Tania Gonzalez | Future of VR Research | Research Excellence Award

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Ms. Tania Gonzalez | Future of VR Research | Research Excellence Award 

Centro de Investigación Cientifica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California | Mexico

Tania Maribel González Mendoza is a dedicated Marine Ecologist with over five years of experience in research and monitoring of coral reefs and coastal ecosystems, with a specialization in reef fish ecology. She possesses strong expertise in scientific diving, marine organism collection, biological sample processing, and both field and laboratory data analysis. Throughout her academic career, including her current Ph.D. candidacy at CICESE, she has been actively involved in national research projects addressing critical issues such as ocean acidification, climate change, and reef ecology, contributing to several peer-reviewed publications. Her professional experience includes research assistant roles at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and active participation in projects like the deep-reef refuge hypothesis, Punta Colonet Port development, and reproductive ecology of damselfish, where she has conducted fieldwork, laboratory analyses, database management, and scientific reporting. She has also contributed to reef restoration and carbonate budget assessments, highlighting her hands-on approach to marine conservation. In addition to research, she is experienced in teaching and technical training, offering courses such as Reef Fish Ecology and Underwater Survey Techniques, and has provided workshops and seminars for scientific outreach. Tania is proficient in statistical and ecological software including RStudio, PRIMER+PERMANOVA, Past, and Statistica, and is certified in scientific and recreational diving (PADI Open Water and Advanced Diver). Fluent in Spanish and competent in English, she combines strong organizational skills, proactivity, responsibility, and teamwork with a commitment to advancing marine science. Her work integrates rigorous scientific methodology with field-based ecological insights, positioning her as a skilled researcher and educator dedicated to the conservation and understanding of coral reef ecosystems.


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Xuefei Bai | Spatial Computing | Research Excellence Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Xuefei Bai | Spatial Computing | Research Excellence Award

Liaoning University | China

Bai Xuefei is a distinguished researcher specializing in technological innovation, low-carbon economy, and big data analytics. Over recent years, she has published 27 papers and 2 monographs, contributing significantly to academic knowledge in her fields. She has led or participated in 56 research projects at national and provincial/municipal levels, including notable projects such as The Impact of Green Transformation on ESG Performance in Manufacturing Enterprises and industry-focused initiatives like the Premium Service Ecosystem Propelling High-Quality Development of Liaoning’s Pan-Regional Innovation Ecosystem. Bai Xuefei has been recognized for her leadership and expertise, being selected as a Shenyang High-Level Leading Talent and appointed as a Liaoning Provincial Science and Technology Commissioner in 2022. All her publications appear in CSSCI-indexed journals, and she holds editorial responsibilities as an editor of the Journal of Inner Mongolia Minzu University. Her collaborative work includes the Liaoning Strategic Alliance for Industrial Technology Innovation in AI Development for Manufacturing Processes. She actively contributes to the professional community as an executive council member of the Chinese Association of Young Statisticians, council member across several branches of the Chinese Society of Applied Statistics, a member of the Society of Complexity Management of China, and as a review expert for municipal scientific projects and graduate theses. Her research focuses on problem-oriented solutions with real-world social and industrial impact, combining academic rigor with practical innovation. Bai Xuefei has also authored two books (ISBN: 9787509668337; 9787502373597), further establishing her authority in her research domains. Her work bridges theoretical research, applied analytics, and strategic innovation, promoting sustainable development and advanced technological solutions in China. Recognized for her contributions, she demonstrates a consistent commitment to advancing knowledge, mentoring emerging researchers, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Her research and consultancy projects have influenced policy and industrial practices, reflecting her capacity to translate complex analytics and technological insights into actionable strategies for societal and economic development. Academic and research achievements can be verified via her Baidu Scholar profile

 

Profile:  Orcid

Featured Publications 

Fan, X., Guo, Q., & Bai, X. (2025). The Impact of Green Transformation on ESG Performance in Manufacturing Enterprises: Empirical Evidence from Listed Companies in China. Sustainability, 17(24), 10911. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172410911 MDPI+1

Guo, P., Wang, X., Jiang, H., & Bai, X. (2025). Does Digital Transformation Improve Manufacturing ESG Performance: Evidence from China. Sustainability, 17(16), 7278. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17167278 MDPI+1

Bai, X., Guo, Q., & Fan, X. (2024). Green Technology Innovation and Corporate ESG — Evidence Based on Listed Companies in China. Sustainability, 17(4), 1410. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041410 MDPI

