Francesca Vecchi | Energy and Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

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Mrs. Francesca Vecchi | Energy and Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

Mrs. Francesca Vecchi | Energy and Sustainability | PhD | Polytechnic University of Bari | Italy

Francesca Vecchi is an Italian researcher specializing in sustainability engineering, renewable energy communities, and urban energy planning, with a strong academic background in urban and territorial planning. Currently pursuing her PhD at Politecnico di Bari in collaboration with Concordia University, she focuses on integrating renewable energy communities into urban areas through energy market mechanisms and policy analysis. Her research combines GIS-based tools, energy modelling, and solar analysis to optimize mixed-use urban neighbourhoods, with international experience as a visiting scholar in Canada at Toronto Metropolitan University and Concordia University. She has authored multiple publications in high-impact journals, contributed to notable projects such as ICELL, S2E, and Tools4Cities, and received several prestigious awards and scholarships, including the Ermenegildo Zegna Founder’s Scholarship and AiCARR Thesis Award. Francesca’s work is marked by interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to advancing sustainable urban energy solutions.

Professional Profile 

Education  

Francesca Vecchi holds a PhD in Sustainability Engineering and Safety in Civil and Industrial Buildings from Politecnico di Bari, conducted in collaboration with Concordia University in Montreal, where her research focuses on integrating renewable energy communities into urban contexts. She earned a Master’s degree in Planning for the Global Urban Agenda from Politecnico di Torino, an international program aligned with the United Nations’ New Urban Agenda, complemented by her participation in the Alta Scuola Politecnica, a prestigious multidisciplinary program jointly run by Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino. She also completed a Bachelor’s degree in Urban, Territorial and Landscape-Environmental Planning from Politecnico di Torino, enriched by an Erasmus semester at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. Her educational path began with a High School Diploma in languages from Liceo Scientifico Manfredo Fanti, which included a cultural exchange experience at Burlingame High School in San Francisco, USA.

Professional Experience

Francesca Vecchi has gained extensive professional and research experience across academic, international, and project-based environments. At Politecnico di Bari, she has been actively engaged in research on renewable energy communities, energy network management, and the integration of renewables in urban and coastal cities. As a visiting scholar at Concordia University in Montreal, she contributed to projects such as ICELL and S2E, developing energy remuneration and sharing policies, simulating energy communities, and integrating occupancy profiles into urban energy modelling tools. She also worked on demographic scenario simulations for Montreal districts, assessing both energy and financial impacts. Earlier, as a visiting scholar at Toronto Metropolitan University, she developed her master’s thesis on urban building energy modelling and solar assessment. Additionally, she served as a learning support teacher at Politecnico di Torino, assisting students with general learning needs. Her professional journey reflects a consistent commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, technical innovation, and the advancement of sustainable urban energy systems.

Research Interest

Francesca Vecchi’s research interests center on the integration of renewable energy communities within urban environments, with a strong focus on energy market mechanisms, policy analysis, and sustainable urban planning. She is particularly engaged in developing GIS-based energy assessments, multi-scalar urban energy modelling, and solar analysis to optimize building and district-level performance. Her work explores mixed-use neighbourhoods, residential occupancy patterns, and the diffusion of renewable energy policies in different socio-political contexts. She is also interested in applying advanced simulation tools to assess energy and financial impacts, fostering cross-disciplinary approaches that bridge engineering, planning, and policy-making to accelerate the energy transition and support climate-resilient cities.

Award and Honor

Francesca Vecchi has received multiple awards and honors in recognition of her academic excellence, research contributions, and commitment to sustainability. She was awarded the AiCARR Thesis Award for outstanding work on energy efficiency and sustainable well-being, and earned a Certificate of Merit at the AIGE/IIETA International Conference for her research on solar analysis in urban contexts. She is a recipient of the prestigious Ermenegildo Zegna Founder’s Scholarship, enabling advanced research abroad, and has been honored by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Carpi for achieving top grades in both her master’s and bachelor’s studies. Her distinctions reflect not only her high academic performance but also the innovative and practical impact of her research in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable urban planning.

