Committee
Edward Muntean
Edward Muntean is professor at the Department of Food Sciences within the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj Napoca, Romania, teaching Analytical Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry for undergraduate students/Chemical Risk Analysis for Master students. Prof.Edward Muntean undertakes coordinated research contracts (he has managed seven independent research projects), being also involved in the activity of many professional societies. His studies include a B.Sc. in Organic Chemical Engineering (Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca), postgraduate studies in Applied Informatics and Programming (Technical University Cluj Napoca), a M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Biotechnology of Plant Pigments (University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj Napoca) and a PhD in Chemistry (Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca). He published eleven books focusing on analytical and inorganic chemistry and more than 100 papers in scientific journals. Since 2010, Edward has been working as a scientific editor, being member of editorial and advisory boards of several international journals. In the past years, he was concerned mostly in the chemistry and biochemistry of carotenoids - analytical strategies, biochemical researches and applications in food industry. Presently, his research focuses on applications of high performance liquid chromatographyand ion chromatography in detecting emerging food and medicinal plants’ contamination.
Abhishek Kumar
Dr. Abhishek Kumar is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Davis (USA), with a Ph.D. in environmental sciences from Birla Institute of Technology (India). His research focuses on biochar, soil chemistry, climate change mitigation, and sustainable waste management, with applications in climate resilience, soil health, and pollution control. He has authored 27 peer-reviewed publications and presented at 20 national and international conferences. Dr. Kumar has delivered invited talks globally, was named a Science Translator 2025 by the California Council on Science and Technology, and was among 20 postdocs selected to speak at the inaugural AAAS Postdoc Talks in Boston (2025). He serves on editorial boards, regularly reviews for leading journals, and currently holds the position of Career Development Officer on the UC Davis Postdoctoral Scholars Association Board. Deeply committed to collaborative science, capacity building, and translational research, Dr. Kumar brings a strong interdisciplinary perspective to advancing sustainable environmental solutions.
Eleonora Cataldo
"Eleonora Cataldo obtained the qualification to practice the profession of Doctor of Agronomy and Doctor of Forestry Section A (year 2020). Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (Doctor Europeaus) in 2024 at the University of Florence. She began her career as a research fellow at the University of Florence. She has carried out several periods of study and research in the Czech Republic. From 2024, she served as an adjunct professor in viticulture at the University of Florence. As part of her teaching activity, she has been a supervisor of numerous degree theses. She obtained the National Scientific Qualification as an associate professor in the Italian higher education system for the disciplinary field "Arboriculture and forest systems" (March 14, 2025). She has also carried out teaching activities at other institutes. She has collaborated on multiple research projects. She is the author of over 30 scientific publications and has participated in numerous national and international conferences with oral presentations. In recent years, she has mainly dealt with the following topics: ecophysiological and biochemical responses of Vitis vinifera L. to abiotic stress; zeolites; organic compost application with zeolites in vineyards; biochar in vineyards; and applications of foliar biostimulants with effects on technological and phenolic ripening."
Em Daniele De Wrachien
State University of Milan, Italy. Full Professor of Irrigation and Drainage. Master in Geology, State University of Milan Ph.D. in Advanced Engineering, Geology, State University of Milan. Qualifications: Ph.D., State University of Milan, Advanced Engineering Geology, Master, State University of Milan, Geology. Director of the Computer Centre of the Faculty of Agriculture (1989–1995), Director of the Department of Agricultural Hydraulics (2000–2006), President of EurAgEng (European Society of Agricultural Engineers) (2002–2004), Member of the Executive Board of CIGR (International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering) (2006–2014), Member of the Board of Directors of WIT (Wessex Institute of Technology) (2010–), Member of the Editorial Board of the ICID (International commission on Irrigation and drainage) Journal Irrigation and Drainage (1998–), Author of more than 150 publications (scientific papers, keynote lectures, books, and technical reports), organizer of more than fifty international events (conferences, congresses, symposia, and workshops) held in about fifteen countries throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Australia. Specialization Areas: Water resources management, Irrigation and drainage technology, performance assessment of sprinkler irrigation systems, modelling of transport processes in porous media, modelling of fluid-dynamics of debris and hyper-concentrated flows, flood control and mitigation measures, desertification and environmental impact of climate change, quantum approach to water droplet trajectories in sprinkler spray flow
Raida Zribi Zghal
Dr. Raida ZRIBI ZGHAL is Associate Professor at the Sfax Preparatory Engineering Institute and Researcher at the Biopesticide Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax. With over 27 years of experience in microbiology and molecular biotechnology, her expertise spans bacterial genomics, metagenomics, and bioinformatics. She has organized and led multiple international workshops on genome and metagenome sequencing, including ICGEB-funded courses and Horizon Europe training events. A consortium member of Horizon Europe’s NGS-4-ECOPROD and Horizon 2020’s IPM-4-Citrus projects, she has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications and supervised several MSc and PhD theses. Her current research focuses on the genomic and immunological characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis-based bio-insecticides for sustainable agriculture and vector control.
