Invited Speakers
Mr. Renato Reis
PIEP - Innovation in Polymer EngineeringPortugal
Mr. Renato Reis
PIEP - Innovation in Polymer EngineeringPortugalBiography
Renato Reis holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a specialization in Processing and Characterization of Materials from the University of Minho, Portugal. With over 15 years of dedicated experience in plastic product development, he has built a robust career spanning research centers and the automotive and furniture industries. Currently, he serves as the Head of the Extrusion, Compounding, and Advanced Materials department at PIEP (Polymer Engineering Innovation Center). In this role, he leads strategic research and innovation projects in close collaboration with industrial partners. His core expertise lies in developing sustainable and intelligent materials through advanced extrusion and compounding techniques. Renato is deeply involved in the technical and scientific coordination of high-impact initiatives, such as "Sustainable Plastics," "BlueBioEconomy," and "From Fossil to Forest." His work focuses on bridging the gap between applied science and industrial needs, driving the transition toward a circular bioeconomy through innovative material solutions.
Speech Title
Development of thermoplastic-coated paper-based structures for biodegradable food packaging
Prof. Mihaela Muntean
West University of TimisoaraRomania
Prof. Mihaela Muntean
West University of TimisoaraRomaniaBiography
She is a professor at West University of Timi?oara, specializing in Business Informatics, with a focus on Business Intelligence, Visual Analytics, and Data Science. Her research spans areas such as decision support systems, machine learning applications in business, and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), with an emphasis on data-driven decision-making and governance.
She has been actively involved in international academic collaboration, including Erasmus+ teaching and research initiatives, and has contributed to interdisciplinary projects such as the UNITA – Universitas Montium Blended Intensive Programme. As an academic contributor, she has participated in research and educational projects at both national and international levels, as well as applied research in collaboration with industry partners.
Speech Title
Visual Analytics – Exploring and Understanding Economic Trends in Business
Dr. Nikhil Churi
Utah Valley University United States
Dr. Nikhil Churi
Utah Valley University United StatesBiography
Dr. Nikhil Churi is an accomplished academic and researcher in the field of computer science and information technology, currently associated with Utah Valley University, USA. He has extensive experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership, with a strong focus on emerging technologies and their real-world applications. Dr. Churi has contributed significantly to the advancement of computing education through innovative teaching methodologies and active involvement in curriculum development.
His research interests span areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, and applied computing. He has published numerous research papers in reputed journals and international conferences, and actively collaborates with researchers and institutions worldwide. Dr. Churi is also engaged in mentoring students and fostering innovation, making notable contributions to both academic and industry-oriented research initiatives.
Speech Title
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) as the Analytical Core of Industry 4.0: An ISA-95–Aligned Architecture for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enabled Smart Manufacturing
Prof Dr Sam El Namaki
VU School of Management, Switzerland
Prof Dr Sam El Namaki
VU School of Management, SwitzerlandBiography
Prof. El Namaki is a globally recognized academic and thought leader in strategic management, entrepreneurship, and international business, holding a Ph.D. from the University of Brussels, an MA from Erasmus University, and an Executive Program from MIT. He is the Founder and former Dean of the Maastricht School of Management (Netherlands) and currently serves as Dean of the VU School of Management, Switzerland. With a distinguished global career, he has taught at leading institutions including Kellogg School of Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Peking University, AIT Bangkok, and the University of Sheffield, and has held executive roles at Philips, McKinsey & Company, and Time Inc. He has consulted extensively for multinational corporations, governments, the European Union, and the World Bank across multiple countries. A prolific author, he has published seven books and over 100 articles, with several recognized as key academic resources, and his recent work focuses on the strategic implications of Artificial Intelligence in business. He has received prestigious international honors, including the China Friendship Award (2018) and a distinction award from the Government of Malaysia (2016), acknowledging his significant global contributions.
Speech Title
Will be updated soon.
Miss. Hema Lakkaraju
AI Governance & Safety Leader United States
Miss. Hema Lakkaraju
AI Governance & Safety Leader United StatesBiography
Hema Lakkaraju is a globally recognized AI governance and responsible AI leader, board advisor, speaker, author, and podcast host dedicated to helping organizations build trustworthy, ethical, and compliant AI systems.
She serves as a board advisor to multiple healthcare and technology organizations and contributes to leading industry initiatives focused on AI governance, cybersecurity, risk management, and emerging technology standards. Hema is actively involved in advancing responsible AI practices through her work with international standards bodies, industry consortiums, and regulatory discussions.
Known for translating complex technical and regulatory topics into practical business strategies, she advises executives and organizations on navigating AI risk, compliance, governance, and digital transformation.
Through her thought leadership, speaking engagements, and industry contributions, Hema continues to shape conversations around the future of responsible AI, helping organizations innovate with confidence while maintaining accountability, transparency, and trust.