Publications Top Noted

National Geodatabase to Map Consumptions for Energy Transition
Year: 2025

Energy remuneration mechanisms for renewable energy communities: Insights from a mixed-use district
Year: 2025

Modelling the complexity of interconnected energy systems at different urban scales: a critical review
Year: 2025

Modelling tools for the assessment of Renewable Energy Communities
Year: 2024

Solar analysis for an urban context from GIS to block-scale evaluations
Year: 2024

Self-Sufficiency Building Energy Modelling from Urban to Block-Scale with PV Technology
Year: 2023

Data-driven urban building energy models for the platform of Toronto
Year: 2023

Conclusion

Francesca Vecchi stands out as a highly promising and deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her combination of technical skill, cross-cultural research experience, policy insight, and consistent scholarly output not only positions her as an emerging leader in renewable energy and sustainable urban systems but also aligns closely with the award’s aim to recognize impactful, forward-looking research that addresses global challenges.

Arash Sioofy Khoojine | Energy and Sustainability | Best Academic Researcher Award

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Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine | Energy and Sustainability | Best Academic Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at Yibin University, China

Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine is an accomplished academic researcher specializing in applied statistics, complex networks, and financial time series analysis. With a Ph.D. in Statistics from Shanghai Jiaotong University and prior degrees in mathematical sciences from top institutions in China and Iran, he has developed a strong interdisciplinary foundation. His research focuses on statistical modeling of stock market turbulence, COVID-19 spread simulation using advanced SEIR models, and network-based predictive analytics, producing over a dozen peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals such as Physica A, Entropy, IEEE Access, and European Physical Journal. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Yibin University in China, where he teaches econometrics and statistical applications in economics. Beyond academia, he contributes as a guest editor and reviewer for international journals and has authored a Springer book on pandemic modeling. Fluent in English, Persian, and Chinese, and skilled in multiple programming languages including R, Python, and C++, Dr. Khoojine exemplifies a globally engaged scholar whose work bridges theory with real-world applications in finance, health, and data science.

Professional Profile 

🎓 Education of Arash Sioofy Khoojine

Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine possesses a rich and diverse academic background in mathematics and statistics, built across top institutions in Iran and China. He earned his Ph.D. in Statistics from Shanghai Jiaotong University (2015–2020), graduating with distinction (GPA: A), where he focused on statistical network analysis of financial markets. Prior to this, he completed his M.Sc. in Probability and Mathematical Statistics at Central China Normal University (2012–2015) with an impressive GPA of 93.2/100, ranking among the top students. His foundational studies began with a B.Sc. in Pure Mathematics from Tabriz Payame Noor University (2000–2005), preceded by a Pre-University Diploma in Mathematics from Taleghani Pre-University Center in Tabriz (1998–1999). This solid progression reflects his long-standing dedication to mathematical sciences and his pursuit of academic excellence across multiple cultural and academic environments.

💼 Professional Experience of Arash Sioofy Khoojine

Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine has built a multifaceted professional career spanning academia, research, and software development. Currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Yibin University in China since 2020, he teaches statistics, econometrics, and mathematical applications in economics while actively engaging in interdisciplinary research. His earlier academic roles include a Lecturer position at Xi’an International Studies University, where he taught applied statistics, and a Teaching Assistant post at Central China Normal University, supporting coursework in probability theory. Before transitioning to academia, Dr. Khoojine worked as a C++ Programmer at Hekmat Pajouh Tabriz Co. in Iran from 2007 to 2011, where he honed his computational and analytical skills. His journey also includes early mathematics tutoring in subjects like pre-algebra and linear algebra from 2004 to 2007. This diverse professional background highlights his ability to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application, across both academic and technical environments.

🔬 Research Interests of Arash Sioofy Khoojine

Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine’s research interests lie at the intersection of applied statistics, complex networks, and computational modeling, with a strong emphasis on real-world applications in finance, economics, and public health. He is particularly focused on statistical network analysis, exploring the structural dynamics of financial markets during periods of turbulence. His work also delves into time series modeling, stochastic processes such as fractional Brownian motion, and hypothesis testing within theoretical statistics. Additionally, he has made significant contributions to the development of SEIR-based epidemic models for predicting the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. With expertise in statistical programming and simulation using tools like R, Python, and Monte Carlo methods, Dr. Khoojine continues to push the boundaries of data-driven insight in both academic and applied settings.

