Dr. Yasmine Ragab | Decision-making and Problem-solving | Best Researcher Award

Published on 18/11/2025 by Leadership and Management

Dr. Yasmine Ragab | Decision-making and Problem-solving | Best Researcher Award

Modern University for Technology and Information | Egypt

Dr. Yasmine Magdi Ragab Othman is an accomplished academic and researcher in accounting, currently serving as an Assistant Professor at MTI University’s Faculty of Business, where she has been contributing to teaching and research since 2014. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Beni Suef University, a Master’s in Accounting from Cairo University, and is completing her Ph.D. in Accounting at Ain Shams University. Her research interests span auditing, internal audit quality, financial statement fraud, corporate governance, financial performance, financial distress prediction, financial inclusion, and financial stability. Dr. Othman has an extensive publication record in reputable journals such as the Future Business Journal, Accounting Research Journal, International Journal of Accounting & Information Management, and Journal of Applied Accounting Research, along with multiple applied studies focusing on Egyptian listed and SME firms. She has presented her work at several national conferences and contributed to research on blockchain applications in preventing financial restatements. Her teaching portfolio includes audit, financial accounting, international accounting, advanced accounting, and cost accounting at both undergraduate and advanced levels. Having received a prestigious Presidential Leadership Program scholarship, she continues to advance research in accounting and governance. Dr. Othman remains committed to academic excellence, impactful scholarship, and the development of future accounting professionals.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Ragab, Y. M., & Saleh, M. A. (2022). Evidence from Egypt. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 23(3), 604–627.

Saleh, M. A., & Ragab, Y. M. (2023). Determining audit fees: Evidence from the Egyptian stock market. International Journal of Accounting & Information Management, 31(2), 355–375.

Ragab, Y. M. (2017). Financial ratios and fraudulent financial statements detection: Evidence from Egypt. International Journal of Academic Research, 4(9), 1–6.

Saleh, M. A., Eassa, A. M., & Ragab, Y. M. (2025). Detecting and preventing financial restatements using blockchain-based smart contract: The case of the Egyptian companies. EDPACS, 70(2), 67–90.

Saleh, M. A., & Ragab, Y. M. (2025). Asymmetric cost behavior and firm value: The role of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accounting Research Journal. Advance online publication.

Saleh, M. A., & Ragab, Y. M. (2025). Comprehensive income and financial distress prediction: An applied study of Egyptian listed companies. Alexandria Journal of Accounting Research, 9(3), 65–89.

Ragab, Y. M., El-Kady, S. M., & Saleh, M. A. (2025). Managerial attributes and accounting conservatism in small and medium-sized enterprises. Contemporary Commercial Studies Journal, 11(21), 1290–1320.

Ragab, Y. M., & Saleh, M. A. (2025). The nexus between board of directors, audit committee attributes, and audit quality. Future Business Journal, 11.

Dr. Rayan Merkbawi | Leadership in Education and Academic Institutions | Best Researcher Award

Published on 10/11/2025 by Leadership and Management

Dr. Rayan Merkbawi | Leadership in Education and Academic Institutions | Best Researcher Award

University of Technology Sydney | Australia

Dr. Rayan Merkbawi is a dedicated academic and educator at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), specializing in business, social impact, and emerging technologies in marketing. She earned her Ph.D. in Business from UTS in 2021, following a Master’s in International Business from Macquarie University and a Bachelor’s in Business Management from the University of Balamand, Lebanon. Her teaching career spans several leading Australian universities, including UTS and the University of Sydney, where she has designed and delivered innovative, practice-based subjects that integrate real-world challenges into business education. As the designer and coordinator of “Business and Social Impact,” she led the creation of an industry-informed curriculum recognized as a Top Subject at UTS for two consecutive years. Her research interests lie at the intersection of social impact, responsible leadership, ESG frameworks, and the integration of sustainability into business education. Dr. Merkbawi has received multiple nominations for prestigious university awards, including the UTS Vice-Chancellor’s Award and the UTS Business School Achievement Award, highlighting her commitment to impactful teaching and research. Through her leadership in curriculum innovation, she continues to inspire students to become socially responsible leaders equipped to drive positive change in the business world.

Profile: ORCID

Featured Publications

Baber, H., Sarango-Lalangui, P., Merkbawi, R., Fatorachian, H., & Maalouf, J. (2025). Green impact: How social and environmental orientations shape sustainability in Ecuadorian businesses under regulatory framework. Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Merkbawi, R., Kaya, E., Wilson, R., Dalton, B., & Li, H. W. (2025). Between aspiration and reality: Immigrant families, capital constraints, and the path to higher education in Australia. Asia Pacific Education Review.

