| Ms | Aasiyah | Muzaahim | Public Senior High School 8 Malang | Indonesia | Medicine and Health Sciences | Opthalmology | Young Scientist Award | View Profile |
| Ms | Ioana | Caprar | Babes-Bolyai University | Romania | Environmental Science | Assessing the Potential Microplastic Sources and Retention Efficiency in Valencia’s Tancat de la Pipa Wetland Abstract Constructed wetlands are promising nature-based solutions for mitigating environmental pollution, able to retain suspended solids as microplastic (MP) particles. This study aims (i) to identify potential sources and transport pathways of MPs in the Tancat de la Pipa constructed wetland (Spain), using a conceptual source-attribution approach based on spatial distribution, particle characteristics, catchment characteristics, hydrological connections, and the available literature and official information, as well as (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of the wetland in retaining MPs within the investigated size range. Sampling was conducted at six locations representing two inlet canals, two internal sites, and two outlet points of the wetland towards Albufera Lake. Higher MP abundances were recorded at the inlet, while lower concentrations at internal and outlet sites indicated partial retention, with apparent removal efficiencies ranging from 24% to 50%, depending on the sampling campaign. Blue and transparent MPs predominated, while polyethylene (47%) and polyester (18%) were the dominant polymers, followed by polymethyl methacrylate (10%), polystyrene (8%), and polypropylene (7%). The spatial distribution and particle characteristics, together with catchment land use and hydrological connections, indicated potential contributions from mixed sources, including packaging, agricultural activities, wastewater, traffic runoff, fisheries, and industrial activities. These findings provide an initial assessment of potential MP sources and transport pathways in a Mediterranean wetland and indicate partial retention of MPs within the investigated size range, supporting the need for longer-term and source-specific monitoring to improve source attribution and evaluate seasonal variability. Keywords: microplastics; wetland; Albufera; pollution; nature-based solutions | Innovative Research Award | View Profile |
| Ms | VASILIKI (Betty) | CHARALAMPOPOULOU | GEOSYSTEMS HELLAS SA CEO | Greece | Decision Sciences | Climate Change and the use of downstream space applications for decision support | Excellence in Innovation Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Karina | Cavalieri-Polizeli | Universidade Federal do Paraná | Brazil | Others | | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Jean-Paul | Nguyen | Clinique Bretéché groupe Elsan | France | Health Professions | Neurosurgery, Pain, Brain stimulation | Global Health Impact Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Mohamed | Ahmed | faculty of Technology and Education Helwan University | Egypt | Engineering | electrical | Health Innovator’s Leadership Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Relwendé | SAWADOGO | IBAM/ Université Joseph KI-ZERBO | Burkina Faso | Economics, Econometrics and Finance | Development Economics | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | KC | Chitra | University of Calicut | India | Environmental Science | Toxicology | Women Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Yung-Fu | Chnag | Cornell University | United States | Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine | bacterial pathogenesis and vaccine | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Juan | Pulhin | University of the Philippines Los Baños | Philippines | Social Sciences | Social Forestry and Forest Governance | Excellence in Research | View Profile |
| Prof | Adnan | Abu-Mahfouz | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) | South Africa | Engineering | Iot | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Arun | Kokane | All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal | India | Medicine and Health Sciences | Tuberculosis | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Ning | Zhang | Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China | China | Engineering | | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Monjurul | Haq | Department of Fisheries and marine Bioscience | Bangladesh | Agricultural and Biological Sciences | Food Science | Best Faculty Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Liangliang | Zhang | China Agricultural University | China | Advanced Materials Engineering | Multi-scale/physics Characterization of Advanced Engineering Materials and Structures | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Young Soo | Yoon | Gachon University | South Korea | Engineering | Materials Engineering | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Roman | Jerala | National Institute of Chemistry | Slovenia | Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | Synthetic Biology | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Sanjay | Basumatary | Bodoland University | India | Chemistry and Materials Science | Chemistry | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Mohammad | Zibaei | Alborz University of Medical Sciences | Iran | Immunology and Microbiology | Parasitology, Helminthic Infection | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |
| Prof | Yoshitake | Ueda | Department of Comprehensive Surgery for Community Medicine, Oita University Faculty of Medicine | Japan | Medicine and Health Sciences | Surgery | Best Researcher Award | View Profile |