TWAS Directory of
Fellows and
Young Affiliates
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Fellows and YAs in action
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![TWAS Fellow Itziar Aretxaga. [Photo provided]](/sites/default/files/styles/directory_action/public/media/aretxaga-standing-web.jpg?itok=935lRAJw)
TWAS Fellow’s essay makes the case for trusting science
Aretxaga, Itziar
Current nationality
Mexico
Current country of residence
Mexico
Biodata
Aretxaga is a class-C researcher at the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE), Mexico, a member of the Mexican National Researcher System (equivalent to Full Professor), and a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences (AMC). Since her arrival in Mexico in 1998, she has built her research group on galaxy formation and evolution and contributed to the development of the astronomy community. In 2011–2016 she was Head of Department of Astrophysics at INAOE. In 2006–2013, she coordinated the astronomy section of AMC. Since 2016, she has directed the International Schools for Young Astronomers of the International Astronomical Union, that bring education, development and networking opportunities to graduate students in isolated areas. The main focus of her research is to unravel the importance of massive star formation around supermassive black holes and their role in galaxy formation and evolution. She has coauthored over 140 research papers in Q1 journals, and has been invited more than 100 times to international conferences and other research institutes as a speaker. She also has an active outreach programme of talks, articles and pieces in social media.
ELECTED
DATE OF BIRTH
Public contact information
EMAIL
itziar@inaoep.mx
ADDRESS
Inst. Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica (INAOE) - Aptdo. Postal 51 y 216 72000 Puebla - Mexico
Last updated on 02/05/2025
Generating stars, near and far
Quality education
Jagadish, Chennupati
Current nationality
Australia
Current country of residence
Australia
Biodata
Jagadish is a distinguished professor and the head of the Semiconductor Optoelectronics and Nanotechnology Group at the Australian National University. In 2021, he has been appointed president of the Australian Academy of Science, the latest of a long list of prestigious leadership activities. He has covered important editorial position in over 10 scientific journals. He published more than 650 journal papers, holds five US patents, and contributed, as co-author or co-editor, to over 15 books. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science; a distinguished Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; a visiting professor at Oxford University, UK; a distinguished chair professor for research at the National Taiwan University, among many other positions. Among his awards are: the Lloyd Rees Memorial Lecture by the Australian Academy of Science (2020); the Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal by the Australian Academy of Science (2019); and UNESCO Medal for contributions to the development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (2018). In 2025, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (UK).
ELECTED
Public contact information
Last updated on 21/05/2025
If you wish to be happy, help others
Quality education
Guharay, Falguni
Current nationality
India
Current country of residence
Nicaragua
Biodata
Guharay (Ph.D.,1982, University of Nottingham), is currently Member of Faculty of Engineering and Arquitecture of Universidad Americana (UAM) in Nicaragua. Earlier he served as Livelihood Specialist with NRC, Program manager Climate Smart Cocoa World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), Scientist Research for Development, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT); Programme Leader for Integrated Pest Management and Agroforestry, Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), Professor of Plant Protection, National Agricultural University, Nicaragua (UNA) and Research Assistant Professor Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo. He is a member of the Latin American Society of Agroecology. He elucidated the biophysical basis of mechanoreception by discovering stretch-activated ion channels. His research helped to scale the biological control of vectors of Malaria in Nicaragua and laid the foundation of ecological management of agroforestry systems in Mesoamerica. He was awarded National Scholarship for Ph.D. studies by Govt. of India in 1978, the Research Scientist of the year by CATIE 2003, and the Coffee personality of Nicaragua by RAMACAFE 2006.
ELECTED
DATE OF BIRTH
Public contact information
EMAIL
fguharay@gmail.com
PHONE
(+505) 57766946
ADDRESS
A 193 Bosque de Altamira, Managua, Nicaragua
Last updated on 23/10/2025
A sweet path to sustainable development
Climate action
Algeria
06. Information and Data Sciences & Technologies
Fellow
Elected 2025
Elected 2025
quality_edu
innovation
partnerships
CV_Belouchrani.pdf
132.08 KB
Public contact information
ADDRESS
Ecole Nationale Polytechnique, El-Harrach 16200, Algiers, Algeria.
List of publications
Publications_Belouchrani.pdf
133.96 KB
Belouchrani, Adel
Fellow
Belouchrani Adel
Professor
Current nationality
Algeria
Current country of residence
Algeria
Affiliation / Institution
Ecole Nationale Polytechnique
Sustainable Development Goals
Keywords
blind source separation, array signal processing, time frequency analysis, telecommunications, biomedical
ELECTED
2025
Place of birth
Algiers
Country of birth
Algeria
DATE OF BIRTH
5
May
1967
Section
06. Information and Data Sciences & Technologies
CV_Belouchrani.pdf
132.08 KB
Country where living and working for the majority of the last 10 years
Algeria
Public contact information
ADDRESS
Ecole Nationale Polytechnique, El-Harrach 16200, Algiers, Algeria.