🏅 Awards and Honors of Arash Sioofy Khoojine

Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine has been recognized multiple times for his academic excellence and research potential throughout his career. Early on, he ranked among the top 5% of national entrance exam participants in Iran and secured the 40th position in the prestigious Pre-University Entrance Exam in Tabriz. During his undergraduate studies, he consistently achieved first-grade distinctions in advanced mathematics courses such as complex functions, hyperbolic geometry, and mathematical analysis. His exceptional performance continued during his postgraduate education, earning him the title of top-ranked student in his master’s program at Central China Normal University. As a Ph.D. scholar at Shanghai Jiaotong University, he was awarded a competitive scholarship worth 200,000 RMB, along with a research fund of 60,000 RMB to support his innovative work in statistical network analysis. These honors reflect Dr. Khoojine’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence and his impactful contributions to the field of mathematics and statistics.

🧾 Conclusion 

Dr. Arash Sioofy Khoojine is highly suitable for the Best Academic Researcher Award. His academic journey is defined by interdisciplinary innovation, a strong international education, diverse research in critical areas like financial networks and public health, and prolific scholarly output. The blend of theoretical rigor and practical relevance in his work positions him as a standout candidate. His application reflects core values of academic excellence, international collaboration, and research relevance, all of which align well with the criteria for the Best Academic Researcher Award.

📚 Publications Top Noted

  1. Smart Farming Solutions: A User-Friendly GUI for Maize Tassel Estimation Using YOLO With Dynamic and Fixed Labelling, Featuring Video Support

    • Authors: Ata Jahangir Moshayedi; Zhonghua Wang; Maryam Sharifdoust; Arash Sioofy Khoojine; Wei Zhang; Amin Kolahdooz; Jiandong Hu
    • Year: 2025
    • Citation: IEEE Access,
    • DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3554984
  2. Dynamic Anomaly Detection in the Chinese Energy Market During Financial Turbulence Using Ratio Mutual Information and Crude Oil Price Movements
    • Authors: Lin Xiao; Arash Sioofy Khoojine
    • Year: 2024
    • Citation: Energies,
    • DOI: 10.3390/en17235852

  3. Interconnectedness of Systemic Risk in the Chinese Economy: The Granger Causality and CISS Indicator Approach

    • Authors: Omid Farkhondeh Rouz; Hossein Sohrabi Vafa; Arash Sioofy Khoojine; Sajjad Pashay Amiri
    • Year: 2024
    • Citation: Risk Management,
    • DOI: 10.1057/s41283-024-00142-8

  4. Analyzing Volatility Patterns in the Chinese Stock Market Using Partial Mutual Information-Based Distances

    • Authors: Arash Sioofy Khoojine; Ziyun Feng; Mahboubeh Shadabfar; Negar Sioofy Khoojine
    • Year: 2023
    • Citation: The European Physical Journal B,
    • DOI: 10.1140/epjb/s10051-023-00628-6
  5. A State-of-the-Art Review of Probabilistic Portfolio Management for Future Stock Markets
    • Authors: Longsheng Cheng; Mahboubeh Shadabfar; Arash Sioofy Khoojine
    • Year: 2023
    • Citation: Mathematics,
    • DOI: 10.3390/math11051148

 

 

 

Andrés Robalino-López | Energy and Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

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Andrés Robalino-López | Energy and Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr Andrés Robalino-López, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ecuador

Prof. Dr. Andrés Robalino-López is a distinguished academic and researcher at Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), Ecuador, with an extensive background in environmental technologies, innovation, and complex systems. With a PhD earned cum laude from Universidad de Huelva, Spain, he combines academic rigor with practical leadership in research, innovation ecosystems, and entrepreneurship. As a key figure in Ecuador’s academic landscape, he serves as Deputy Dean, program coordinator, and research director. Internationally recognized through affiliations with MIT’s REAP program and the Academy of Sciences of Ecuador, his interdisciplinary contributions span environmental modeling, innovation management, and sustainable development. His research has informed policy, supported national and international projects worth over $500K, and been published in high-impact journals. His commitment to systemic transformation through science, education, and public policy underscores his eligibility for the Best Researcher Award.

