Keynote Speakers

Ir. Ts. Dr. Dalila Mat Said is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and Chair of the Resource Sustainability Research Alliance. She earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering from UTM in 2012. A Senior Member of IEEE, Professional Engineer (BEM), and Registered Energy Manager, she specializes in power quality, system measurement, and electrical energy management.

Dr. Inam Ul Ahad is Founding Director of the DCU Institute of Advanced Processing Technology at Dublin City University, Ireland, where he is leading interdisciplinary programmes connecting digitalisation, engineering, and regulatory innovation. Dr. Ahad specialises in AI-driven digital transformation of the built environment and advanced manufacturing systems. He is a Funded Investigator with I-Form, the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, and affiliated with the EPSRC–SFI Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Metallic Systems (AMS-CDT).

Afia Malik is a distinguished energy expert with over three decades of research experience. As a Senior Research Economist at PIDE, she specializes in energy economics, energy transition, economic resilience, and regulatory governance. Her expertise in policy analysis is highlighted by numerous publications and by her active participation in conferences, seminars, and government forums. For the past 15 years, she has concentrated her research on critical challenges in the energy sector.

Khuram Nazir Shaikh is a senior energy professional with over 19 years of experience across power generation, gas infrastructure, and energy systems operations. He currently serves as Lead Account Manager – Gas Power at GE Vernova, where he leads strategic customer engagements across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. A Mechanical Engineer by training and a graduate of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Khuram has worked across the full lifecycle of power assets, from engineering and maintenance to contract performance, reliability improvement, and commercial strategy.

Dr. Faisal Khan is a tenured Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at COMSATS University Islamabad and a leading expert in designing advanced electric machines for EVs and renewable energy. He specializes in additive manufacturing and AI-driven optimization for sustainable energy conversion. With a cumulative Impact Factor exceeding 218 and over 13 million PKR in national grants, he holds international patents and was awarded the Seoul International Invention Fair Gold Medal.

Dr. Kishan Chand Mukwana is a Senior Environmental Professional with over 28 years of experience in environmental assessment, auditing, and climate change policies. Currently serving as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering at QUEST, Nawabshah, he previously served in the EPA, Government of Sindh for nine years. He has managed mega-projects funded by the World Bank and holds over 40 HEC-recognized publications.

Dr. Qurban Ali Shah Syed serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Larkano. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Energy Technology from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. With over 30 research articles and a patent to his credit, his research interests include the modeling, design, and control of electrical machines, particularly axial flux permanent magnet machines.

Dr. Shafiq Odhano is an Assistant Professor at Newcastle University, UK, with over 12 years of post-PhD experience specializing in the control of electrical machines and power electronics. He serves as the Papers Review Chair for the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications and is an Associate Editor for several IEEE journals. His research focuses on multiphase machines, grid-connected converters, and novel converter topologies.

Dr. Syed Ali Ammar Taqvi is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi. He holds a PhD from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia, and specializes in process modeling, AI/machine learning, and renewable energy systems. With over 105+ peer-reviewed articles, he has secured major national research grants and received multiple awards for teaching and research excellence.

Qurrat-ul-Ain Cheema is a global sustainability leader with expertise in Environmental Governance and Diplomacy. She serves as Director General of GSFN (UK) and Environmental Officer at AI Geo Navigators. Holding key roles at Pinnacle PR & Lobbying and Youth Leadership Groups, she previously led industrial decarbonization initiatives for the TARA Climate Foundation Network Asia. She specializes in integrating AI and IoT solutions for climate-smart actions.

Engr. Irfan Ahmad is a veteran electrical engineer with over 50 years of experience in Pakistan and Germany. A Master’s graduate from RWTH Aachen, he retired as VP of Siemens Pakistan and played a pioneering role in introducing utility-scale wind power in Pakistan, including developing the country’s first Grid Code for Wind Power Plants. He actively advises government agencies and major renewable energy projects.

Dr. Muhammad Abdul Basit is an Associate Professor at IST Islamabad, currently serving as an Outstanding Overseas Scientist Fellow in South Korea. With over 120 publications and multiple books, he specializes in nanomaterials for energy harvesting. He leads the NAEA research group and has received prestigious honors including the DAAD Top-Nanotechnologist Award and the Best Teacher Award (IST).

Dr. Khakemin Khan is an accomplished materials chemist serving as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Trento, Italy. He leads projects on heterostructures photocatalysts for green hydrogen and CO₂ valorization. With a Ph.D. from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he contributes frequently to top-tier journals like Advanced Functional Materials, focusing on materials-driven solutions for a decarbonized future.

Dr. Gordhan Das Valasai is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at QUEST, Nawabshah. He specializes in energy system modelling, hydrogen supply chain optimisation, and renewable energy integration using advanced computational methods like MILP and digital twins. He has developed optimization frameworks for continental hydrogen corridors and national energy systems (Pakistan TIMES), addressing grid constraints and policy design.

Dr. Alberto Maria Gambelli is a distinguished researcher at the University of Perugia, Italy. His expertise lies in sustainable energy systems, specifically natural gas hydrates for methane recovery and hydrogen storage, as well as biogas production from agro-industrial residues. He has been consistently ranked in the "World’s Top 2% Scientists" by Stanford University (2022–2025). With over 120 indexed publications and an H-index of 29, he serves on the editorial boards of journals like Energies and the International Journal of Petroleum Science & Technology.

Ekaterina has a background in thermal physics and completed a PhD on modelling solid-oxide fuel cells, after working in R&D decarbonisation projects with institutions based in Russia, Poland, and the UK. After her PhD, she joined an academic research laboratory, where she spent 7+ years studying climate effects in fossil-reliant energy systems, and shifting the work focus from adaptation to mitigation. In 2021, Ekaterina joined the PyPSA-Earth project to fill a tooling gap for less-developed countries, and after a while transitioned to energy system modelling and development. Nowadays, she co-steering development of PyPSA-meets-Earth and working as lead maintainer and group lead in Open Energy Transition company.