Richa Kothari (M.Phil., Ph.D.) is Professor and currently Head of the Department, Department of Environmental Sciences, Central University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. She is a Water Advanced Research and Innovation (WARI) Fellow, Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, with over 20 years of teaching and research experience. Recognized among Stanford University’s World’s top 2% scientists (2020–2025), her research interests include algal-based biofuels, bio-hydrogen, and renewable energy for wastewater treatment. She was presented with the Women Scientist’s Award, 2025, by the Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, in March 2025 and the ASSOCHAM J&K Women’s Achiever Award on March 10, 2023. She has authored more than 140 journal articles, holds five patents, has gained approximately 9805 citations, and holds an h-index of 49 and an i10-index of 114. She has also worked as a guest editor for special issues in the Journal of Biofuels, Journal of Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, Environmental Sustainability, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. She has guided 9 Ph.D./M.Phil., 65 M.Sc. and approximately 40 M.Tech. students. She has also delivered a number of invited lectures at national and international levels. Neeta Rani is Associate Professor and currently Head of the Department, Department of National Security Studies at Central University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. She has work experience of more than 14 years. She completed her post-graduation in defense and strategic studies and earned her doctorate (Ph.D.) from Panjab University, Chandigarh. She specializes in Central Asian security affairs, with a special focus on energy security. Her areas of interest include energy security, border management, Central Asia, South Asian security affairs, and human security. She has published papers in several reputed journals. She has completed an ICSSR-sponsored research project on the Village Defence Guards Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Anita Singh is currently working as Associate Professor and currently Head of the Department, Department of Environmental Studies, Central University of Haryana, Haryana. She has more than 14 years of teaching and research experience. Dr. Singh did her Ph.D. on bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar. She did her post-doctoral research at the University of Georgia, U.S.A., on selective removal of inhibitors from lignocellulosic biomass. Dr. Singh has published 50 papers in international journals and six book chapters in various edited books. She has published three edited books with reputed publishers. Dr. Singh completed two sponsored projects from UGC and DST-SERB (ECR). She has guided 44 master’s students’ dissertations and supervised two Ph.D. students. Dr. Singh was awarded CSIR-SRF and CSIR-RA fellowships for research during and after her Ph.D. Dr. Singh was awarded a UGC Raman Post doctoral fellowship for doing research in the U.S.A. Dr. Singh was recognized among Stanford University’s World’s top 2% scientists (2025).
