Amirhossein Nik Zad | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Amirhossein Nik Zad | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore | Italy

Amirhossein Nikzad is a dedicated researcher specializing in the Food–Energy–Water Nexus, with a strong focus on agro‐photovoltaic (Agri‐PV) systems, photovoltaics, life cycle assessment, renewable energy technologies, CO₂ emissions reduction, energy management, and optimization of hybrid energy systems. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in the Agri-Food program at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (started 1 November 2022) in Piacenza, Italy, where his investigations explore how combining agricultural production with solar photovoltaic installations can sustainably address the intertwined demands for food, clean energy, and water resources. Prior to that, he completed an MSc in Energy Systems Engineering at Shahrood University of Technology (2016–2019, Iran), where he developed skills in modelling, systems analysis, and performance assessment of renewable and hybrid energy systems. Over the course of his academic and research career, Amirhossein has contributed to [number of publications] peer-reviewed articles, accumulating approximately [number of citations] citations across his works, with an h-index of [your h-index]. His publications span Life Cycle Assessment studies, techno-economic and environmental feasibility analysis of Agri-PV, strategies for CO₂ reduction, and optimization of energy systems. He often uses modelling tools such as PVsyst, PVSOL, System Advisor Model (SAM), HOMER PRO, MATLAB, RETScreen Expert, and software for life cycle assessment like SimaPro, reflecting his commitment to combining empirical evidence and computational modelling. Amirhossein has also been active in academic service: reviewing for journals including Energy Strategy Reviews, Energy Research & Social Science, Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks, Electric Power Systems Research, Energy Reports, and Renewable Energy Focus. He was appointed Associate Editor (from July 2025) of the American Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems. He has gained international experience through his fully funded PhD in Agro-Food Systems and a full‐time research fellowship at Mälardalen University (Västerås, Sweden, Sep 2024 ‐ Jan 2025).

His projects include participation in the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, notably Value4Farm (since June 2023), which aligns with his interest in sustainable integration of energy generation and agricultural practice. He has also presented his work at major conferences, such as the 6th AgriVoltaics World Conference (Freiburg, Germany, July 2025), where he contributed three posters on topics linked to Agri-PV and the food-energy-water nexus. Amirhossein’s technical skills lie in PV system design and simulation (with PVsyst, PVSOL, SAM), hybrid renewable energy optimization, energy management and model-based optimization, and life cycle impact assessment with tools like SimaPro. His analytical skills are complemented by his experience lecturing in Solar PV system design and offering training sessions/workshops during his time in Iran. With a well-grounded background in energy systems engineering, a growing publication record, and involvement in cross-disciplinary, international projects, Amirhossein is building a strong profile at the intersection of renewable energy, environmental sustainability, and agricultural systems. His goal is to contribute to transformational research that enables decarbonization, sustainable resource use, and climate resilient food and energy systems.

Profiles: Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Nikzad, A., & Chahartaghi, M. (2019). Technical, economic, and environmental modeling of solar water pump for irrigation of rice in Mazandaran province in Iran: A case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 239, 118007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118007

Chahartaghi, M., & Nikzad, A. (2021). Exergy, environmental, and performance evaluations of a solar water pump system. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 43, 100933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2020.100933

Nikzad, A., & Mehregan, M. (2022). Techno-economic and environmental evaluations of a novel cogeneration system based on solar energy and cryptocurrency mining. Solar Energy, 232, 409–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2021.12.049

Bellone, Y., Croci, M., Impollonia, G., Zad, A. N., Colauzzi, M., Campana, P. E., & others. (2024). Simulation-based decision support for agrivoltaic systems. Applied Energy, 369, 123490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123490

Zad, A. N., Agostini, A., Impollonia, G., Zainali, S., Croci, M., Colauzzi, M., & Campana, P. E. (2024). Life cycle assessment of various agrivoltaic systems across Europe. Sustainable Production and Consumption.

Richard Beach | Ecology | Best Researcher Award | 13648

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Prof. Richard Beach | Ecology | Best Researcher Award 

University of Minnesota | United States

Professor Richard W. Beach is an internationally respected scholar and Professor Emeritus of English Education at the College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. With a distinguished academic career spanning over five decades, Dr. Beach has been a pioneering voice in the fields of literacy education, literature pedagogy, digital media in education, and adolescent identity in English classrooms. He holds a B.A. in English from Wesleyan University, an M.A. in Education from Trinity College, and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Professor Beach is the author, co-author, or editor of 30 major academic books, most published by leading educational publishers such as Routledge, Teachers College Press, and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). His body of work reflects a deep and sustained commitment to rethinking how literature, writing, media, and critical inquiry are taught in secondary and post-secondary classrooms. His books such as Teaching Literature to Adolescents, Teaching Climate Change to Adolescents, and Teaching to Exceed the English Language Arts Standards have become foundational texts in English teacher education and are widely used in teacher training programs internationally. His work has garnered broad academic recognition, with an estimated 4,000+ citations and an h-index of 30+, reflecting both the influence and reach of his scholarship across educational research domains. He has collaborated with prominent scholars and co-edited multidisciplinary volumes like Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Literacy Research, and continues to shape the discourse around literacy instruction, digital literacies, and critical pedagogy in the ELA classroom. Dr. Beach’s research is characterized by its responsiveness to changing cultural, technological, and ecological landscapes. He has advocated for student-centered approaches to learning that honor learners’ identities, social worlds, and real-world concerns. His recent work on teaching climate change and fostering critical digital literacies demonstrates a progressive and action-oriented vision for education.

Profiles:  Scopus | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Beach, R. (1993). A teacher’s introduction to reader-response theories. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Taylor, B. M., & Beach, R. W. (1984). The effects of text structure instruction on middle-grade students’ comprehension and production of expository text. Reading Research Quarterly, 19(2), 134–146.

Purves, A. C., & Beach, R. (1972). Literature and the reader: Research in response to literature, reading interests, and the teaching of literature. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Newell, G. E., Beach, R., Smith, J., & VanDerHeide, J. (2011). Teaching and learning argumentative reading and writing: A review of research. Reading Research Quarterly, 46(3), 273–304.

Appleman, D., Beach, R., Simon, R., & Fecho, B. (2016). Teaching literature to adolescents (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Galda, L., & Beach, R. (2001). Response to literature as a cultural activity. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(1), 64–73.

Beach, R. (1976). Self-evaluation strategies of extensive revisers and nonrevisers. College Composition and Communication, 27(2), 160–164.