Speech Title
Will be updated soon.
Dr. Daniel Rodriguez-Howell
University of Puerto Rico United States
Dr. Daniel Rodriguez-Howell
University of Puerto Rico United StatesBiography
Dr. Daniel Rodriguez-Howell holds a Ph.D. in Human Services with a specialization in Health Care Administration from Capella University. He also earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing from the University of Puerto Rico. He has extensive experience in nursing leadership and education, public health, and healthcare administration, having worked in the U.S. Army health system and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Public Health Officer. He also served as Infection Control Manager at the South Texas Veterans Healthcare System. Currently, he is a Full Professor at the University of Puerto Rico in Humacao, where he has also held key leadership roles including Associate Dean of Research and Interim Dean of Academic Affairs. His work focuses on leadership, healthcare management, and research, and he is also a published author and active lecturer and mentor in leadership development.
Speech Title
Will be updated soon.
Dr. Sie Long Kek
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
Dr. Sie Long Kek
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn MalaysiaBiography
Dr. Sie Long Kek, PhD, CQRM, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. He specializes in optimization, control systems, modelling and simulation, parameter estimation, and computational mathematics, with a strong focus on real-world applications. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed research articles and several book chapters, and serves as a reviewer for leading international journals. A Certified Quantitative Risk Management Fellow, he has successfully led multiple funded research projects and supervised postgraduate students at both master�s and Ph.D. levels. He has also contributed to academic leadership, including heading the Numerical Simulation and Applications research group, and continues to advance interdisciplinary research in applied mathematics and engineering systems.
Speech Title
Hunting Stationary Points: Gradient Descent versus Gauss-Newton for Squared Gradient Norms
Dr. Thomas M Fehlmann
Euro Project Office AG Switzerland
Dr. Thomas M Fehlmann
Euro Project Office AG SwitzerlandBiography
Thomas is a free entrepreneur and senior researcher, presenting findings and results at various conferences, discussing with colleagues, and publishing articles. His interest has extended from Six Sigma and process control to Artificial Intelligence (AI) because he worked in this field as a student and, despite the many AI winters experienced, he has never lost interest in it. In 2020, he developed and published about Autonomous Real-time Testing that uses AI to generate test cases addressing customer needs.
He is currently investigating how the Graph Model of Combinatory Logic can be used to understand what is going on in the rapidly developing AI market and how AI can provide value for its users.
Also, expecting AI to be of great benefit for all enterprises, he counsels them how to keep these new technologies under control and how to certify AI-generated products in terms of safety and privacy.
Speech Title
Safe Deployment of AI Agents in an Enterprise
Dr. Walter Salazar
University of El Salvador El Salvador
Dr. Walter Salazar
University of El Salvador El SalvadorBiography
Dr. Walter Salazar is a structural, civil engineer who obtained a doctoral degree in Engineering Seismology from the Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, in 2004. Dr. Salazar has been active in research on seismic hazard and site effects, producing several peer-reviewed maps for El Salvador, Jamaica, and the Eastern Caribbean. He has published about sixty articles in international scientific Journals, books, and conferences. In 2011, Dr. Salazar received a Distinguished Salvadoran National Award and, in 2023, a National Award for Scientific Research from the National Council of Science and Technology of El Salvador. He is a Professor of Civil Structural Engineering at the Catholic University of El Salvador.
Speech Title
Probabilistic Seismic Hazard for El Salvador
Mr. Praneet Pabolu
Splunk United States
Mr. Praneet Pabolu
Splunk United StatesBiography
Will be updated soon.
Speech Title
Enhancing LLM Workflows through Multi-Agent Reasoning and
Reinforcement Learning
Miss. Dhruvi Parikh
AtkinsRealisUnited Arab Emirates
Miss. Dhruvi Parikh
AtkinsRealisUnited Arab EmiratesBiography
Dhruvi Parikh is a Research & Development Lead at AtkinsRéalis, where she focuses on turning emerging technologies into practical capabilities for engineering and infrastructure organisations. Her work spans artificial intelligence, digital products, intelligent systems, and innovation programmes, with a particular interest in how organisations can adopt advanced technologies in a responsible, scalable, and business-aligned manner.
Working at the intersection of technology, engineering, and product strategy, Dhruvi is involved in exploring how AI can augment professional expertise, accelerate decision-making, and unlock new ways of delivering value across the built environment. Beyond her professional role, she is a member of the AI Safety UAE community and advocates for Responsible AI, contributing to discussions on AI governance, agentic systems, and the safe deployment of AI within enterprises.
She is passionate about bridging research and real-world implementation, helping organisations navigate the opportunities and challenges of the next generation of intelligent systems.
