Naseraldeen Asadalla | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research | Kuwait

Dr. Naseraldeen Asadalla’s research has focused on arid land ecology, invasive alien species, ecosystem restoration, and biodiversity assessment in the Arabian Peninsula and the GCC region. He has developed specialized expertise in species distribution modeling (MaxEnt), remote sensing, ecological indicators, and machine learning-based environmental data analysis. His Ph.D. research examined the dynamics of alien bird species, particularly the Common Myna in Bahrain, providing foundational insights into biodiversity trends in urban ecosystems. Building on this work, his recent research has concentrated on ecological modeling of plant and animal species in desert environments, with a focus on the influence of abiotic factors such as precipitation and dust storms on species distribution and habitat suitability. Dr. Asadalla has authored and co-authored over 12 peer-reviewed scientific publications in reputable journals including Restoration Ecology, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, and the Journal of Arid Environments. His work has received over 185 citations (as of September 2025) and he holds an h-index of 7 (Scopus). His research has directly contributed to regional conservation strategies, such as the identification of green water zones using annual plants as ecological indicators and the development of habitat suitability models for native desert flora and vulnerable species like the Asian Houbara Bustard. In addition to his academic contributions, he is an active member of multi-disciplinary research teams at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), playing a key role in nationally funded projects and the formulation of regional environmental policies. Dr. Asadalla continues to pursue applied ecological research by integrating remote sensing tools with conservation science to address environmental challenges associated with climate change, species displacement, and urban expansion across the Arabian Peninsula.

Profiles: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications

Asadalla, N. B. A., Abdullah, M., Gharabi, Y., Mohan, M., Al Naabi, S., Al Ali, Z., Al Hashash, N., Srinivasan, S., Al Awadhi, T., & Abulibdeh, A. (2024). Predictive modeling of green water availability: The role of annual plants as an ecological indicator in dryland ecosystems. Journal of Arid Environments, 223, 105179.

Asadalla, N. B. A., & Marafi, M. (2023). Overlooked Colotis phisadia (Godart, 1819) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) – A new record for the butterfly fauna of Kuwait with remarks on host plant. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine, 159(1), 66–72.

Asadalla, N. B. A., Abdullah, M. M., Gharabi, Y., Mohan, M., Al Naabi, S., Srinivasan, S., & Al Awadhi, T. (2022). The use of annual plants as ecological indicators to identify locations with high levels of green water in arid ecosystems using remote sensing and MaxEnt modeling. SSRN Electronic Journal.

Asadalla, N. B. A., Abdullah, M. M., Al-Ali, Z. M., & Abdullah, M. T. (2021). Vegetation restoration targeting approach to identify the optimum environmental conditions for the restoration of native desert plants using remote sensing and MaxEnt modeling. Restoration Ecology, 29(6), e13425.

Al-Ali, Z., Abdullah, M., Asadalla, N. B. A., & Gholoum, M. (2020). A comparative study of remote sensing classification methods for monitoring and assessing desert vegetation using a UAV-based multispectral sensor. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192, Article 370.

Abdullah, M. M., Assi, A. T., & Asadalla, N. B. A. (2019). Integrated ecosystem sustainability approach: Toward a holistic system of thinking of managing arid ecosystems. Open Journal of Ecology, 9(11), 493–508.

Asadalla, N. B. A., Abido, M. S., Abahussain, A., & Shobrak, M. (2015). Assembly of optimum habitats for Asian Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis macqueenii) in the Arabian Peninsula: The vegetation aspects. International Journal of Biodiversity, 2015, Article 925093.

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.

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.