Rifat Yildirim | Bioenergy | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Rifat Yildirim | Bioenergy | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor | Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Sütçüler Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürbüz Vocational School | Turkey

Assist. Prof. Dr. Rifat Yıldırım is a dedicated scholar at Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Sütçüler Prof. Dr. Hasan Gürbüz Vocational School, Türkiye, specializing in sustainable waste management, bioenergy production, and environmental biotechnology. He earned his academic qualifications with a strong foundation in environmental engineering and biotechnology, focusing on developing sustainable technologies that align with circular bioeconomy principles. Over the years, Dr. Yıldırım has gained extensive professional experience through his involvement in multiple TÜBİTAK-funded projects, including leadership roles as Principal Investigator and R&D Personnel in initiatives related to biogas production, composting systems, and biofilter development. His expertise extends to optimizing composting and anaerobic digestion processes using machine learning and multi-criteria decision-making models, which contribute to resource efficiency, carbon reduction, and energy recovery from organic wastes. Dr. Yıldırım’s research interests encompass waste-to-energy technologies, microbial ecology, environmental risk assessment, and renewable energy systems, where he applies innovative methodologies to address global sustainability challenges. His research skills include bioenergy modeling, statistical optimization, environmental monitoring, and decision-support system development, reflecting a multidisciplinary and solution-driven approach. He has published several papers in prestigious journals such as Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, and Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, advancing the scientific understanding of sustainable waste valorization. Dr. Yıldırım has also contributed to scientific literature with books (ISBN: 978-625-398-818-0, 978-625-398-826-5) and has trained students in national environmental programs. His commitment to integrating scientific innovation with sustainability goals underscores his growing prominence in environmental science and bioenergy research. Dr. Rifat Yıldırım’s academic impact is reflected in his emerging recognition with 5 citations, 4 documents, and an h-index of 2, highlighting his promising influence in sustainable bioenergy and environmental biotechnology research.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

1. Yıldırım, R. (2025, July 31). Analysis of composting methods for sustainable management of biodegradable waste using decision‐making techniques. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 1–14.

2. Yıldırım, R. (2025, June 17). Comparative analysis of alternatives for sustainable management of biodegradable waste. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management.

3. Yıldırım, R. (2025, January 29). Machine learning applications in biogas and methane production: A bibliometric analysis. Preprint.

4. Yıldırım, R. (2025, January 9). Bibliometric analysis of biological pretreatments in biogas processes. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 34(2), 1439–1443.

5. Ekinci, K., Çiftçi, F., Kumbul, B. S., Yıldırım, R., Solak, M., & Çoban, V. (2023, October). Co-fermentation of macroalga Elodea canadensis in different mixing ratios with dairy manure. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 13, 14185–14192.

6. Yıldırım, R. (2023, August 21). Biyogaz üretim süreçlerinde kullanılacak en uygun risk değerlendirme metodolojisinin analitik hiyerarşi prosesi ile belirlenmesi. Niğde Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, 12, 1130–1140.

Mehdi Safaei | Sustainable Energy | Renewable Energy Education Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Mehdi Safaei | Sustainable Energy | Renewable Energy Education Award

Assistant Professor | Istanbul Gelişim University | Turkey

Dr. Mehdi Safaei is an accomplished scholar with over 12 years of teaching and research experience in Industrial Engineering, specializing in supply chain management, logistics optimization, and sustainable supply networks. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering (Logistics and Supply Network) from the University of Bremen, Germany in 2014, graduating with magna cum laude distinction and a perfect GPA, supported by the prestigious IGS scholarship. He also holds an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran, where he ranked first in the highly competitive national entrance examination. Professionally, Dr. Safaei has served as Assistant Professor at Istanbul Gelisim University since 2019, leading TÜBİTAK-funded projects, publishing extensively, and supervising more than 400 undergraduate and 30 graduate theses. His previous roles include Assistant Professor at Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Lecturer at the University of Tehran and Al-Zahra University, and Research Assistant at BIBA-LogDynamic, Germany, where he received three Best Paper Awards. His research interests include dynamic supply network design, green supply chain management, machine learning in logistics, crisis management, and Industry 4.0 integration. He is skilled in supply chain modeling, project management, risk analysis, and quantitative research, with advanced expertise in simulation, ERP systems, and statistical analysis. A dedicated mentor and collaborator, he has translated key logistics texts, authored two books, and published 40+ journal and conference papers in reputed outlets such as IEEE, Elsevier, and Scopus-indexed journals. His professional affiliations include INFORMS, CSCMP, EurOMA, IISE, and IAENG, reflecting his active engagement with the global research community. Dr. Safaei’s outstanding achievements have earned him honors such as “Magna Cum Laude” recognition, national top rankings, and multiple international awards. Dr. Safaei’s growing academic impact is reflected in 132 citations, 17 documents, and an h-index of 7, demonstrating his significant and sustained influence in the field of industrial engineering and sustainable supply chain management.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate | LinkedIn

Featured Publications

1. Alsharif, A. H., Salleh, N. Z. M., Baharun, R. B., & Safaei, M. (2020). Neuromarketing approach: An overview and future research directions. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology, 98(7), 915–925. Cited by 65

2. Safari, Y., Abdollahi, S. A., Mahmoudi, M., Safaei, M., Taghinia, F., & Pasha, P. (2023). Numerical study of heat transfer of wavy channel supercritical CO2 PCHE with various channel geometries. International Journal of Thermofluids, 18, 100330. Cited by 32

3. Mosier, W., Elhadary, T., Elhaty, I. A. M., & Safaei, M. (2020). Crisis management and the impact of pandemics on religious tourism. Dublin Institute of Technology Conference Proceedings. Cited by 30

4. Safaei, M. (2014). An integrated multi-objective model for allocating the limited sources in a multiple multi-stage lean supply chain. Economic Modelling, 37, 224–237. Cited by 26

5. Safaei, M., & Thoben, K. D. (2014). Measuring and evaluating of the network type impact on time uncertainty in the supply networks with three nodes. Measurement, 56, 121–127. Cited by 20