Nadhir Al-Ansari | Engineering | Excellence in Citation Achievement Award

Nadhir Al-Ansari | Engineering | Excellence in Citation Achievement Award

LuleaUniversity of Technology | Sweden

Professor Nadhir Al-Ansari is a distinguished scholar in civil, environmental, and natural resources engineering, renowned for his extensive contributions to water resources and environmental sustainability. Currently serving at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden, he has held multiple academic leadership roles throughout his career, including Dean and Head of Department, and has executed more than 60 major research projects across Iraq, Jordan, and the United Kingdom. His prolific scholarly output includes over 790 research articles published in international and national journals, numerous book chapters, 21 books and special issues, as well as a patent related to the physical separation of iron oxides. A dedicated mentor, he has supervised more than 70 postgraduate students across various universities, fostering the next generation of experts in water and environmental engineering. Professor Al-Ansari’s work has been widely recognized through numerous prestigious awards, such as the Mesopotamia Prize for Water Resources, honors from the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, awards from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Jordan, and the British Council’s 70th Anniversary recognition as one of the top five scientists in Cultural Relations. He is also the recipient of several scientific and community service accolades from organizations in Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, and beyond. Actively engaged in global scientific discourse, he serves on the editorial boards of 24 international journals and maintains membership in several leading professional societies, including the Chartered Institution of Water and Environment Management, the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, the International Commission for Continental Erosion, and the Arab Integrated Water Resources Management Network. He also founded and previously presided over the Rafidain Organization for Water Resources Protection and Development, reflecting his lifelong commitment to advancing sustainable water resource management and environmental protection worldwide.

Featured Publications

Nguyen, Q. H., Ly, H. B., Ho, L. S., Al-Ansari, N., Le, H. V., Tran, V. Q., Prakash, I., … (2021). Influence of data splitting on performance of machine learning models in prediction of shear strength of soil. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2021(1), Article 4832864.

Kumar, R., Qureshi, M., Vishwakarma, D. K., Al-Ansari, N., Kuriqi, A., Elbeltagi, A., … (2022). A review on emerging water contaminants and the application of sustainable removal technologies. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 6, 100219.

Tao, H., Hameed, M. M., Marhoon, H. A., Zounemat-Kermani, M., Heddam, S., … (2022). Groundwater level prediction using machine learning models: A comprehensive review. Neurocomputing, 489, 271–308.

Shahabi, H., Shirzadi, A., Ghaderi, K., Omidvar, E., Al-Ansari, N., Clague, J. J., … (2020). Flood detection and susceptibility mapping using Sentinel-1 remote sensing data and a machine learning approach: Hybrid intelligence of bagging ensemble based on k-nearest neighbors. Remote Sensing, 12(2), 266.

Al-Ansari, N. (2013). Management of water resources in Iraq: Perspectives and prognoses. Engineering, 5(6), 667–684.

Nhu, V. H., Shirzadi, A., Shahabi, H., Singh, S. K., Al-Ansari, N., Clague, J. J., … (2020). Shallow landslide susceptibility mapping: A comparison between logistic model tree, logistic regression, naïve Bayes tree, artificial neural network, and support vector machine models. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8), 2749.

Angela Boggero | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Angela Boggero | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

CNR-Water Research Institute (IRSA) | Italy

Dr. Angela Boggero is a distinguished Italian researcher specializing in freshwater ecology, with a primary focus on macroinvertebrates and invasive species in aquatic ecosystems. She is currently a senior researcher at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) – Water Research Institute (IRSA) in Verbania Pallanza, where she leads research activities related to the ecological assessment and management of freshwater biodiversity. Over the years, she has made significant contributions to the study of lake and river ecosystems, particularly in understanding the role of benthic communities as indicators of ecological quality in compliance with the EU Water Framework Directive. Her previous experience includes serving as a researcher with LifeWatch Italy, the Italian component of the European LifeWatch infrastructure, where she was responsible for studies on the vulnerability of freshwater ecosystems to the introduction of alien species. She has also worked extensively with the Institute of Ecosystem Study (ISE-CNR), focusing on the ecological monitoring and assessment of macroinvertebrate communities in subalpine and alpine water bodies. Angela’s academic background includes a degree in Biological Sciences with an ecological focus from the University of Turin, where she studied reproductive mechanisms and genetic variability in marine organisms. Throughout her career, she has participated in numerous national and international research programs and has contributed to advancing methodologies for aquatic biomonitoring, biodiversity conservation, and invasive species management. Her scientific expertise and leadership have supported Italy’s compliance with European environmental directives and fostered collaboration within the broader scientific community. Fluent in English and proficient in other European languages, she continues to play a vital role in promoting interdisciplinary research and sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems.

Featured Publications

Pawlowski, J., Kelly-Quinn, M., Altermatt, F., Apothéloz-Perret-Gentil, L., Beja, P., … (2018). The future of biotic indices in the ecogenomic era: Integrating (e)DNA metabarcoding in biological assessment of aquatic ecosystems. Science of the Total Environment, 637, 1295–1310.

Leese, F., Altermatt, F., Bouchez, A., Ekrem, T., Hering, D., Meissner, K., … (2016). DNAqua-Net: Developing new genetic tools for bioassessment and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems in Europe. Research Ideas and Outcomes, 2, e11321.

Füreder, L., Ettinger, R., Boggero, A., Thaler, B., & Thies, H. (2006). Macroinvertebrate diversity in Alpine lakes: Effects of altitude and catchment properties. Hydrobiologia, 562(1), 123–144.

Marchetto, A., Mosello, R., Psenner, R., Bendetta, G., Boggero, A., & Tait, D., … (1995). Factors affecting water chemistry of alpine lakes. Aquatic Sciences, 57(1), 81–89.

Rossaro, B., Lencioni, V., Boggero, A., & Marziali, L. (2006). Chironomids from southern Alpine running waters: Ecology and biogeography. Hydrobiologia, 562(1), 231–246.

Boggero, A., Füreder, L., Lencioni, V., Simčič, T., Thaler, B., Ferrarese, U., … (2006). Littoral chironomid communities of Alpine lakes in relation to environmental factors. Hydrobiologia, 562(1), 145–165.