Category: 2025 Speaker

Mr.Bavornsak Pejaranonda is a researcher and Northern Thailand area manager at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Thailand. With a background in Geography (BS, MS – Chiang Mai University), he has over 18 years of experience in remote area development, particularly in highland communities of Northern Thailand.

Since 2006, he has led programs under the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Initiative, focusing on self-sufficiency, sustainable livelihoods, and integrated learning. His expertise spans marginalized community learning, geographic information systems (GIS), and natural resource management.

His core belief is that people in marginalized areas—regardless of age, background, or language—can develop their potential if learning is contextualized and culturally responsive. He works at the intersection of science, policy, and local wisdom to promote inclusive, area-based social innovation.

Dr. Ramalingam Dharmalingam is a Senior Member of IEEE and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Information Technology at Majan University College, Muscat, Oman. 

Dr. Ram is a key architect behind the development of the innovative BSc (Hons) Computing – Oil and Gas programme, specifically designed to equip students with specialised skills for industrial automation. The programme covers critical areas such as field devices, industrial data networks with PLC, SCADA, and DCS, data visualisation techniques, ERP systems, and business process management using BPMN 2.0.With extensive expertise in Cybersecurity, IoT, Industrial Automation, and Sustainable Technology Solutions, Dr. Ram has led numerous impactful academic and research initiatives. He was awarded the Best Paper Award at the University of Derby, UK, for his innovative research on a sustainable IoT-based disease monitoring solution for lime trees in Oman.

Currently, he is actively involved in a strategic national project with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MoAFWR), further contributing to the advancement of digital agriculture and smart systems in Oman.

Dr. Ram’s work is distinguished by a strong commitment to applied research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the promotion of sustainable development through technology.

Tanya Sharma has a rich and diverse professional background, with experience working with esteemed organizations such as the United Nations. As a Deputy Director at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Tanya Sharma has been instrumental in fostering global academic partnerships, promoting internationalization, and economic empowerment for KISS students. She has successfully organized educational tours, trips, and programs for cross-cultural learning and partnership building, and have managed programs bringing international faculty to KISS for academic exchange. Prior to joining KIIT, Tanya Sharma worked as a Project Associate at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New Delhi, India, from May 2021 to August 2024. In this role, she supported the Social Protection unit in program management and execution, including planning, coordination, and events. She also prepared reports, drafted talking points, and facilitated trainings on various initiatives, including the 1000 Springs Initiative and the Adi-Prashikshan Portal. Before that Tanya Sharma worked as a Consultant at UNDP from September 2019 to December 2019, where she supported the unit in program management and execution, built liaison with state government officials, and represented UNPD in meetings with state governments and NITI Aayog.

Tanya Sharma has also worked as a Consultant at United Nations Women (UNW) from May 2019 to September 2019, where she assisted with logistics, budget management, and coordination for the Beijing+25 Campaign in India.

Additionally, Tanya Sharma has also worked at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in Geneva, Switzerland, from August 2018 to January 2019, where she drafted reports, facilitated meetings, and supported logistics and organizational work.

Dr. Nurul Hazrina Idris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geoinformation, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (FABU), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), where she has served since 2005. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Newcastle, Australia in 2014. Currently, she serves as the Manager of External and Global Engagement at FABU and is a Fellow of the Geoscience and Digital Earth Centre, UTM.

Dr. Nurul was awarded the prestigious Fulbright Malaysian Scholar Award 2022/2023, where she undertook a three-month research program at The Ohio State University, USA. She was also the recipient of the Australian Government’s Endeavour Research Fellowship in 2017, conducting a six-month research attachment at the University of Newcastle, Australia.

Her scholarly contributions include 45 peer-reviewed publications with a cumulative impact factor exceeding 15, 12 book chapters, and four edited research volumes published by national and international outlets. Most recently, she co-edited the book “Coastal Altimetry: Selected Case Studies from Asian Shelf Seas”, published by Elsevier. She has successfully secured over RM2 million in research funding through 29 international, national, and institutional grants.

Dr. Nurul’s research interests lie in marine remote sensing, focusing on:

• Coastal altimetry
• Sea-level rise and climate change
• Coastal hazards and erosion
• Artificial intelligence and expert systems in remote sensing

Her expertise has gained international recognition, leading to the supervision of visiting researchers and international research internships at UTM.

