Prof. Saad Aljlil | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Saad Aljlil | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Saad Aljlil | Chief Researcher | King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology | Saudi Arabia

Prof. Saad A. Aljlil is a distinguished research professor at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Saudi Arabia, specializing in sustainability, membrane technology, and water and environmental engineering. His research focuses on advanced desalination and water treatment technologies, wastewater purification, membrane synthesis, adsorption processes, and the integration of renewable energy systems for sustainable water management. Prof. Aljlil has made significant contributions to developing ceramic and polymeric membranes, nanocomposite materials, and hybrid desalination systems that enhance water purification efficiency while minimizing environmental impact. His work extends to smart water networks, solar-driven desalination, greywater reuse, and innovative applications of artificial intelligence in membrane distillation and water resource optimization. A highly cited researcher, Prof. Aljlil has achieved 1,079 citations in Scopus across 44 documents with an h-index of 19, and 1,397 citations on Google Scholar with an h-index of 20 and i10-index of 23. His interdisciplinary approach bridges chemical engineering, nanotechnology, and sustainability to address critical challenges in clean water access and environmental preservation.

Publication Profile

Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Ali, A., Macedonio, F., Drioli, E., Aljlil, S. A., & Alharbi, O. A. (2013). Experimental and theoretical evaluation of temperature polarization phenomenon in direct contact membrane distillation. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 91(10), 1966–1977.

Quist-Jensen, C. A., Macedonio, F., Conidi, C., Cassano, A., Aljlil, S. A., Alharbi, O. A., & Drioli, E. (2016). Direct contact membrane distillation for the concentration of clarified orange juice. Journal of Food Engineering, 187, 37–43.

Fontananova, E., Bahattab, M. A., Aljlil, S. A., Alowairdy, M., Rinaldi, G., Vuono, D., & Drioli, E. (2015). From hydrophobic to hydrophilic polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) membranes by gaining new insight into material properties. RSC Advances, 5(69), 56219–56231.

Park, C. H., Tocci, E., Fontananova, E., Bahattab, M. A., Aljlil, S. A., & Drioli, E. (2016). Mixed matrix membranes containing functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes: Mesoscale simulation and experimental approach for optimizing dispersion. Journal of Membrane Science, 514, 195–209.

Sedighi, M., Aljlil, S. A., Alsubei, M. D., Ghasemi, M., & Mohammadi, M. (2018). Performance optimisation of microbial fuel cell for wastewater treatment and sustainable clean energy generation using response surface methodology. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 57(4), 4243–4253.

 

Dr. vassilios lekidis | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Dr. vassilios lekidis | Engineering | Best Researcher Award

HEAD OF EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT BRANCH, OASP-ITSAK, Greece

Dr. Vassilios Lekidis is a distinguished Greek civil engineer and expert in earthquake engineering, with over four decades of professional and academic experience. Based in Thessaloniki, Greece, he has served as the General Director of the Institute of Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (ITSAK) across multiple terms, guiding key national and international seismic risk management projects. His contributions span leadership, engineering consulting, and high-impact research, particularly in structural dynamics and seismic vulnerability assessments.

Publication Profile

Scopus

🎓 Education Background

Dr. Lekidis holds a Ph.D. in Earthquake Engineering and Finite Elements (1995) and a B.Sc. in Engineering (1997) from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He also earned an M.Sc. in Engineering from Delft University of Technology, Netherlands (1998), specializing in static and dynamic structural analysis. His educational foundation merges deep theoretical mechanics with advanced computational methods.

🏗️ Professional Experience

Beginning his career in the early 1980s, Dr. Lekidis led construction operations at top-tier Greek contracting firms like AKTOR and SARANTOPOULOS. He later transitioned to a consulting engineer role, focusing on seismic resilience for buildings, bridges, and silos. Most notably, he served three terms as General Director of ITSAK, contributing to policy, structural safety, and international seismic risk reduction efforts. He has been involved in major infrastructure evaluations, including bridges like the Evripos cable-stayed bridge.

🏅 Awards and Honors

Dr. Lekidis has held numerous prestigious appointments, such as Vice President of the Technical Chamber of Greece (Central Macedonia, 2009–2012), member of Greece’s Permanent Earthquake Planning Committee, and board member of ITSAK and EGNATIA SA. He has also participated in forming national seismic codes and organized engineering congresses. His esteemed reputation in seismology and engineering has been recognized by both scientific and governmental institutions.

🔬 Research Focus

His research expertise encompasses seismic behavior of structures, vulnerability assessment, remote sensing for structural monitoring, and the finite element analysis of infrastructure. He has led or contributed to European and NATO-supported projects including SERINA, EUROSEISTEST, and HiPER-CRACK. His scholarly work bridges theory and application, especially for seismic instrumentation and performance of reinforced concrete and bridge systems under seismic load.

🧩 Conclusion

Dr. Vassilios Lekidis exemplifies excellence in structural engineering and seismic safety. His leadership in ITSAK, robust academic portfolio, and dedication to earthquake risk reduction underscore his impact on both engineering practice and public safety. As a visionary and veteran in the field, his ongoing legacy continues to shape modern earthquake engineering in Greece and beyond.

Publication Top Notes