List of publications
Publications_Belouchrani.pdf
133.96 KB
Last updated on 25/09/2025
Algeria
04. Chemical Sciences
Fellow
Elected 1989
Elected 1989
cv_mbenmouna.pdf
175.78 KB
Benmouna, Mustapha
Fellow
Benmouna Mustapha
Current nationality
Algeria
Current country of residence
Algeria
Biodata
Benmouna was educated at the Univ. of Algiers, School of Engineering, Paris, the Univ. of Michigan and the Univ. of Strasbourg (PhD, 1984). He is professor of physics at the University of Tlemcen in Algeria, and co-director of the Laboratoire International Associé of the Université des Science et Technologies de Lille in France and the Université de Tlemcen in Algeria. His previous positions include visiting professorships at: Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung in Mainz; universities of Lille, Dunkerque, East Anglia, Tulane; Food Research Inst.; Univ. of Konstanz; Centre de Recherche sur les Macromolécules Végétales in Grenoble; Natl. Inst. of Science and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Ctr. de Recherche sur les Macromolécules, Strasbourg. His membership includes the Académie FrancoPhone d’Ingénieurs, UNESCO, New York Academy of Sciences and the African Academy of Sciences.
ELECTED
1989
Section
04. Chemical Sciences
cv_mbenmouna.pdf
175.78 KB
Country where living and working for the majority of the last 10 years
Algeria
Last updated on 12/07/2023
Algeria
05. Engineering
Fellow
Elected 2023
Elected 2023
clean_water
clean_energy
innovation
sustainable_cities
climate_action
partnerships
CV-Djeffal-Faycal-2025.pdf
825.17 KB
Public contact information
PHONE
(+213 560) 859-038
ADDRESS
Department of Electronics, Faculty of Technology, University of Batna-2, Batna, 05000, ALGERIA
List of publications
DJEFFAL_Faycal_LP_0.pdf
207.96 KB
Djeffal, Fayçal
Fellow
Djeffal Fayçal
Professor
Current nationality
Algeria
Current country of residence
Algeria
Affiliation / Institution
Department of Electronics, Faculty of Technology, University of Batna-2
Biodata
Djeffal is professor, University of Batna-2, Batna, Algeria. His contributions to materials science, solid-state devices and artificial intelligence (AI) have gained substantial research acclaim in the field of electronic device modeling and fabrication, specifically in the area of development of new high-performance and low cost microelectronic devices for renewable energy and environmental sensing applications, as evidenced by the number of citations for his published papers in a short span of time. In the context of microelectronic devices for renewable energy and environmental sensing applications, Djeffal has successfully developed new approaches and design techniques of microelectronic devices using soft-computing and AI-based methods. These approaches are now widely used by several scientific centers. He has published more than 300 journal articles and conference papers and is the author of some books and book-chapters in the field of photovoltaic devices/environmental sensors and soft-computing. Member of the African Academy of Sciences, he has received the Shoman Award for Arab Researchers, Africa Award for Young Researchers and Microsoft-TWAS-AAS Award, among others.
Sustainable Development Goals
Keywords
Micro/nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, renewable energy, photovoltaic, soft-computing/artificial intelligence, modeling, elaboration, characterization
ELECTED
2023
Section
05. Engineering
TWAS Awards
TWAS-AAS-Microsoft Award (2010)
TWAS Regional Office
TWAS Arab Regional Partner (TWAS-AREP)
CV-Djeffal-Faycal-2025.pdf
825.17 KB
Country where living and working for the majority of the last 10 years
Algeria
Public contact information
PHONE
(+213 560) 859-038
ADDRESS
Department of Electronics, Faculty of Technology, University of Batna-2, Batna, 05000, ALGERIA
List of publications
DJEFFAL_Faycal_LP_0.pdf
207.96 KB
Last updated on 09/10/2025
Former Young Affiliates elected to the TWAS fellowship
Egypt
01. Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems Sciences
Young Affiliate Alumnus elected to TWAS
India
09. Physics, Astronomy & Space Sciences
Young Affiliate Alumnus elected to TWAS
Brazil
08. Mathematical Sciences
Young Affiliate Alumnus elected to TWAS
Argentina
03. Medical & Health Sciences
Young Affiliate Alumnus elected to TWAS
Malaysia
09. Physics, Astronomy & Space Sciences
Young Affiliate Alumnus elected to TWAS
Young Affiliates Alumni
When Young Affiliates complete their five-year term, they become Alumni. Young Affiliate Alumni are encouraged to remain engaged with TWAS initiatives and to take advantage of TWAS programmes and prizes.