Monica Alvarez Manso | Green Hydrogen | Editorial Board Member

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Ms. Monica Alvarez Manso | Green Hydrogen | Editorial Board Member

Universidad de León | Spain

Mónica Alvarez Manso is a researcher and energy engineering specialist whose work spans green hydrogen technologies, bioenergy systems, renewable energy integration, and sustainable water resource management, with extensive experience in designing, coordinating, and executing complex energy and infrastructure projects involving electrolysis-based hydrogen production, advanced water purification and demineralization systems, biomethane upgrading, and large-scale power generation and high-voltage substation facilities. Her professional contributions include implementing energy efficiency and industrial sustainability strategies for major international organizations, designing renewable energy systems for rural electrification in Africa, and developing innovative water management and pumping solutions across Europe. As a PhD candidate at the University of León and Vice-Dean of the Official College of Technical Mining Engineers and Mining and Energy Graduates, she plays a strategic leadership role in driving technological innovation, promoting sustainable engineering practices, and leading multidisciplinary teams in the mining, energy, and advanced materials sectors. She has contributed to competitive research initiatives such as ECOH2JET and BIOWATERING and has extensive experience in preparing and managing European and national funding proposals under Horizon 2020, LIFE, PRIMA, Eurostars, and the Innovation Fund. Her technological innovations include the registration of HYDROGREENSIM, a simulator for optimizing water purification processes in renewable hydrogen plants, and the patented VIRTUAL ART PROJECTION technique. Through collaborations with academic institutions, industry partners, and innovation-driven organizations, she has advanced scientific dissemination through publications, conferences, and the development of practical engineering tools, with her work collectively supporting the transition to low-carbon systems, circular bioeconomy solutions, and sustainable industrial development at regional and global scales.

Profiles: Google Scholar 

Featured Publications

1. Álvarez-Manso, M., Búrdalo-Salcedo, G., & Fernández-Raga, M. (2025). Classification framework for hydrological resources for sustainable hydrogen production with a predictive algorithm for optimization. Hydrogen, 6(3), 54.

2. Álvarez-Manso, M. (2002). Estudio de viabilidad de una instalación de energía eléctrica combinada con un proceso de termólisis.

Valeria Cafaro | Bioenergy | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Valeria Cafaro | Bioenergy | Best Researcher Award

Post – Doc researcher | National Research Council of Italy – Institute of BioEconomy| Italy

Dr. Valeria Cafaro is a dedicated Post-Doctoral Researcher at the National Research Council of Italy – Institute of BioEconomy (CNR–IBE), Catania, Sicily, specializing in crop physiology, sustainable agronomic practices, and genetic improvement of Mediterranean crops under abiotic stress. She holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science (Doctor Europaeus, University of Catania), where her research focused on strategies to improve crop resilience and productivity under challenging climate conditions. Professionally, she contributes to the Agritech PNRR project on tomato adaptation to climate change and collaborates on research initiatives including Multicanapa and Ricinolio. Her research interests encompass plant adaptation to drought, salinity, and climate variability, seed biology, sowing optimization, and integrating molecular tools with field experimentation to improve yield, quality, and nutraceutical properties. Dr. Cafaro’s research skills include advanced plant phenotyping, statistical data analysis, experimental design, and development of sustainable crop management protocols. She has authored 11 peer-reviewed articles in Scopus/WoS-indexed journals, with one under review, and presented over 20 contributions at international conferences such as SIA, SOI, EUBCE, and ISHS, earning multiple awards for excellence in plant physiology and agronomy research. She serves as Guest Editor for Horticulturae (Special Issue: “Seed Biology in Horticulture: From Dormancy to Germination”) and peer reviewer for reputed journals including Agronomy, Plants, and International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Professionally, she is a member of the Società Italiana di Agronomia (SIA) and holds formal qualifications as Agronomist and Biologist. Dr. Cafaro’s growing academic impact is reflected in 59 citations, 15 documents, and an h-index of 5, demonstrating her significant and sustained influence in the field of crop physiology and climate-resilient agriculture.

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

Featured Publications

1. Badagliacca, G., Testa, G., La Malfa, S. G., Cafaro, V., Lo Presti, E., & Monti, M. (2024). Organic fertilizers and bio-waste for sustainable soil management to support crops and control greenhouse gas emissions in Mediterranean agroecosystems: A review. Horticulturae, 10(5), 427. Cited by: 28

2. Arlotta, C., Ciacciulli, A., Strano, M. C., Cafaro, V., Salonia, F., Caruso, P., & Others. (2020). Disease resistant citrus breeding using newly developed high resolution melting and CAPS protocols for Alternaria brown spot marker assisted selection. Agronomy, 10(9), 1368. Cited by: 24

3. Cafaro, V., Alexopoulou, E., Cosentino, S. L., & Patanè, C. (2023). Germination response of different castor bean genotypes to temperature for early and late sowing adaptation in the Mediterranean regions. Agriculture, 13(8), 1569. Cited by: 12

4. Lippolis, A., Gezan, S. A., Zuidgeest, J., Cafaro, V., van Dinter, B. J., Elzes, G., & Others. (2025). Targeted genotyping (90K-SPET) facilitates genome-wide association studies and the prediction of yield-related traits in faba bean (Vicia faba L.). BMC Plant Biology, 25(1), 558. Cited by: 3

5. Cafaro, V., Alexopoulou, E., Cosentino, S. L., & Patanè, C. (2023). Assessment of germination response to salinity stress in castor through the hydrotime model. Agronomy, 13(11), 2783. 
Cited by: 6