Mohammad Silani | Engineering | Editorial Board Member

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Assoc Prof Dr. Mohammad Silani | Engineering | Editorial Board Member

Isfahan University of Technology | Iran

Dr. Mohammad Silani is an accomplished Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Isfahan University of Technology (IUT), Iran, where he currently serves as the Head of International Scientific Cooperation. His academic career reflects a continuous trajectory of excellence in multiscale modeling, computational mechanics, and advanced materials research. Since joining IUT as an Assistant Professor in 2015, Dr. Silani has made significant contributions in micromechanics, multiscale simulation, fracture mechanics, and computational materials science. From 2022 to 2023, he was awarded the prestigious MSCA Seal of Excellence Fellowship at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, where he advanced adaptive concurrent multiscale methods for wear modeling and developed coarse-grained molecular dynamics tools for fatigue crack propagation. His international research engagements also include visiting fellowships at the University of New South Wales in Australia, Qatar University, the National University of Singapore, and multiple research positions at Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany, where he contributed to the development of open-source multiscale finite element codes and advanced modeling techniques for nanocomposites. Dr. Silani earned all three of his degrees—B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D.—from IUT, specializing in solid mechanics, fracture mechanics, vibrations, FEM, and multiscale analysis. He possesses strong programming expertise in Python, Fortran, MATLAB, and Abaqus scripting and has advanced proficiency in leading finite element software including Abaqus, ANSYS, and LS-DYNA. His research achievements include more than 2,400 citations with an H-index of 20, reflecting his impactful contributions to computational mechanics, phase-field modeling, stochastic analysis, XFEM, SBFEM, and machine-learning-assisted material design. He has supervised over 70 postgraduate students, taught a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses, and reviewed for leading journals such as Materials & Design, International Journal of Fatigue, Composite Structures, and Scientific Reports. His extensive publication record includes high-impact works in Advanced Materials, International Journal of Fracture, Computational Mechanics, Nanotechnology, Acta Mechanica Sinica, and Journal of Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials. Dr. Silani’s honors include the Distinguished Young Professor Award from Iran’s National Elites Foundation (2022, 2023), multiple national science grants, a DAAD Research Grant, and project funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). His current research spans phase-field modeling of nanowires, fracture and wear simulations, machine learning for materials design, nano- and micro-scale damage analysis, bone tissue mechanics, and Industry 4.0-based mechanical monitoring. Dr. Silani maintains active collaborations with leading researchers worldwide, reinforcing his position as a distinguished scholar in computational mechanics and multiscale material modeling.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

A computational library for multiscale modeling of material failure
Talebi, H., Silani, M., Bordas, S. P. A., Kerfriden, P., & Rabczuk, T. (2014). A computational library for multiscale modeling of material failure. Computational Mechanics, 53(5), 1047–1071.

Stochastic analysis of the fracture toughness of polymeric nanoparticle composites using polynomial chaos expansions
Hamdia, K. M., Silani, M., Zhuang, X., He, P., & Rabczuk, T. (2017). Stochastic analysis of the fracture toughness of polymeric nanoparticle composites using polynomial chaos expansions. International Journal of Fracture, 206(2), 215–227.

First-principles multiscale modeling of mechanical properties in graphene/borophene heterostructures empowered by machine-learning interatomic potentials
Mortazavi, B., Silani, M., Podryabinkin, E. V., Rabczuk, T., Zhuang, X., & Shapeev, A. V. (2021). First-principles multiscale modeling of mechanical properties in graphene/borophene heterostructures empowered by machine-learning interatomic potentials. Advanced Materials, 33(35), 2102807.

Mujahid Aziz | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Mujahid Aziz | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Cape Peninsula University of Technology | South Africa

Professor Mujahid Aziz is a distinguished academic and research leader serving as the Assistant Dean: Learning & Teaching in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE) at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in South Africa. In this leadership role, he oversees and enhances academic excellence across eight departments within the faculty, which collectively serve nearly 10,000 students, including a growing cohort of postgraduate scholars. As a champion of academic transformation, Prof. Aziz is deeply committed to promoting innovative teaching practices, curriculum modernization, and student-centered learning within engineering education. His leadership is instrumental in aligning the faculty’s academic strategies with industry relevance, sustainability goals, and the national development agenda. With over 23 years of experience as an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Prof. Aziz has established himself as a transformative educator, researcher, and mentor. His academic journey reflects a sustained dedication to advancing both the theoretical and practical dimensions of environmental and chemical engineering. Throughout his career, he has supervised numerous postgraduate students and contributed to the development of engineering curricula that integrate sustainability, innovation, and applied research. His pedagogical philosophy emphasizes experiential learning and the development of problem-solving skills essential for addressing real-world engineering challenges, particularly in water and environmental systems. As the Principal Investigator of the Environmental Engineering Research Group (EERG), Prof. Aziz leads multidisciplinary research focused on sustainable water and wastewater treatment technologies. His work is internationally recognized, with publications in high-impact journals such as Desalination, MDPI Membranes, MDPI Water, and Environmental Processes. Recent research endeavors have explored cutting-edge methods for biofouling mitigation in polyamide thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes, particularly through polymer grafting and nanoparticle coating. These innovations are pivotal for improving the treatment of municipal bioreactor secondary effluent and enhancing the efficiency and longevity of membrane systems used in desalination and wastewater reuse. Prof. Aziz’s research portfolio is characterized by a strong interdisciplinary approach that bridges materials science, chemical process design, and environmental sustainability. His areas of specialization encompass membrane technology, wastewater reuse, electrochemical and adsorption processes, brine management, and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems. His work addresses critical environmental challenges associated with water scarcity and industrial pollution, offering viable pathways for circular water economies and resource recovery. His pursuit of innovation in micropollutant removal, membrane fouling control, and electro-oxidation for water reuse reflects his vision of achieving sustainable and intelligent environmental engineering solutions. Through his academic leadership, pioneering research, and commitment to mentorship, Prof. Mujahid Aziz continues to make a profound impact on the future of engineering education and sustainable water technology development in South Africa and beyond.

Profiles: Orcid | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Aziz, M., & Ojumu, T. (2020). Exclusion of estrogenic and androgenic steroid hormones from municipal membrane bioreactor wastewater using UF/NF/RO membranes for water reuse application. Membranes, 10(3), 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10030037

Aziz, M., & Kasongo, G. (2021). The removal of selected inorganics from municipal membrane bioreactor wastewater using UF/NF/RO membranes for water reuse application: A pilot-scale study. Membranes, 11(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11020104

Myburgh, D. P., Aziz, M., Roman, F., Jardim, J., & Chakawa, S. (2019). Removal of COD from industrial biodiesel wastewater using an integrated process: Electrochemical oxidation with IrO₂–Ta₂O₅/Ti anodes and chitosan powder. Environmental Processes, 6(4), 819–840. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-019-00393-5

Kasongo, G., Steenberg, C., Morris, B., Kapenda, G., Jacobs, N., & Aziz, M. (2019). Surface grafting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA) to improve resistance to fouling of aromatic polyamide thin film composite reverse osmosis membranes. Water Practice & Technology, 14(3), 614–624. https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2019.042

Chakawa, S., & Aziz, M. (2021). Investigating the result of current density, temperature, and electrolyte concentration on COD subtraction of petroleum refinery wastewater using response surface methodology. Water, 13(6), 835. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13060835

Aziz, M., & Kasongo, G. (2019). Scaling prevention of thin film composite polyamide reverse osmosis membranes by Zn ions. Desalination, 464, 76–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2019.04.006