Mr. Ahmad Usman | Sustainable Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Ahmad Usman | Cranfield University | United Kingdom

Mr. Ahmad Usman is a dedicated PhD student at Cranfield University specializing in coating and corrosion science, with a strong focus on developing advanced materials to protect critical components in power plants under demanding conditions. His research encompasses the fireside-corrosion behavior of thermally sprayed and Ni-based coatings in challenging environments, including chlorine-rich combustion atmospheres, and investigates oxidation, erosion, and wear mechanisms at the microscopic level. Mr. Usman has contributed to advancing knowledge on thermal spray coatings through both academic and industry projects, including his role as Group Innovation Engineer at Welding Alloys Group, UK, and collaborations with the National High Temperature Surface Engineering Centre. He has co-authored book chapters on self-healing elastomers and polymeric paints and coatings, highlighting his expertise in functional polymers. His research interests include real-time monitoring of coating degradation, modeling corrosion kinetics in waste-to-energy (WtE) environments, and optimizing thermal spray coatings to resist high-temperature corrosion, erosion, and wear damage. With a growing citation record and an h-index of 2, Mr. Usman is an active member of the Institute of Corrosion and the Pakistan Engineering Council, demonstrating his commitment to both academic excellence and industrial innovation, while consistently exploring innovative solutions to extend the lifespan and reliability of critical energy infrastructure.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Usman, A., Syed, A., Isern Arrom, L., Nicholls, J., & Cordero, M. (2024, September 5). Degradation of novel coating systems for heat exchanger materials for WtE power plant applications [Conference poster]. EUROCORR 2024, Cranfield University.

Rehan, Z. A., & Usman, A. (2023). Polymeric paints and coatings. In Advanced Functional Polymers. Springer.

Zubair, Z., Usman, A., & Hafeez, A. (2023). Self-healing elastomers. In Advanced Functional Polymers. Springer.

Usman, A. (2021, December 8). Fabrication of low emissivity paint thermal/NIR radiation insulation for domestic applications [Conference poster]. 1st International Conference of Polymers and Composites (ICPC-2021).

Usman, A., Isern Arrom, L., Nicholls, J., Cordero, M., & Syed, A. U. (2025). Fireside corrosion behavior of thermally sprayed coatings for waste-to-energy power plant applications. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance.

Prof. John Theodorou | Water Resource Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof. John Theodorou | University of Patras | Greece

Prof John Theodorou is an accomplished Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture with extensive expertise in aquaculture and fisheries science. Over his career, he has combined academic research with significant industry experience, serving as National Representative for Aqua Training and Technology and providing scientific advice on quality scheme development, research and development, university-industry collaboration, and European policy support. Prof Theodorou has also participated in numerous international and national projects, including the Blue Jobs Through Blue Careers initiative, where he contributed to designing retraining programs, developing a European collaborative network, and producing deliverables such as policy briefs and expert focus group reports. He has authored 74 documents cited 865 times across 562 publications, with an h-index of 17. Fluent in Greek, English, and proficient in French, Prof Theodorou’s multidisciplinary expertise bridges aquaculture science, fisheries economics, and quality management, reflecting a career dedicated to sustainable aquaculture practices, industry integration, and evidence-based policy development.

Featured Publications

Theodorou, J. (2025). Enhancing social acceptability of aquaculture: Stakeholder engagement in guidelines development for the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Marine Policy.

Theodorou, J. (2025). Novel insights into the phylogeographic patterns of ascidians fouling Greek mussel cultures. Marine Biodiversity.

Theodorou, J. (2025). Influence of key physicochemical factors on the temporal dynamics of invasive and native ascidian settlement. Water, Switzerland.

Theodorou, J. (2025). From shell to sequence: Optimizing DNA extraction and PCR for pen shell identification. Water, Switzerland.

Theodorou, J. (2025). Mytilus galloprovincialis’s role in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA): A comprehensive review.

Theodorou, J. (2024). Exploring aquaculture professionals’ perceptions of artificial intelligence: Quantitative insights into Mediterranean fish health management. Water, Switzerland.

Theodorou, J. (2025). Historical dataset details the distribution, extent and form of lost Ostrea edulis reef ecosystems.