Speech Title
Can a Machine Learn Design DNA? A Framework for Architectural Identity and Engineering Intelligence
Mrs. Michele Nash-Hoff
ElectroFab Sales US
Mrs. Michele Nash-Hoff
ElectroFab Sales USBiography
Michele is the Founder and President of ElectroFab Sales, a sales agency specializing in helping Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) select the right fabrication processes for their products. She holds a B.A. in French and Spanish from San Diego State University and has completed the LEAD San Diego leadership program, along with certifications in Total Quality Management and Lean Six Sigma. She has extensive experience in manufacturing, business development, quality management, and entrepreneurship.
Michele has served on the boards of 13 nonprofit organizations, including as President of seven, and has also been involved in managing business incubators for startup companies. She is the author of For Profit Business Incubators, Rebuild Manufacturing – The Key to American Prosperity, and Can American Manufacturing Be Saved? Why We Should and How We Can. Since 2009, she has regularly published articles and blogs focusing on U.S. manufacturing, industrial development, entrepreneurship, and the future of manufacturing.
Speech Title
The Future of Global Manufacturing
Asst . Prof. Tadele Melaku Chala
Ambo University Ethiopia
Asst . Prof. Tadele Melaku Chala
Ambo University EthiopiaBiography
Prof. Tadele Melaku Chala is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Ambo University, Ethiopia. With a strong academic background in economic theory and applied research, he has contributed to advancing knowledge in development economics, agricultural economics, and policy analysis. Over the years, Dr. Chala has been actively involved in teaching, mentoring, and research activities, fostering critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making among students and researchers. His work emphasizes the socioeconomic transformation of developing nations, particularly focusing on sustainable growth and poverty alleviation.
Speech Title
Will be updated soon.
Ms. Eksha Guliani
Manav Rachna UniversityIndia
Ms. Eksha Guliani
Manav Rachna UniversityIndiaBiography
Ms. Eksha Guliani is a dedicated research scholar pursuing Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Manav Rachna University, Faridabad, India. She has strong expertise in organic synthesis, sustainable materials and environmental applications. She holds M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Chemistry (with distinction) from Amity University and has contributed extensively to advancing eco-friendly chemical strategies that address global challenges. Her research experience spans development of Schiff base chemosensors from valorization of waste. She has authored multiple book chapters with CRC Press and Elsevier reflecting her multidisciplinary approach to green and sustainable chemistry. Ms. Eksha Guliani has presented her work at international conferences earning multiple Best Oral Presentation awards from reputed platforms including the American Chemical Society (ACS). She is skilled in advanced characterization techniques (NMR, XRD, LC-MS, GC-MS, FTIR, UV-Vis) as well as ChemDraw, Origin, LaTeX and Microsoft Office. Driven by a vision to merge organic chemistry with sustainability she aims to contribute to cutting-edge research communities and collaborative projects focused on green chemistry, environmental remediation, and advanced materials.
Speech Title
Waste-to-Resource Approach: Cu–Co Doped ZnO/D-Carvone Biochar Composite for UV Light Driven Photocatalytic–Adsorptive Removal of Methylene Blue Dye.
Dr. Fadi Ibrahim
Kuwait University Kuwait
Dr. Fadi Ibrahim
Kuwait University KuwaitBiography
Dr. Fadi Ibrahim Ahmed, a distinguished chemist from Kuwait, holds a BSc in Chemistry from El Mansoura University (1998), an MSc with a GPA of 4.0 (2007), and a PhD in Chemistry with a GPA of 3.93 (2012) from Kuwait University. He later completed postdoctoral research on novel polymer-based hydrogen storage materials in 2013. He has received multiple awards, including the Kuwait–France Chemistry Meeting Poster Award (2009) and graduate research awards in applied sciences from Kuwait University. Dr. Ahmed has presented internationally, including at ICCBE Kuwait (2017) and the World Congress on Biopolymers and Polymers Chemistry in Osaka (2018). His work focuses on microporous polymers, CO? capture, and advanced polymer synthesis.
Speech Title
Manufacture of a submarine with 3D artificial intelligence-engineered nano-polymer membranes to dually address water pollution in the Arabian Gulf and reduce CO2 in air
Prof. Zhongsheng Guo
Northwestern A & F University China
Prof. Zhongsheng Guo
Northwestern A & F University ChinaBiography
Zhongsheng Guo obtained his master's and doctor’s degree from Northwest A&F University in 2000 and in 2004, respectively. He is currently a professor at Northwest A&F University.
He put forward the theory of the limit of plant resource utilization, the theory of vegetation carrying capacity, the theory of the critical period for regulating the relationship between plants and resources, and the new theory of soil and water conservation. This is the theoretical foundation for achieving high quality developmen of forestry, grassland, agriculture and soil and water conservation. Since June 2022, he has served as the head of the "Innovative China" Agricultural Quality Production and Industrial Service Group.
Speech Title
High quality development of soil and water conservation