Among her notable professional roles:

• Senior Member, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (since 2025)
• Elected Member, IEEE GRSS Malaysia Chapter (since 2020)
• Scientific Organizing Committee Member, Pan Ocean Remote Sensing Association (since 2023)
• Chair, Local Organizing Committee of the 15th Pan Ocean Remote Sensing Conference and Tutorial Capacity Building (2020–2023)
• Chair, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Ocean Remote Sensing towards Climate Resilience (2021–2026)

Dr. Qun Shao is an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of Bradford-Renduchintala Enterprise Ecosystem (BREE) at the University of Bradford. He is actively involved in managing entrepreneurship programmes for students, graduate entrepreneurs, and aspiring entrepreneurs in our local community. He is also co-founder of both the Bradford UK-China Healthtech Open Innovation programme and the RCUK (Research Council UK) China Science Bridges programme. Qun has many years of knowledge transfer experience in both academic and industrial organisations across China and UK. During his role as China Programme Manager the University of Bradford was awarded a UK first-ranked RCUK Science Bridges programme (£1.3m). Qun has built strong networks with Chinese academia, industry and government and has led programmes and co-facilitated workshops that have created over 40 funded collaborations and joint venture companies between UK SMEs and academics, and counterparts in China.

Qun is also a co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of Crystec Ltd, a spin-out of the University of Bradford, focused on pharmaceutical particle design and crystal engineering. He has overall responsibility for coordinating international research, supply chain and manufacturing operations.

Qun holds a PhD in the field of knowledge engineering and artificial intelligence applied to pharmaceutical manufacturing, and has a multi-disciplinary educational background covering science, engineering and information technology. His research expertise relates to application of knowledge engineering and artificial intelligence to pharmaceutical formulations and Traditional Chinese Medicine modernisation. He has published over 30 scientific articles in major international journals and has received a number of research grants/awards. Prior to moving to the UK, Qun worked in a national chemical research institute in China. Qun is fluent in English, with Mandarin as his native language.

Dr. N. Manoharan, presently serving as Director – Projects and International Affairs of Hindustan Group of Institutions has served as Vice Chancellor of Sathyabama University, Chennai and Pro Vice Chancellor of AMET University, Chennai. He is Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering with over 39
years of Teaching, Research and Administrative experience in Engineering College / University level. He has specialized in the area of Internal Combustion Engines, Thermography, Radiography, Materials, Micro Electronics and Nano Technology.

He has filed and published Twenty-Nine Patents with Two Patents granted in different areas of Engineering and Technology. He has published Three Hundred and Ninety-Four Technical papers in different National / International Journals / Conferences of various areas of research. He has
organized several Conferences, Seminars, Workshops, Symposia, Short-term and Long-term courses. He is a life Member / member of TWENTY-ONE Professional Societies.

He has served in various higher positions in different Organizations including Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor, Director, Dean, Principal and Professor. He has been nominated by the various GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Apex bodies to serve in the following on various capacity.

• MEMBER OF DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (DST) – NRDMS COMMITTEE to formulate guidelines for the conduct of Remote Sensing & GIS courses in Indian Institutes.
• MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION (UGC) EXPERT COMMITTEE to assess the physical and academic infrastructure of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU),
  Anantapur – December 2009.
• MEMBER OF SELECTION COMMITTEE OF BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd.,) Govt. of India, Kalpakkam for various Scientist and Executive posts.
• CONVENOR OF ANNA UNIVERSITY EXPERT COMMITTEE to assess the physical and academic infrastructure of Several Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu.
• BOARD MEMBER OF BOARD OF APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India.
• PRESENTLY SERVING AS NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL (NAAC) PEER TEAM CHAIRMAN to offer Grading and to assess the physical and academic infrastructure
  of Several Universities and Engineering Colleges in India.
• SERVED AS NATIONAL CO COORDINATOR for the DST – ICPS Networking Research Project on Digital Poompuhar.

He has served as Executive Council Member of Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE) for four years and Chairman of Tamil Nadu & Pondy section of ISTE for two years. He has worked around 50 sponsored projects and organized to receive 59 sponsored projects from various Government of
India funding agencies. He has guided more than 200 Under Graduate Projects, 100 Post Graduate Projects and produced 12 Ph.D scholars in different areas of research.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nathapong Chitniratna is the President of Thaksin University Thailand. He has been in this position for almost two years. Prior to this he was the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nathapong Chitniratna received Ph.D. in Social Development from Naresuan University, M.Sc. in Environmental Management from Prince of Songkla University, and B.A. in Political Science from Ramkamhaeng University, Thailand.