Energy-Smart Farming for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

Pedro Aguilar-Zárate, PhD, is Professor at Tecnológico Nacional de México/ Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Valles, Mexico. He earned his PhD degree in Food Science and Technology at Autonomous University of Coahuila, Mexico. His research focuses on the development of bioprocesses for the extraction and purification of secondary plant metabolites, the development of microbial fermentations in solid and liquid media to produce metabolites of industrial interest, and the study of protein-polyphenols interactions. Dr. Aguilar has published over 50 articles in indexed journals, over 30 book chapters, and nine articles in refereed journals. He has directed and co-directed 33 undergraduate students, four MSc theses, and two PhD theses. He has made several presentations at scientific and academic events. He has been in charge of five research projects funded by the National Technological Institute of Mexico and collaborated on two projects funded by the sectoral funds SEP-CONACYT and CONAFOR-CONACYT. He is guest editor of Frontiers in Food Science and Technology, Polymers, Plant Science Today, Foods and the International Journal of Research and Technological Innovation (RIIT). This has earned him recognition as a member of the National System of Researchers level 2 (Mexico). His research and scientific career have been recognized by the Mexican Association of Food Science (2014), the Mexican Society of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (2015), the Mexican Association of Food Engineering and Biotechnology (2020), and the Potosino Council of Science and Technology (2021 and 2024).

Pushan Kumar Dutta, PhD, is a senior academic and researcher at Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Kolkata, India. He was an Erasmus Postdoctoral Fellow in Mechatronics at the University of Oradea, Romania, and earned a PhD in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Jadavpur University, specializing in AI, IoT, Industry 5.0, and sustainable engineering. He has authored and edited over 60 books with top publishers such as Springer and Elsevier and serves as the editor for the Sustainable Industrial Engineering Systems series by CRC Press. Recognized as a Mentor of Change by NITI Aayog, Dr. Dutta has guided multiple award-winning student projects and won the Johnson Control International White Paper Contest. With two patents, extensive publications, and expertise in Python and MATLAB, he combines innovation with sustainability, advancing fields such as energy-smart farming, quantum computing, and predictive analytics.

Sachin Gupta, PhD, is a distinguished academician and prolific researcher and serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, India. Accredited with a DLitt in Management Sciences from Sambalpur University and a PhD from the University of Rajasthan, Dr. Gupta's academic pursuits extend to postgraduate specializations in business administration and finance. His research output includes 55 research papers, many gaining global acclaim, and 50 presentations at esteemed conferences. He has guided seven PhD scholars and one MPhil candidate, with five more pursuing doctoral studies under his mentorship. He has delivered over 100 guest lectures across India and internationally. Dr. Gupta's contributions include a MGNCRE-funded major research project and 15 patents, reflecting his dedication to innovation. His impactful work has garnered recognition from eminent organizations like MHRD and AICTE.

A. K. Haghi, PhD, is a retired professor with over 250 academic research-oriented books as well as over 1000 research papers published in various journals and conference proceedings with over 3700 citations and h-index of 31, according to the Google Scholar database. He is currently a senior material engineering consultant in the UK. Professor A. K. Haghi has received several grants, consulted for several major corporations, and is a frequent speaker to national and international audiences. He is Founder and former Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Chemoinformatics and Chemical Engineering and Polymers Research Journal. Professor Haghi has acted as an editorial board member of many international journals. He has served as a member of the Canadian Research and Development Center of Sciences & Cultures and the Research Chemistry Centre, Coimbra, Portugal. He has supervised several PhD and MSc thesis at University of Guilan (UG) and co-supervised international doctoral projects. Professor Haghi holds a BSc in urban and environmental engineering from the University of North Carolina (USA), and holds two MSc, one in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University (USA) and another one in applied mechanics, acoustics, and materials from the Université de Technologie de Compiègne (France). He was awarded a PhD in engineering sciences at Université de Franche-Comté (France).