Fernando Zorto is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Research Institute of Applied Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). At UNAH, he teaches heat transfer, design projects, and research methods to engineers. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from UNAH and a Master of Science in project management from the Central American Technological University, also in Honduras. He is a PhD candidate in design, manufacturing, and managing industrial projects with Valencia Polytechnic University, in Spain. His research interests include atmospheric water harvesting, innovative projects, and aerospace systems. Since 2017, he has led the first satellite project in Honduras. He received the Honour of Merit of Engineering of the Pan-American Confederation of Mechanical, Electrical, and Other Fields of Engineering. In 2017, Zorto won the Best Essay about UNAH Scientific Research and Research Management at the XI Conference of Scientific Research UNAH.

Jiajun Xu is the associate professor and principal investigator of the Public Development Finance Research Programme at Peking University, China. Xu earned a PhD from the University of Oxford, and master's and bachelor’s degrees from Tsinghua University. Her research focuses on public development finance, ageing finance, and global governance. She is the initiator of the first global database on public development financial institutions worldwide, and has published her original research in peer-reviewed journals. In recognition of her intellectual contributions to finance and development, she was invited to join the Executive Committee of the Finance in Common Summit as well as the International Commission of Experts on Financing for Development at the United Nations. She serves at the editorial board of the leading journal World Development. Her academic monograph Beyond US Hegemony in International Development was published by Cambridge University Press in 2017. The book won the 8th Peikang Chang Development Economics Outstanding Achievement Award in 2020, and was listed by the Bretton Woods Project’s selection of the best books on the World Bank and IMF from 2016.

Chenglai Wu is a professor with the International Centre for Climate and Environment Sciences at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He also serves as a graduate student supervisor at the University of CAS. He earned a Bachelor of Science in atmospheric science from Nanjing University, China, and a PhD in meteorology from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (CAS) and the University of CAS. His research focuses on the development and application of earth system models by improving the dust emission, aerosol processes and aerosol-climate interactions, as well as adopting models for climate prediction and future projection to mitigate the impact of climate change and meteorological disasters. He is one of the key developers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences earth system model. In 2022, he was awarded as a young talent in computational geosciences by the Tsinghua University–Inspur Group. He has published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Halima Twabi is an associate professor of statistics at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Malawi. She holds a Bachelor of Science in statistics, as well as a Master of Science and a PhD, both in biostatistics from the University of Malawi. She studies causal inference for observational data, multivariate statistics, longitudinal and survival analysis, and statistical modelling and analysis of social and health data. Her recent work involves developing causal inference methods for non-experimental studies with multiple outcomes. In 2020, she received the L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talent Award for her work on applying causal inference to maternal and child health. In 2023, she was nominated treasurer of the International Biometric Society Sub-Saharan Africa Network, and treasurer of the IBS Malawi region. She is a founding member of the Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics network in Malawi, and collaborates on the project "Strengthen Modelling and Analytics Capacity and Ecosystem for Women’s Health" funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Tesfay Gebremariam Tesfahannes is an associate professor and PhD program coordinator at the Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences. He is also the community engagement coordinator for the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Arbaminch University, Ethiopia. At the same university, he teaches quantum states of light, advanced quantum optics, quantum information, and more. In 2018, he earned a PhD degree in theoretical physics from Dalian University of Technology in China. His research interests are in quantum optomechanics—the quantum features of optomechanical systems, including quantum entanglement and continuous-variable quantum information processing. In February 2020, he was awarded a letter of recognition from the Winter College on Optics: Quantum Photonics and Information at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy. In 2021, he won a letter of recognition from the Ethiopian Physical Society Annual Conference. In 2022, he received a letter of appreciation from the Ethiopian Physics Society for his participation in the North America Summer School Program.

Suhair Sunoqrot is an Associate Professor of Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine at Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan’s (ZUJ) Faculty of Pharmacy. She holds a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Jordan in 2007, and a PhD in Biopharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2013. Her research focuses on the development of nanoscale solutions to tackle delivery challenges of poorly water-soluble drug candidates, with special interest in the valorization of plant polyphenols both as therapeutic agents and as nanomaterial building blocks. She has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications in reputable journals and currently holds the highest number of citations across ZUJ and the highest H-index at the Faculty of Pharmacy. Notably, she was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Daniel Turnberg Fellow at King’s College London. She received the PhosAgro/UNESCO/IUPAC Green Chemistry for Life Award and the TWAS Prize for Young Scientists from Jordan in 2018. She is currently the only Jordanian member of the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities (AGYA) (2019-) and a TWAS Young Affiliate (2021-).

