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.

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.

Tonjock Rosemary Kinge is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, in Bamenda, Cameroon, where she teaches mycology, plant pathology and botany. She earned a Master of Science in Botany and a PhD in Botany (Mycology) from the University of Buea, in Buea, Cameroon. Her scientific interests include: mycobiome analysis, fungi diversity, mushroom domestication and conservation, plant pathogenic fungi assessment and control, ethnomycological studies and multidisciplinary research. Tonjock is a member of the Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists. In 2019, she was named Fellow of the Africa Science Leadership Programme at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. In 2020, she became an affiliate of the African Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. She won a TWAS-Chinese Academy of Sciences postgraduate fellowship (2008–2009), China; a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Free State, South Africa (2016–2017); and a Fulbright scholarship at the University of Florida (2017–2018), in Gainesville, Florida. Currently, she is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Bayreuth, Germany.

Leslie Karina Tejeda Perez earned her PhD in food engineering (2013) from the University of Lund, in Sweden. She also earned a degree in chemistry (2007) from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), in La Paz, Bolivia. During the doctoral studies, she investigated the chemical composition, the antioxidant activity of Andean grains (quinoa and cañihua) and the polyphenolic content in isolated items and processed food (lunches). She is a member of the spin-off company Swebol Biotech, dedicated to formulating functional foods based on Bolivian crops. At UMSA she coordinates the Innovation Management project, aimed at building up innovative programme management to support science, technology, and innovation based on the quadruple helix model (university, government, industry, and society). The project is receiving five-year support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. With the Math-AmSud network, she also coordinated a project aimed to establish a collaborative network among Latin-American countries and France. The research topic of the proposal is Chemical Graph Theory, an important and modern area of discrete mathematics and chemical science.

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-).

Sasitorn Srisawadi is a senior researcher at the National Metal and Materials Technology Centre (MTEC), one of the research centers of the National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand. She earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. She won a scholarship from the Thai Government to further her education and received her Master of Science and PhD from North Carolina State University, US, working on additive manufacturing and rapid tooling. In 2011, she joined MTEC where she works at additive manufacturing, or three-dimensional (3D) printing, production process optimization, and composite material fabrication. Her excellent track records include several high profile peer-reviewed publications and patent applications in the areas of her expertise, which encompass the new process of 3D printing for natural rubber and metal matrix composites. In recognition of her contribution in promoting the role of young scientists, she was appointed as a co-Chair of the Thai Young Scientists Academy (2019–2021) and was selected as a Young Leader Fellow at the Annual Meeting, Science and Technology in Society forum (2019).

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 (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.

Roberto Rodriguez-Labrada is the Deputy Director of the Cuban Neurosciences Centre, in Havana, Cuba. He earned a PhD in health sciences (2013) from the University of Medical Sciences of Havana. He was the Deputy Director of research at the Centre for the Research and Rehabilitation of the Hereditary Ataxias, in Holguín, Cuba (2006–2019) where he ran projects on the epidemiological, clinical and neurophysiological characterization of Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, improving the disease staging, the description of biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and treatment strategies. He won international awards from the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (2017), the International Brain Research Organization (2007, 2011) and the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (2008), as well as prizes from the Cuban Academy of Sciences (2014, 2019) and the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (2014–2019). In 2019, he received the Carlos J. Finlay Order, the highest Cuban recognition awarded to researchers. In 2012, he became a Young Affiliate of the Cuban Academy of Sciences and, in 2019, a member of the Steering Committee of the Pan American Hereditary Ataxia Network.

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.

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 Educational Technological Prospective Manager of the Directorate of Educational Technology, 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. Regarding awards, he got the Ruben Dario Central American Award for Academic Excellence in 2009, and participated in the 22nd TWAS-LACREP Young Scientist Conference at Rio de Janeiro.

