Silvia ROMÁN SUERO is a Full Professor in the Applied Physics Department at the University of Extremadura (UEX), Spain. Her academic background is in Chemical Engineering, and she got her PhD at the Applied Physics Department of the UEX, on the porosity development of biomass Activated Carbons. Since 2010, her research focus on HTC processes alone or in combination with or in combination with other thermochemical processes. Research stays in the University of Évora (Portugal, 2 years), University of Buenos Aires (Argentina, 3 months), and the University of Nevada (3 months, UEA), along with participation in joint research initiatives, have allowed her to expand a network of international collaborations in the fields of biomass processing and the development of carbon materials. For Dr. Román, building long-term collaborative relationships is particularly rewarding, especially when they are accompanied by personal friendships. She has leaded several regional, national, and international projects on HTC, as well as contracts with companies. She is also the author of over 70 papers in JCR-indexed journals.

In addition to her research and teaching, Dr. Román currently oversees the Office for Development Cooperation at UEX, where she manages academic and research programs in collaboration with NGOs

Professor Salah ZIDI is a scholar and researcher in Artificial Intelligence, with a distinguished academic and professional career spanning Tunisia, France, and Saudi Arabia. He is currently a Full Professor in Electric Engineering at the Higher Institute of Industrial Systems of Gabes (ISSIG), University of Gabes (Tunisia), where he also serves as coordinator of the Master of Research in Engineering (MRE). He also leads the Artificial Intelligence research team within the IRESCOMATH laboratory where he supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students in the fields of intelligent systems and data science.

Prof. ZIDI’s research interests encompass artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, optimization, intelligent medical systems, wireless sensor networks, and document dematerialization with probative value. He has authored and co-authored scientific contributions addressing applied and theoretical challenges in AI, particularly in the domains of risk management, transport systems, and medical data analysis. His work often bridges academia and industry through collaborative projects with national and international partners.

His academic career includes teaching and research appointments at Qassim University (Saudi Arabia, 2014–2019), where he contributed to AACSB accreditation and managed quality assurance initiatives, as well as earlier positions at the University of Lille (France). He has also been an invited researcher and collaborator with institutions such as Ecole Centrale de Lille, National Engineering School of Tunis (Tunisia), and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST, Saudi Arabia), contributing to projects in intelligent transport, medical risk reduction, and secure information systems.

In addition to his academic activities, Prof. ZIDI has extensive experience as a consultant and trainer in Artificial Intelligence, collaborating with organizations including NEOLEDGE, ARMAGO, Archimed, and Biomediqa in France and Tunisia. These engagements have focused on the development of intelligent solutions for document management, energy optimization, healthcare systems, and industrial innovation.

He received his engineering degree and research master’s degree in Computer Science from the National School of Engineers of Sfax (ENIS, Tunisia), followed by a doctorate in Computer Science from the University of Lille (France).

Professor Elkafi Hassini is an internationally recognized expert in sustainable supply chains, freight mobility, and data-driven optimization. He is a Professor of Operations Management at the DeGroote School of Business, Member of the School of Computational Science and Engineering and currently serving as an Associate Dean of Research. His research has earned numerous awards, including McMaster University Scholar, Community-Engaged Scholarship, and the Canadian Operational Research Society’s Best Practice Research Award.
Dr. Hassini has published over 110 peer-reviewed papers, with some ranked among the top 1% most cited in Engineering and Computer Science by Web of Science. He holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Bilkent University and a Ph.D. in Management Sciences from the Faculty of Engineering at University of Waterloo.