Bai, X., Guo, Q., & Fan, X. (2024). Does ESG Performance Enhance Corporate Green Technological Innovation? Micro Evidence from Chinese‑Listed Companies. Sustainability, 17(2), 636. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020636

Jendrian Riedel | Immersive Visualization | Research Excellence Award

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 Dr. Jendrian Riedel | Immersive Visualization | Research Excellence Award 

Hochschule Bremen | Germany

Dr. Jendrian Riedel is a German biologist specializing in zoology with a strong interdisciplinary focus bridging evolutionary biology, biodiversity research, and bionics innovation. He completed his Diplom (Master’s) in Biology at the University of Bonn in 2013, majoring in Zoology with minors in Palaeontology and Philosophy, reflecting a foundation in both organismal biology and broader scientific thinking. Following this, he pursued a Ph.D. in Natural and Physical Sciences with a focus on Zoology at James Cook University, Australia, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Lin Schwarzkopf, completing his doctorate in 2020. During his early academic career, Dr. Riedel expanded his research experience internationally, serving as a Guest Scientist at the Department of Evolutionary Biology at Bielefeld University, Germany, in 2020, followed by a postdoctoral position there in 2021. He further deepened his expertise in biodiversity analysis and evolutionary research as a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) – Museum Koenig Bonn, Germany, from 2022 to 2023. Since 2024, he has been contributing to interdisciplinary research as a researcher at the Core Facility for Multidisciplinary Structural Analysis & Bionics Innovation Center at Hochschule Bremen, Germany, where he applies his knowledge of zoology and structural analysis to advance biomimetic and bionics-driven innovations. Dr. Riedel’s career demonstrates a consistent integration of classical zoological research with contemporary approaches in biodiversity assessment and applied bionics, reflecting both depth in organismal science and a strong commitment to multidisciplinary scientific innovation. His work is characterized by a combination of field-based and laboratory research, international collaborations, and a focus on translating biological insights into technological applications, positioning him as a versatile researcher at the intersection of natural sciences and applied bionics.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications 

Pillai, R. R., Riedel, J., Wirth, W., Allen-Ankins, S., Nordberg, E., Edwards, W., … (2025). What’s the point? The functional role of claws in pad-bearing taxa (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae). Proceedings B, 292(2054), 20251362.

Kukla, Y., Riedel, J., & Rödder, D. (2025). Sticky innovation, limited expansion: Biogeography and evolutionary ecology of toepads in geckos. Journal of Biogeography, e70087.

Hofmann, S., Rödder, D., Andermann, T., Matschiner, M., Riedel, J., Baniya, C. B., … (2024). Exploring Paleogene Tibet’s warm temperate environments through target enrichment and phylogenetic niche modelling of Himalayan spiny frogs (Paini, Dicroglossidae). Molecular Ecology, 33(15), e17446.

Hofmann, S., Rödder, D., Andermann, T., Matschiner, M., Riedel, J., Baniya, C. B., … (2024). Exploring Paleogene Tibet’s warm temperate environments through target enrichment and phylogenetic niche modelling of Himalayan spiny frogs (Paini, Dicroglossidae). Molecular Ecology, 33(15), e17446.

Riedel, J., Klemm, M., Higham, T., Grismer, L. L., Ziegler, T., Russell, A., Rödder, D., … (2023). Variation in claw morphology among the digits of Bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus: Gekkota: Gekkonidae). BMC Zoology, 8(1), 19.

Kristyn Wilson | Simulation & Training | Best VR Researcher Award

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Dr. Kristyn Wilson | Simulation & Training | Best VR Researcher Award 

