Prof. Dr. Yong-Chil Seo is a distinguished professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering at Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Yonsei University, Korea, and both a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, U.S. He serves as the Director of the Waste to Energy (WtE) Center, under the Korean Ministry of Environment (KMOE) and the BK21+ Program for Graduate School, where he oversees two national programs supporting graduate student research and fellowship in the fields of Waste to Energy and Environmental Engineering.

Prof. Dr. Yong-Chil Seo’s major research areas include Waste and Biomass to Energy, Waste Recycling, and Air Pollution Control, with a particular focus on heavy metals, including mercury. He has been an expert working group member for UNEP, contributing to the development of the implementation guidance for the Minamata Mercury Convention over the past several years. Additionally, he is a former president of the Korea Waste Management Society (KSWM) and a former chief editor of the Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, where he now serves on the editorial board.

Prof. Datuk ChM. Ts. Dr. Taufiq Yap Yun Hin is a highly distinguished professor in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, renewable energy, and advanced materials. He earned his Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Chemistry in 1992 and Master of Science in Natural Products Chemistry in 1994 from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). He then went on to obtain his Ph.D. in Heterogeneous Catalysis from the prestigious University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), UK, in 1997.

Prof. Taufiq Yap started his academic career as a tutor in July 1993 and became a lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, UPM, in August 1997. His exceptional contributions to academia led to his promotion to Associate Professor on May 1, 2002, and subsequently to full Professor on October 1, 2007. He was the founding Head of the Catalysis Science and Technology Research Centre (PutraCAT) at UPM from September 1, 2008, until September 2014. His visionary leadership and commitment to academic excellence were further recognized with his appointment as Vice Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah from July 2019 to July 2022.

Prof. Taufiq Yap’s research interests lie in the catalytic production of bioenergy from biomass and waste materials. He has published over 470 Scopus-indexed scientific publications, including various influential reviews on biodiesel and hydrogen production. His groundbreaking research has significantly advanced the understanding and application of sustainable energy solutions. Throughout his illustrious career, Prof. Taufiq Yap has received numerous prestigious awards and honors. These include the National Young Scientist Award (2002), The Outstanding Young Malaysian Award (2008), Top Research Scientist Malaysia (2013), Malaysia’s Research STAR Award (2018), and being listed among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University, USA (2020). In 2022, he received the highest award, the Gold Medal for Excellence in Chemistry.

In addition to these accolades, Prof. Taufiq Yap was awarded the Distinguished Order of Meritorious Service (Panglima Jasa Negara, PJN) in 2019. He was appointed as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (2015), a Fellow of the Malaysia Institute of Chemistry (2009), and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK (2008). He is currently a Visiting Professor at Henan Agriculture University, China (2020-2025).

Beyond his academic and research contributions, Prof. Taufiq Yap is actively involved in various professional organizations and committees. His roles include serving as the Director of the Catalysis Science and Technology Research Centre (PutraCAT) at UPM and contributing to numerous editorial boards of prestigious journals. His leadership and dedication to fostering innovation and sustainable practices continue to inspire the scientific community and beyond.
Prof. Taufiq Yap’s illustrious career, marked by groundbreaking research, visionary leadership, and a steadfast commitment to excellence, underscores his status as a truly distinguished professor in the realm of chemical sciences and engineering.

Prof. Dr. Somrat Kerdsuwan is a distinguished professor at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, specializing in combustion, energy, and waste management. He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Thailand. He then pursued his Master’s degree and Doctorate at the University of Poitiers, France, focusing on energy and combustion, respectively.

Prof. Dr. Kerdsuwan has been a professor at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok since 1994. He also served as the Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department from 2002 to 2004. Since 2004, he has been the Director of the Waste Incineration Research Center at the same university.

Throughout his illustrious career, Prof. Dr. Kerdsuwan has received several prestigious honors and awards. In 2011, he was awarded the Best ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award by the Federation of Engineering Organizations for his expertise as an environmental and combustion engineer and his dedication to the Waste Incinerator Research Center. In 2009, he received the ASME George Westinghouse Silver Medal for his significant contributions as a researcher, engineer, and educator in the design, development, and applications of waste and low-grade fuels for clean energy conversion and power production, with a strong emphasis on alternative energy.

Associate Professor Dr. Rasyikah Md Khalid received her Bachelor of Law from the University of Sheffield UK, Master of Laws (University Malaya), and Ph.D. at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). She is now the Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) at the Faculty of Law UKM and a senior associate fellow of the Fuel Cell Institute UKM. She was a visiting researcher at the UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science at the University of Dundee in Scotland. She has also received a full fellowship for postgraduate courses in Building Resilience to Climate Change (BRCC) at the United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo, and for ASLI Young Scholar Workshop at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her research and teaching are in the field of environmental law, in particular integrated river basin management (IRBM), energy, and natural heritage. She is currently involved in the inclusive river basin governance project at the Kedah River Basin. She is currently a member of the International Water Association (IWA) and the International Sustainable Development Research Society (ISDRS). She is now a member of the Editorial Board for Journal of Law and Society, and Journal of Environmental Law, Development, and Research.