Prabhat K. Singh is an associate professor with the Radiation and Photochemistry Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India. He received his PhD from Homi Bhabha National Institute (2011) and pursued his postdoctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania, US. His current research interests include ultrafast spectroscopy, supramolecular chemistry, and the use of self-assembled materials to design optical sensors for bio-sensing and chemo-sensing applications. He was honoured with the Young Scientist Award by the Department of Atomic Energy, India (2013), and by the National Academy of Science, India (2017). He served as a member of the Indian National Young Academy of Science (2017–2021) and the National Academy of Sciences, India (2017). He was a Young Associate of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (2017–2020) and, since 2023, is a fellow of Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, India. He is also a member of the German Global Young Academy (2020). He has been selected as a Fellow of the Indian Chemical Society and Associate Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy for the year 2023 and has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Biology(UK).

Lobna Said is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Microelectronics System Design Master Program at Nile University in Egypt. At the same university, she teaches electric circuits and electronics courses. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in electronics and electrical communication from Cairo University, Egypt. She earned a PhD in electronics and electrical communication from Cairo University, Egypt. Her research interests are interdisciplinary, including modelling, optimization, linear and nonlinear circuits and systems, and chaos theory. In recognition of her contributions to science and development, Said was a winner of the 2019 State Encouragement Award for Engineering Science. In 2019 and 2020, she was the recipient of Dr. Hazem Ezzat Prize for the Outstanding Researcher. In 2020 and 2021, Her name was in the top 2 percent of scientists according to the Stanford Report. In 2021, she was awarded the IEEE Outstanding Branch Counsellor & Branch Chapter Advisor Award.

Cristina Romero-Rodríguez is a professor and head of the Department of Chemical Biology, at the National University of Asunción (UNA), in Paraguay, where she is also an assistant professor of biochemistry. She obtained a degree in biochemistry from the Faculty of Chemical Sciences (UNA). Then she earned a Master of Science in cellular, molecular, and genetic biotechnology, and a PhD in biosciences and agrifood sciences both from the University of Cordoba, Spain. Her research interests are in biological science and focus on the study of plant-microorganism interaction that she investigates through biochemical and proteomic approaches. Romero-Rodríguez is an active member of the National Incentive Program for Researchers of the National Council of Science and Technology of Paraguay. In the last five years, she has participated in seven financed projects (three as principal investigator), which allowed the development of a master's thesis, and the building of capabilities to develop doctoral programs in biological sciences in Paraguay. She serves as an associated editor for Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology and is a member of the editorial board of other national journals.

Lydia Rhyman earned her PhD in computational chemistry (2013) from the University of Mauritius, where she is currently a research fellow in the Computational Chemistry Group. Her research interests lie in the use of computational chemistry methods, as a tool that provides insights into chemical systems at molecular levels, to complement experimental results and to solve chemistry-related problems that cannot be assessed at the experimental level. One such example is the characterization of molecular structures and the elucidation of reaction mechanisms. She actively promotes computational chemistry in Africa, as well as science education among girls in secondary schools and at tertiary level. She organises capacity-building activities to encourage students to orient their research toward tackling issues that the African continent is facing. She raises awareness of responsible research practices and integrity. She is an affiliate of the African Academy of Sciences, a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), the Global Young Academy, and the Commonwealth Chemistry Early Career Network Committee representing the African region.

Johan David Reyes Chavez is a PhD student at University College Cork in Ireland and a Climate and Innovation Officer at Fundación Ayuda en Acción, Honduras. His research interests are in conservation management, plant biodiversity, biogeographical patters, climate change, and public policy. In recognition of his contributions to the Honduran biodiversity and climate change studies, he was awarded the 2022 Ten Outstanding Young Person award by Junior Chamber International – Honduras in the category of scientific advancements and technology. An Oxford and Cambridge journal author, he has been published in many journals in his field, including Journal of Biogeography, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Plant Ecology, Phytotaxa and Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.