University of Virginia | United States

Kristyn Wilson is a researcher and practitioner whose work centers on teacher preparation, mixed-reality simulation, feedback systems, and the evolving structures of educator pathways. Her scholarship investigates novice teachers’ learning experiences, the design and implementation of simulations, and institutional responses to shifting licensure and preparation demands. She has authored peer-reviewed publications in leading outlets such as AERA Open, Review of Educational Research, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Teachers College Record, contributing influential work on approximations of practice, coaching effectiveness, simulated caregiver conversations, and the language of teacher feedback. Her research pipeline includes multiple manuscripts under review and in preparation that examine program proliferation, provisional licensure routes, and within-institution variation in educator preparation. Wilson has been recognized with numerous distinctions, including the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, the Brenda Loyd Holliday Award, Best Poster honors, Best Paper finalist designation, and several competitive grants and fellowships supporting her research and conference participation. As a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Virginia, she contributes to large-scale, multi-institution projects evaluating statewide literacy initiatives, ELA curriculum shifts, and the potential of AI-supported tools to enhance teaching feedback, collaborating with principal investigators from UVA, Brown University’s Annenberg Institute, and Stanford University. Her academic experience includes extensive instructional roles across undergraduate and graduate programs, instructional coaching for teaching difficult histories, and leadership in program assessment, rubric development, accreditation preparation, curriculum mapping, and course alignment. She has presented her work widely at national, regional, and institutional conferences, including AERA, AACTE, AEFP, VACTE, SITE, and multiple UVA research convenings, and has delivered invited talks to K–12 school divisions, university faculty, and international delegations. Wilson has also contributed public scholarship through published opinion pieces in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her service includes conference reviewing for major national organizations, manuscript reviewing for multiple journals, committee leadership for the Hunter Student Research Conference, and extensive involvement with the Morehead-Cain Scholarship selection process.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Wilson, K., Cohen, J., & Erickson, S. (2025). Teacher candidates’ experiences with mixed reality simulations: Variations by task, support, and mode of delivery. AERA Open.

Cohen, J., Yonas, A., & Wilson, K. (2025). Approximating teaching: A systematic review of the research. Review of Educational Research.

Cohen, J., Wong, V., Liu, P., Wilson, K., & Yonas, A. (2025). Practice does not make perfect: Experimental evidence on the effectiveness of coaching beginning teachers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 117(7), 1137–1177.

Wilson, K., & Yonas, A. (2024). In search of deliberate practice: Simulating teaching in three teacher education programs. Teachers College Record, 126(9), 47–89.

Mohammed Rayan Saiba | Immersive Learning | Best VR Researcher Award

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Dr. Mohammed Rayan Saiba | Immersive Learning | Best VR Researcher Award 

Michigan State University | United States

Dr. Mohammed R. Saiba is a researcher and construction management professional with strong academic and industry experience across Ghana, the UK, and the United States. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Construction Management at Michigan State University, following a Master’s in Construction Project Management with BIM from Northumbria University and a Master’s in Construction Management from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on mass timber education, emerging technologies in construction, modern methods of construction, and sustainable built environments. He has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications in top journals such as Buildings, Sustainable Development, and Environmental Science & Pollution Research, exploring themes like VR/AR in AEC education, sustainability, and Industry 4.0 integration. Professionally, he has held roles as a Research Intern, Academic Assistant, Assistant Quantity Surveyor, and Project Engineer, contributing to procurement, project delivery, and sustainable practices in construction. His technical proficiency spans BIM software (Revit, 3ds Max, AutoCAD, Unity3D), project tools (Procore, Primavera P6), and programming (Python, R). A LEED Green Associate, he continues to advance innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability within the global construction industry.

Profiles: Google Scholar  | LinkedIn

Featured Publications

Saiba, M. R., Berghorn, G. H., Nubani, L., Cetin, K., & Syal, M. M. (2025). Transforming AEC Education: A Systematic Review of VR/AR in Mass Timber Curriculum. Buildings, 15(16), 2938. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162938

Maqbool, R., Saiba, M. R., & Ashfaq, S. (2025). Organisational Innovation Performance and Sustainable Development: Fostering a Constructing Context of Project Management Practices and Integrated Approaches. Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70052

Maqbool, R., Saiba, M. R., Rashid, Y., Altuwaim, A., & Ashfaq, S. (2022). The Influence of Industrial Attitudes and Behaviours in Adopting Sustainable Construction Practices. Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2428

Maqbool, R., Saiba, M. R., & Ashfaq, S. (2022). Emerging Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies in the Ghanaian Construction Industry: Sustainability, Implementation Challenges, and Benefits. Environmental Science & Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24764-1

Maqbool, R., Akubo, S. A., Rashid, Y., Ashfaq, S., & Saiba, M. R. (2023). Solar Energy and the Circular Economy Policies for Sustainable Management. In Solar Energy Harvesting, Conversion and Storage (1st Edition). Elsevier. ISBN: 9780323906012. https://www.elsevier.com/books/solar-energy-harvesting-conversion-and-storage/khalid/978-0-323-90601-2