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

Orcid

Scopus

Education

Dr. Robalino-López earned his PhD in Environmental Technologies (cum laude) from Universidad de Huelva, Spain (2014), focusing on carbon emissions and sustainable development using system dynamics. He also holds Master’s degrees in Control Engineering (2012) and Environmental Technologies (2011) from the same university. He completed an MBA in Innovation (2022) from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador. His engineering foundation was laid at Escuela Politécnica Nacional (2008), where he graduated cum laude in ICT. He has undertaken postgraduate studies in Energy and Environment at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK (2010) and served as a visiting researcher at Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy (2013). His academic training is rounded out by executive programs at MIT, Berkeley, Taiwan, Brazil, and other global institutions, reflecting a strong and continuous commitment to interdisciplinary and global education.

Experience

Prof. Robalino has over a decade of academic and research leadership at Escuela Politécnica Nacional, serving as Full Professor, Deputy Dean, and Program Coordinator for multiple postgraduate and research initiatives. Internationally, he has represented Ecuador in MIT’s REAP program since 2017, leading entrepreneurship and innovation acceleration. His role as Horizon Europe – NCP for EIT and various positions such as Department Chair, Innovation Transfer Coordinator, and External Auditor (CES) underscores his systemic impact. His hands-on engagement in over a dozen research projects and development initiatives—totaling more than $500K in funding—spans renewable energy, sustainability, and technological innovation. He is also a sought-after lecturer, teaching in postgraduate and PhD programs, with additional experience in collaborative research in Spain and Italy. His leadership blends academic depth with policy-level engagement and international collaboration.

Awards and Honors

Prof. Robalino’s contributions have been widely recognized. He was awarded Best Researcher by CEDIA in 2023, following a nomination in 2022. In 2020, he was inducted into the Academy of Sciences of Ecuador, and in 2019, he received commendation from MIT-REAP for contributions to innovation ecosystems in Quito. At a national level, EPN awarded him the Research Production Award (2015). He is a recipient of numerous prestigious fellowships, including the SENESCYT Dissertation Fellowship (2011–2014), Fundación Carolina, AUIP, and Erasmus, supporting studies in Spain, the UK, and Italy. Additionally, he has secured research grants for international residencies and led funded projects across multiple organizations. These accolades highlight not only his academic excellence but also his real-world impact in sustainable development, innovation management, and capacity building in Ecuador and beyond.

Research Focus

Dr. Robalino’s research lies at the intersection of environmental systems, complex system dynamics, innovation ecosystems, and technology management. His doctoral work pioneered carbon emission modeling and environmental sustainability forecasting in Ecuador using system dynamics and decomposition analysis. He has expanded this approach to entrepreneurship ecosystems, policy scenario evaluation, and sustainability indicators. His recent projects focus on organizational innovation, carbon neutrality strategies, and macroeconomic-environmental modeling. He emphasizes the use of interdisciplinary frameworks to inform national energy and sustainability policies, as seen in collaborations with CEDIA, CONQUITO, and MIT-REAP. His work often combines quantitative modeling, foresight methodologies, and system thinking to guide public and private sector strategies. By integrating research with policy, Dr. Robalino creates actionable insights for sustainable and innovation-driven development across Latin America.

Publication Top Notes

  • Studying the relationship between economic growth, CO2 emissions, and the EKC in Venezuela (1980–2025)
    Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2015), 215 citations
    Groundbreaking analysis on the Environmental Kuznets Curve, combining system dynamics and econometrics.

  • System dynamics modeling for renewable energy and CO2 emissions: A case study of Ecuador
    Energy for Sustainable Development (2014), 175 citations
    Pioneering use of system dynamics to simulate energy policy impacts on emissions.

  • System dynamics modelling and the environmental Kuznets curve in Ecuador (1980–2025)
    Energy Policy (2014), 104 citations
    Introduced scenario-based carbon forecasting in Ecuadorian policy research.

  • CO2 emissions convergence among 10 South American countries. A study of Kaya components
    Carbon Management (2016), 65 citations
    Comparative study highlighting regional energy-environment dynamics.

  • Regional cooperation in environmental protection via e-government
    Environment. Technologies. Resources (2017), 20 citations
    Explores digital governance for sustainable development in Andean nations.