Onjamirindra Sarobidy Rakotonarivo is a research fellow at the Department of Forestry and Environment at the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar. She holds a Bachelor of Science in agricultural sciences and a Master of Science in Sustainable Tropical Forestry. She earned a joint PhD in environmental and development economics from Bangor University, UK, and the University of Copenhagen, the Netherlands, in 2016. Her research interests are in nature-climate interventions in Africa, such as forest conservation, restoration, and climate-smart agriculture. She uses a mixed method approach, including field experiments and qualitative approaches, to study the political and socioecological factors that increase their effectiveness. By identifying what does and doesn’t work, and under what conditions, her research aims to support the design of policies that contribute to the long-term well-being of people and nature. She also has a track record of supporting evidence-based policy and working in multi-stakeholder engagement.

Elías Peraza has been the Technological and Educational Prospective Manager of Salvadoran Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, since 2022. He conducts studies in science, technology and innovation (STI), prioritizing those of interest to the education system, including emerging technologies. He graduated in business administration from the University of El Salvador in 2010 and earned a master’s degree in business management for innovation and internationalization from the University of Basque Country, Spain, in 2011. In 2019, Peraza received a PhD in economics with cum laude distinction from Universities of Burgos, Valladolid and Salamanca, Spain. He studied both his master’s and doctorate thanks to scholarships from the European Union. Peraza has published academic and diffusion articles about systems of innovation, STI policies, business innovation behaviour, and economic policy. He has participated in more than 15 international conferences, the most recent: Globelics 2023 (virtual) and "Nobel Prize Dialogue Rio and São Paulo 2024" (in person). As for awards, he received the Central American Rubén Darío Award for Academic Excellence in 2009.

New is an associate professor with the School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM). She obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hon.) in industrial chemistry from the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and earned her PhD degree from the National University of Singapore. She then worked as a research scientist at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*Star, Singapore before taking up her current job at UNM. Her main research interest is in developing DNA-based nanosensors to detect different analytes, such as cancer biomarkers and viral DNA. With computational aid, her group designs DNA probes using simulation algorithm, and then tests them at the bench. Such an approach has reduced random ill-attempts and overall costs, easing sensors customization for different types of targets. She was a Highly Commended Finalist of Women of the Future Southeast Asia, Science, Technology & Digital Category (2020), and received the L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science (2021). New is a Young Scientist Network-Academy Science Malaysia affiliate, a member of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry and of the Committee of Royal Society of Chemistry Malaysia Chapter.

Zainun Mustafa is an early-career faculty member at the Fakulti Sains dan Matematik, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia. She holds a Bachelor of Science (with honours) in biology with education and earned her PhD in science education from Universiti Sains Malaysia. With almost a decade of experience teaching in government schools, Zainun also has held research-related interim roles at the Centre for Science and Environmental Studies, and at the Institute of Islamic Understanding, as a research officer at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Regional Centre of Expertise for Education for Sustainable Development, and at the National Child Development and Research Centre. Zainun served as a specialist in intergovernmental institutions, where she trained educators across Southeast Asia and the Global South. Besides serving as the education unit fellow at the Centre of Biodiversity and Conservation, Zainun is an early-career scholar for the programme 'Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in ASEAN/Southeast Asia'. Her contributions to training and research in science education have been supported by grants from Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Mónica Mazariegos is a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) Research Center for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. She obtained a Doctor of Science degree in population nutrition from the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico. She was recently recognized as a Global Health Fellow by the Vanderbilt-Emory-Cornell-Duke Global Health Fellowship Consortium, and as a 2023 Young Scientist Researcher by the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences. With over 12 years of experience in nutritional epidemiology, she specializes in the identification and analysis of health challenges from a life-course perspective, applying complex longitudinal data analysis and multilevel approaches in population health. Her research focuses on the epidemiology of all forms of malnutrition, the design and evaluation of nutrition and health policies, maternal and child health, pregnancy and reproductive health across the life-course, and the social and urban determinants of obesity and diabetes. Mazariegos has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications and continues to contribute to evidence-based solutions for improving the population's health.

