Prof. Sivakumar Uthandi is a Professor and Head at the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore. He has contributed 32 years of service at various levels from Assistant Professor to Dean (Post Graduate Studies). He had his graduation, and Doctorate from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and obtained his post-doctoral training at the University of Florida USA, the University of Warwick UK, Borskeva Institute of Catalysis Russia, and Wageningen University, The Netherlands. He was recognized as Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Florida, USA. He is also holding the honorary position of Adjunct Professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan since 2019 to till-date (2024). He is a Fellow of Royal Society of Biology, London, Academy of Microbiological Sciences, India, and received 4 international 13 national and 9 state awards. He has contributed a lot on biocatalysts mediated biomass conversion, more particularly, lignin biotransformation leading to lignin derived renewable aromatics. So far, he has published 171 peer-reviewed research papers including 4 patents (1-US, 3-Indian) and 7 books. To his laurel, he has mobilized funds to the tune of INR 1171 lakhs and offered 35 fellowships to students which include 21 Masters, 6 Doctoral candidates and 8 PDFs.lakhs through various funding agencies ICAR, DBT, DST, Indo-Russia, Indo-US, SERB and MHRD-FAST. He is the Editor of Springe Nature’s Indian Journal Microbiology for the past 3 years. Dr. Peiyue Li is a distinguished Full Professor in hydrogeology and environmental sciences at Chang'an University in China. With his extensive expertise, he has made significant contributions to the field, particularly in groundwater quality assessment, hydrogeochemistry, and groundwater modeling. Dr. Li's influence extends beyond his research publications. He has edited and co-edited ten textbooks and academic monographs, providing valuable resources for students and researchers in the field. Additionally, he has published over 180 articles in reputable refereed journals, covering a wide range of topics, including groundwater quality assessment, groundwater hydrochemistry, groundwater pumping tests, and in-situ tracer tests. Acknowledging his expertise and research impact, Dr. Li holds positions as an associate editor for esteemed journals such as Exposure and Health, Mine Water and the Environment, Archive of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Discover Water, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, and Water Practice and Technology. This involvement reflects his commitment to advancing the field through editorial contributions and peer review. Dr. Li's research excellence has garnered recognition from renowned organizations such as Clarivate and Elsevier, who have recognized him as one of the most highly cited researchers in the world. This recognition underscores the significance and influence of his research contributions within the scientific community. As a Full Professor, Dr. Peiyue Li's extensive experience, numerous publications, editorial roles, and international recognition affirm his status as a leading figure in the field of hydrogeology and environmental sciences. His work continues to shape the understanding of groundwater processes and contribute to the advancement of environmental science. Professor Vetrimurugan Elumalai is the South African National Research Chair in Hydrology (SARChi-Tier 1) and the Head of the Department of Hydrology at the University of Zululand in South Africa. He is a rated (C2) researcher by National Research Foundation (NRF). His area of research focus includes groundwater quality and quantity, geochemistry, groundwater modelling, subsurface and groundwater interaction, impact of climate change on water resources, and sustainable water resource management. He has published about 65 research papers in reputed journals. He is serving as an editorial board member and guest editors in reputed international scientific journals, including Chemosphere, Water, Discover Water, Environmental Earth Sciences and Frontiers in Marine Science etc., He is registered scientist with SACNASP. He is a life member of International Association of Hydrological Science, International Association of Hydrogeologists, and Geological Survey of South Africa. He is a member of many academic and management committees in South Africa. There are currently several research projects he is involved with nationally and internationally, and he has received the "Emerging Researchers Award" for 2017 and the "Established Researchers Award" for 2018 and 2023 from Vice-Chancellor's Excellence. Dr. Boving is a Professor of Environmental Hydrogeology at the University of Rhode Island (URI) Kingston, USA. He is joint-appointed to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Geosciences. He is the Chair of the Department of Geosciences and the Director of the Masters of Environmental Science and Management (MES) program. Boving received his PhD in Hydrology and Water Resources Management from the University of Arizona, Tucson USA. His Diploma in Geology is from the University of Tübingen, Germany. Boving is a Fulbright scholar and co-author of the leading textbook in his area of research (Contaminant Hydrogeology 3rd Ed.). With over 30 years of experiences, his research focuses on innovative soil and water treatment technologies, fate and transport of emerging contaminants, and riverbank filtration technology. Professor Boving conducts research in Asia, Arabia, Africa, and Europe and currently works with universities and non-governmental organizations in South Africa, Indonesia and India on water treatment, rural water supply systems, and sensor controlled irrigation.
