Interdisciplinary Approaches to Sustainable Research and Development in Science, Technology, and Socio-Economic Studies

Sheila Mahapatra is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the Alliance College of Engineering and Design, Alliance University. She earned her doctoral degree from The NorthCap University, Gurugram in 2016, and has since emerged as a leading voice in the domains of power systems optimization, FACTS devices, energy economics, and sustainability. Dr. Mahapatra's academic journey is marked by her unwavering commitment to research excellence and pedagogical innovation. Beyond her distinguished professorial responsibilities, she plays a crucial role in the university's academic and research leadership as the Associate Director - Research (Academics). In these strategic capacities, Dr. Mahapatra spearheads the formulation and execution of Alliance University's research vision, fostering an environment of scholarly inquiry, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful innovation. As Associate Director at the Center for Research, Alliance University, Dr. Sheila oversees critical areas such as research publications, Ph.D. programs, Centers of Excellence, research initiatives including project-based learning and funded projects, intellectual property rights, and the Academic Integrity Committee. Her dynamic leadership has significantly enhanced the university's research ecosystem and has also aligned meaningfully with emerging global challenges and national priorities. Dr. Mahapatra has an extensive record of research publications in SCI/SCI-E and Scopus-indexed journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings. She also holds several granted patents. She is also a reviewer for leading journals. Dr. Mahapatra is a life member of professional bodies such as IET and ISTE, and a Senior Member of IEEE.

Rajesh Sharma Rajendran is a faculty member at Alliance University, Bangalore, India, with over 16 years of academic experience. His research focuses on computer vision and robotics, particularly in developing machine learning and deep learning models for motion detection, prediction, and image segmentation across various domains such as agriculture and surveillance. He has authored more than 100 articles in reputed journals. Dr. Rajesh Sharma R holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from Anna University, India. He also earned an M.Tech in Information Technology from Anna University, an MSc in Software Engineering from Annamalai University, India, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Madras University, India. He played a key role in establishing the Centre of Excellence in Electrical Systems and Electronics at Adama Science and Technology University, Ethiopia. Currently, he leads the Research Publication Team at Alliance University. In 2024, he served as one of the co-conveners of the research conference ADRIS 2024 at Alliance University, where 123 papers were processed for publication. He also has significant experience in reviewing, scheduling, and processing articles for SCOPUS-indexed publications.

Rajeshkumar Lakshminarasimhan is currently working as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Alliance University. He has completed his Post-Doctoral Research at King Mongkut's University of Technology in North Bangkok, Thailand. He has completed his doctoral degree in Anna University, Chennai in metal matrix composites. He has a double master's degree: M.E. degree from Kongu Engineering College, Perundurai and MBA degree from Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore. He received his Bachelor's degree from Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College, Coimbatore. He has a total teaching and research experience of 15 years. His research areas of interest include Polymer and Metal matrix composites, Natural fibers and their characterization, Powder metallurgy and Tribology. He has one granted Indian patent, three granted international patents, nine published Indian patents, 106 journal articles in reputed SCI and Scopus indexed international journals, four edited books with leading publishers and 45 book chapters.

Balamurugan Balusamy is Professor and Chairperson of the School of Engineering and IT at Manipal University, Dubai. He previously served as Professor and Associate Dean (Academics) at the Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi-NCR, and held positions as Professor, Director (International Relations), and earlier Associate Professor during his 15-year tenure at VIT University, Vellore. He has also been Professor in the School of Computing Sciences & Engineering at Galgotias University, Greater Noida, and is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Information Engineering at Taylor University, Malaysia. He was listed among the Top 2% Scientists Worldwide 2023 by Stanford University in the field of Data Science/AI/ML. His work spans engineering education, blockchain, and data science. Prof. Balusamy has published 200+ high-impact journal papers and has edited or authored over 200 books, collaborating with leading scholars from top QS-ranked universities. He has delivered over 210 talks at international events and has travelled to more than 15 countries for academic and research engagements. He has also organized and hosted over ten international conferences. His teaching philosophy emphasizes design thinking and learner-centred approaches.