Diego Marques is a professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Brasilia, Brazil. At the same university, he teaches elementary and advanced courses on number theory for undergraduate and graduate students. He earned a Bachelor in Mathematics and a Master in Mathematics from the Federal University of Ceara, Brazil, and his PhD in mathematics from the University of Brasilia. Then, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia, in Canada. With over a decade of experience, Marques has supervised more than ten doctoral theses, focusing mainly on transcendental number theory and its techniques. His research interests include transcendental number theory, the arithmetic behaviour of transcendental functions, Diophantine approximation, Diophantine equations, recurrence sequences, and elementary number theory. In 2010, for his contributions to research, he was bestowed the Young Researcher Award from the Federal District Research Support Foundation, in the Federal District, Brazil. In the same year, he was elected as the youngest affiliated member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, strengthening his position in the academic community.

Lai received his PhD in biomedical engineering from the Malaysia University of Technology and Ilmenau Technical University in Germany through the German Academic Exchange Service PhD Sandwich Programme. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Malaya, and chief technology officer of BioSight Sdn Bhd. Lai was awarded a fellowship by the Association of Commonwealth Universities by the UK in 2021 for his research on recovered COVID-19 patients’ risk of hospital readmission. Later, Lai was conferred the Young Engineer Award 2021 by the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia. Lai was also awarded the IEEE-EMBS Early Career Achievement Award 2021 by the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Malaysia Chapter the same year. Lai was elected as Fellow of Engineers Australia and Fellow of Institute of Engineers Malaysia. In 2022, Lai was bestowed the Board of Engineers Malaysia Most Prominent Young Engineering Leader Award by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Paul Kuman is a researcher and lead consultant at the Center for Climate Change and Sustainable Development, University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), where he conducts research, and teaches marine geosciences, climate, and environmental sciences. He holds a Bachelor of Science majoring in chemistry at UPNG, and a Master of Environment Advanced majoring in environmental protection at Griffith University, Australia. His PhD research is in Marine Geoscience with the University of Queensland, Australia. He is involved in the Northwest Pacific Ocean and Climate Experiment program initiated by the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences . He investigates marine sedimentary components and their impact on climate reconstruction in the Bismarck Sea. He is developing program and courses about chemical oceanography and paleoclimate studies to be taught at UPNG, providing technical advisory services to various organizations, including the Government of PNG newly established Ocean Office on strategic development plans, and policy formulation in coastal and deep-sea governance and management. He received the Australian Award and EU Scholarship award in 2014 and 2017, respectively.

Koloko Brice Landry is a senior lecturer in molecular biology at the University Institute of Technology, University of Douala, Cameroon, where he earned his BSc and MSc degrees in animal biology. He received his PhD in molecular biology at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, Pakistan, under the CEMB-TWAS Postgraduate Fellowship (2016–2020). In 2017, he received the Elsevier Foundation–TWAS Sustainability Case Studies Competition Prize. For his achievements as a young promising scientist, TWAS nominated him to attend the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (in physiology and medicine) in 2023, in Germany. In 2024, he was awarded a fellowship offered by the Committee for International Cooperation and Development from the University of Pavia, Italy. He recently received the 2024 TWAS-DFG Cooperative Visits Programme award from TWAS and DFG (German Research Foundation) to pursue a research collaboration in Germany. His research interests cover the molecular and therapeutic aspects of chronic liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, using plant-based natural compounds.

Otabek Khakimov is an associate professor at the Laboratory of Algebra and its applications at the Institute of Mathematics named after V.I. Romanovskii in Uzbekistan. At the same institute he is a secretary of scientific seminar under scientific council on the awarding of scientific degrees. Khakimov is an editor of the electronic journal Bulletin of the Institute of Mathematics in Uzbekistan. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematical sciences from the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, also in Uzbekistan. He earned a PhD in physical and mathematical sciences from The Supreme Attestation Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan based on the decision of the scientific council at the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek. He also earned a Doctor of Science (the next degree after PhD in Uzbekistan) in physical and mathematical sciences from the Institute of Mathematics named after V.I. Romanovskii, in Uzbekistan. His research interests are in the theory of dynamical systems, probability theory and stochastic processes, non-Archimedean analysis and mathematical physics.