gajendran is a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at SNS College of Technology, Coimbatore, With over 23 years of academic and research experience, he is recognized for his contributions to the fields of Environmental Engineering, and the application of GIS and RS in environmental engineering. Prof. Gajendran has served as principal investigator and co-investigator in over 10 Government-funded research projects, supported by premier agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the IKS Division of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. His work emphasizes the integration of traditional ecological wisdom with modern scientific methods to address contemporary challenges in water and environmental sustainability. He has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications plus, presented extensively at national and international conferences, and mentored numerous postgraduate and undergraduate research projects. His recent research focuses on geospatial and isotopic studies of sacred maritime corridors in South India, under the National Mission on Cultural Mapping. Prof. Gajendran continues to contribute to curriculum development, interdisciplinary research, and capacity building in civil and environmental engineering. His academic leadership and research endeavors are widely respected within the engineering education and environmental sustainability communities.