Mr. Kiya Kefeni Benti | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Computer Scientists Awards

Kiya Kefeni Benti | Civil Engineering | Best Researcher Award

PhD Scholar | University of Johannesburg | South Africa

Kiya Kefeni Benti is a distinguished water resources engineer and academic with extensive expertise in hydrology, climate change, and environmental impact assessment. Currently a lecturer and researcher at Adama Science and Technology University, Ethiopia, he leads the Department of Water Resources Engineering and actively contributes to the Water Resources and Irrigation Engineering Center of Excellence. Kiya holds a Ph.D. (ongoing) in Civil Engineering (Water Engineering) from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, where his research focuses on modeling climate change impacts on hydrological processes and estimating groundwater recharge in the Olifants River Basin for sustainable water resource management. He earned his MSc in Water Resources Engineering (Very Great Distinction) from Adama Science and Technology University, with a thesis on assessing climate change impacts on water availability in the Upper Awash Sub-Basin, Ethiopia, and a BSc in Water Resources and Irrigation Engineering (Distinction) from the same institution. Kiya is a registered professional engineer with APEGA and APEGS, recognized for his strong problem-solving skills, teamwork, and leadership in both research and teaching. His professional training includes advanced hydrologic and spatial analysis, remote sensing for agriculture, WaPOR-based water productivity analysis, and Python-based geospatial modeling. His research interests span hydrology, watershed management, integrated water resources management, hydro-informatics, climate change impact assessment, surface and groundwater modeling, irrigation water demand, and land and water productivity. Kiya has published impactful research, including the 2025 article “Assessing Streamflow Response to Climate Change Under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways in the Olifants River Basin, South Africa”. He has received multiple awards for academic excellence, including gold medal recognition for his MSc performance. His contributions have earned him an h-index reflecting scholarly impact, and he continues to mentor graduate students while advancing sustainable water management practices.

Profile: ORCID | Linked In

Featured Publication

Benti, K. K., Dinka, M. O., Rwanga, S. S., & Aredo, M. R. (2025). Assessing streamflow response to climate change under shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) in the Olifants River Basin, South Africa. Hydrology, 12, 244.

 

Kevin Moreno Gata | Architecture | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Computer Scientists Awards

Mr. Kevin Moreno Gata | Architecture | Best Researcher Award

Research Associate, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

Kevin Moreno Gata is a research associate at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, specializing in structures and structural design. He holds extensive experience in developing innovative and sustainable building systems, particularly using naturally grown timber as a basis for load-bearing structures. With a strong foundation in both theoretical and applied research, Kevin contributes significantly to the advancement of engineering in the context of sustainable architecture and materials. 🌱🏗️

Publication Profile

ORCID

Education:

Kevin earned his academic credentials in the field of structural engineering, focusing on sustainable materials and construction practices. His academic pursuits have been complemented by his hands-on involvement in advanced research projects, contributing to the design and structural analysis of timber-based constructions. 🎓🔧

Experience:

Currently, Kevin is working as a research associate at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, in the Chair of Structures and Structural Design. He is involved in various groundbreaking projects that explore innovative and sustainable ways of utilizing naturally grown timber in construction. His professional experience includes securing prestigious grants and collaborating with international research teams. 💼🌍

Research Interests:

Kevin’s research is primarily focused on the structural analysis, design, and simulation of naturally grown timber elements for use in load-bearing building structures. His interests include circular design in forest construction, the use of advanced computational methods for timber structures, and the development of new techniques for sustainable and environmentally friendly architecture. 🌳📐

Awards:

Kevin has received research funding for projects such as “Naturally grown timber elements as basis for load-bearing building structures” from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Zukunft Bau Pop-up Campus Projekt grant from the Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR). His innovative research continues to gain recognition and shape the future of sustainable building practices. 🏆🌍

Publications:

Function-Oriented Applicability Evaluation of Technical Folding Based on Expert Knowledge
Published: 2024-12-08
Journal: Applied Sciences
Read more here
Cited by: 5

Building with Naturally Grown Timber: Circular Design in Forest Construction – A Pedestrian Bridge Case Study
Published: 2024-08-26
Journal: Proceedings of the IASS 2024 Symposium Redefining the Art of Structural Design
Read more here
Cited by: 10

Geometrical Analysis of Naturally Grown Timber for the Design of Load-Bearing Structures
Published: 2024-06-30
Preprint: Read more here
Cited by: 3

Generalised Scaled Boundary Isogeometric Analysis–A Method for Structural Analysis of Naturally Shaped Timber Structures
Published: 2024
Journal: Wood Material Science and Engineering
Read more here
Cited by: 15