· Publication Chairs

Prof. Ali Cheshmehzangi

World’s top 2 percent field leader 

recognised by Stanford University（Since 2022)

The University of Queensland, Australia

Biography:

Ali CHESHMEHZANGI is a Professor and Head of the School of Architecture, Design and Planning (ADP) at The University of Queensland, where he leads the School and researches across the fields of architecture, design, and urbanism. He has been in the World’s top 2 percent field leader since 2022, recognised by Stanford University. He is among the top 25 global scholars in the urban sustainability research area. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Urban Sustainability Book Series with Springer Nature. Ali has a wealth of experience, expertise, and a strong commitment to innovation and excellence in the fields of architecture, design, and planning, the three core disciplines of his School at UQ. With a career spanning over two decades, he has made significant contributions to the academic and professional communities, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally conscious design. Prior to joining UQ, Ali held several strategic leadership and senior managerial roles, such as Vice-President for International Engagement and Global Partnership, Founding Director and Head of the Center for Innovation in Education and Research, Head of the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Founding Director of the Urban Innovation Lab, Director of a university-wide Teaching and Learning platform, Director of International Research Network for Rural and Urban Development, Head of Research Group for Sustainable Built Environment, co-director of university-wide research priority areas, Director of Center for Sustainable Energy Technologies, and Interim Director of Digital Design Lab. So far, Ali has published over 500 journal papers, articles, conference papers, book chapters, and reports. He also has 40 academic books mostly covering related urban sustainability research areas. Some of his previous books have received awards at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. He also has received international awards and recognition for his research on urban resilience studies and sustainability research, as well as a Vice-Chancellor’s award for his impactful contribution to higher education in 2018.

Assoc. Prof. Mohammad Arif Kamal

Aligarh Muslim University, India

Biography:

Dr. Mohammad Arif Kamal is an Architect having 20 years of Teaching, Research and Professional experience in the field of Architecture, Building Technology and Interior Design, He did his Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch.) with Honors from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India in 2000, and secured a Master of Architecture (M. Arch.) on an MHRD GATE Fellowship from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, in 2002 and Ph.D. in ‘Energy Responsiveness in Traditional Residential Buildings of Lucknow’ on MHRD Fellowship, from IIT, Roorkee in 2007. His major fields of interest are Environmental Design, Sustainable Architecture, Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Climate Responsive Architecture, Traditional Architecture etc. Dr. Kamal is presently working as an Associate Professor at Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.  He has published 5 books and edited 4 Special Topic Volumes related to Sustainable Building Materials, published by Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland. He has published around 120 research papers in International Journals and Conferences. Dr. Kamal has an h-index of 14 and i10 index of 25.....with around 1133 Citations (Highest Number of Publications and Highest Number of Citations in Architecture in India). Dr. Kamal is an Editorial Board Member of many International Journals and Conferences related to the Field of Architecture and Building Construction Engineering. He is a lifetime member of the Council of Architecture, India, and an Associate member of the Indian Institute of Architects, India. He is also a panel member of many International Research Organizations and Professional Bodies.

Assoc. Prof. Zakiah Ahmad

Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia

Biography:

Professor Dr. Zakiah Ahmad is a distinguished expert in timber engineering, specializing in tropical hardwoods, at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Her research encompasses the structural aspects of timber construction, focusing on solid timber and engineered wood products. She has conducted comprehensive studies on various timber species, examining their mechanical properties, bondability, durability, and fire resistance. Her work has led to the development of design manuals for roof trusses made from glued laminated timber (glulam) and laminated veneer lumber (LVL), aligning with Eurocode 5 standards. Notably, she published the first manufacturing guideline for LVL, with its strength data incorporated into Malaysian Standard 544 Part 12. Her research has also resulted in new strength classes for glulam, registered with the European Organisation for Technical Assessment (EOTA), facilitating CE Marking for Malaysian timber exports. Beyond academia, Professor Zakiah has been instrumental in the design and construction of notable glulam buildings, including the Glulam Gallery in Johor Bahru and the Crops for the Future Research Centre in Selangor. Her collaborations with international institutions have produced new design charring rate values for tropical hardwoods, contributing valuable data to ISO and Malaysian Standards. Her efforts have significantly enhanced the value of Malaysian timber in the export market and increased the use of timber structures in construction, thereby boosting the Malaysian economy.

Her current interest is on structural bamboo in Malaysia focuses on exploring its potential as a sustainable and high-performance construction material. She has investigated the mechanical properties, durability, and bonding characteristics of local bamboo species, such as Gigantochloa Scorthechiniii, Bambusa Vulgaris, Gigantochloa levis, Dendraculumus Asper and Bambusa blumeana, for structural applications. Efforts have also been made to standardize bamboo construction techniques, improve fire resistance, and develop design guidelines aligned with international standards. The research aims to promote bamboo as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional building materials in Malaysia’s green construction industry.

Assoc. Prof. Huynh Trong-Phuoc

Can Tho University, Vietnam

Biography:

Trong-Phuoc Huynh, Doctor of Philosophy at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, is currently an Associate Professor and Advanced Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Can Tho University, Vietnam. He obtained the Best Research Award from the Ministry of Science and Technology-Taiwan in 2018 and won the Science and Technology Award (Golden Globe Award) from the Ministry of Science and Technology-Vietnam in 2023. From 2013 up to now, he has participated in the SUSCON Seventh Framework Programme and H2020 (RE4) of the European Union with many teams from different countries. He has also served as a Technical Committee member and Section Chair of many international conferences worldwide. He is the author/co-author of 2 patents and over 100 publications in prestige journals. His research focuses on concrete science and technology, green and lightweight construction materials, alkali-activated materials, the application of pozzolanic materials, and turning wastes into construction materials.