Carolina Palma Naveira Cotta has been an Associate Professor of mechanical engineering and head of the Laboratory of Nano and Microfluidics and Microsystems, at Poli & COPPE-Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, since 2011. At UFRJ, she earned a Bachelor of Science (2004), Master of Science (2006) and DSc (2009) in mechanical engineering, and she currently teaches heat transfer, mathematical methods, and transport phenomena at the nano and micro-scales. Her research interests also cover heat transfer enhancement, inverse problems, hybrid methods, water desalination, and sustainable energies. She has experience in research with the industrial sector, including sponsored projects with major companies such as Petrobras, General Electric, INB, and GALP. In 2014, she became an Affiliated Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, for the term 2015–2019. In 2016, she was elected member of the Scientific Council of the International Centre for Heat and Mass Transfer. She received competitive research productivity grants from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development and the Research Support Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Ammar Saleh Abdullah Omar is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Thamar University, Dhamar City, Yemen. He earned an MSc (2008) and a PhD (2019) in molecular histopathology, both from the University of Al- Neelain, Sudan. Ammar S.A. Omar has considerable experience as a lecturer: from 2009-2012 he lectured at Arwa Queen University, in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, and at Al-Yemenia University, in the Faculty of Health Science. At the same time, and until 2014 he lectured - among others - at Al-Hekmai University, Al-Saeeda University and Thamar University. From 2011 until 2014 he was the head of the medical laboratory department, Al-Nasser University. He has participated in several conferences and workshops in molecular biology, stem cells and regenerative medicine and breast cancer management. He co-authored several scientific papers, including one on the detection of 57 novel mutations in breast cancer-causing genes.

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.

Phyllis W. Muturi is a Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Embu, in Embu, Kenya, where she teaches Agricultural Sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Master of Science in Crop Protection, both from the University of Nairobi, in Nairobi, Kenya, and her PhD in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology from Makerere University, in Kampala, Uganda. Her interests include Crop Protection and Crop Improvement. She has more than six years of teaching and research experience. She is the Students’ Academic Advisor for Plant Breeding, Biotechnology and Crop Protection programmes. She is a member of the Biotechnology Technical Committee (2020–2022), a member of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (2019–2021), and the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (2019–2021). She was awarded Early Career Fellowship by Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World last year. In 2019, she received a visiting scholarship from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Uppsala) and in 2018 she was awarded the Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund Research Fellowships at Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute, in Nairobi, Kenya.

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.

I grew up in a small village in Yemen. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in physics from Cairo University (Egypt) in 2004 and then worked for the National Atomic Energy Commission (Sana'a-Yemen) in 2005. Then I received my Master and PhD in Theoretical Nuclear Physics from Cairo University (Egypt) in 2009 and 2014, respectively. My research interests are focused on deepening our understanding of nuclear reaction theories. I am interested in scattering, breakup, and reactions of exotic nuclei. In addition, I am working on the energy and mass dependencies of the microscopic optical and dynamical potentials. Permanently, since 2010, I am working at Taiz University (Yemen). In 2018-2020, Philadelphia University (Jordan) hosted my fellowship awarded from the Institute of International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF). In 2020-2022, I was a researcher at Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw (Poland) funded by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA). Currently, I am a research fellow at the Nuclear Physics Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, the University of Manchester (UK), funded by the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara).

Priscilla Kolibea Mante is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. She obtained her PhD in pharmacology from the same university in 2013. She was a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, US, under the University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars programme through which she underwent her postdoctoral training until 2018. Her research focuses on the development of better therapeutic options for resistant epilepsy. She is currently working on developing a portable device that reduces the costs of diagnosing mental conditions while improving the therapy. Mante received the International Rising Talents Award in 2019, in the frame of the L’Oréal Foundation-UNESCO programme. She is a beneficiary of the 2019 Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World Early Career Fellowship. She is also a Fellow of the Africa Science Leadership Programme and a Young Affiliate of the African Academy of Sciences. Mante is also a registered pharmacist with a specialization in neuropharmacology.