Merkbawi, R., Rhodes, C., & Dalton, B. (2024). Political corporate social irresponsibility and Lebanon’s garbage mountain. Business & Society.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belete Berhanu Kidanewold | Innovative Leadership | Best Researcher Award

Published on 29/09/202529/09/2025 by Leadership and Management

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belete Berhanu Kidanewold | Innovative Leadership | Best Researcher Award

Addis Ababa University | Ethiopia

Belete Berhanu is an Associate Professor and accomplished researcher in water resources engineering and management, with a strong focus on surface water hydrology, rainfall-runoff modeling, and watershed hydroinformatics. He earned his Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering and Management from Addis Ababa University, specializing in surface water hydrology, after completing his M.Tech. in Hydrology with a specialization in watershed hydroinformatics at IIT Roorkee, India, and a B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering from Alemaya University of Agriculture. With extensive academic and research experience, he has contributed to collaborative projects with international organizations such as SMHI, FAO, IWMI, IHE Delft, UMD, USC, and FIU, focusing on flood forecasting, water accounting, climate-smart agriculture, and model integration. His work spans multiple countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Somaliland, India, Israel, and the USA, underscoring his global research engagement. A member of professional associations such as EWPA and a national expert on GERD, he has demonstrated leadership in water resource management and policy advisory roles. His expertise extends to hydrological and decision-support models, GIS, and remote sensing, and he has received recognition for his contributions to strategic water management and capacity building. With an h-index of 13 and numerous influential publications, he continues to advance hydrological research and sustainable water management practices globally.

Profile: Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Berhanu, B., Seleshi, Y., & Melesse, A. M. (2014). Surface water and groundwater resources of Ethiopia: Potentials and challenges of water resources development. In A. M. Melesse, W. Abtew, & S. G. Setegn (Eds.), Nile River Basin: Ecohydrological challenges, climate change and hydropolitics (pp. 97–117). Springer.

Berhanu, B., Melesse, A. M., & Seleshi, Y. (2013). GIS-based hydrological zones and soil geo-database of Ethiopia. Catena, 104, 21–31.

Berhanu, B., Seleshi, Y., Demisse, S. S., & Melesse, A. M. (2015). Flow regime classification and hydrological characterization: A case study of Ethiopian rivers. Water, 7(6), 3149–3165.

Mamo, S., Berhanu, B., & Melesse, A. M. (2019). Historical flood events and hydrological extremes in Ethiopia. In A. M. Melesse & W. Abtew (Eds.), Extreme hydrology and climate variability (pp. 379–384). Elsevier.

Berhanu, E. B. B. (2018). Identification of surface water storing sites using topographic wetness index (TWI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Journal of Natural Resources and Development, 8, 91–100.

Derib, S. D., Assefa, T., Berhanu, B., & Zeleke, G. (2009). Impacts of micro-basin water harvesting structures in improving vegetative cover in degraded hillslope areas of north-east Ethiopia. The Rangeland Journal, 31(2), 259–265.

Berhanu, B., Seleshi, Y., Demisse, S. S., & Melesse, A. M. (2016). Bias correction and characterization of climate forecast system re‐analysis daily precipitation in Ethiopia using fuzzy overlay. Meteorological Applications, 23(2), 230–243.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Arefeh Hassanvand | Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Published on 24/09/2025 by Leadership and Management

Assist. Prof. Dr. Arefeh Hassanvand | Biotechnology | Best Researcher Award

Department of Biology, Payame Noor University, Tehran | Iran

Arefeh is a faculty member at Payame Noor University with a strong academic foundation in plant sciences and physiology. She obtained her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology from Islamic Azad University, Boroujerd Branch, followed by a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, in 2015. Over the years, she has gained extensive teaching and research experience, contributing to both academic development and applied scientific studies in her field. Her research interests span plant physiology and biotechnology, floristic studies with a focus on endangered species conservation, biosynthesis of nanoparticles using medicinal plants, and broader environmental and ecological research. She has published in scholarly journals and actively contributed to advancing knowledge in plant science and its applications in biotechnology and ecology. Her work emphasizes both the preservation of biodiversity and the innovative use of natural resources for sustainable solutions. Recognized for her academic contributions, she continues to foster research that bridges basic plant sciences with ecological and biotechnological applications. Her career reflects a dedication to advancing plant physiology, protecting ecosystems, and exploring the potential of plants in addressing modern scientific and environmental challenges.

Profile: ORCID

Featured Publications

Hassanvand, A., Afkar, S., & Zaremanesh, H. 2025. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Artemisia absinthium and their effect on the physicochemical properties of Ocimum basilicum under salt stress. Russian Journal of Plant Physiology.

Hassanvand, A. 2021. Biosynthesis of nanosilver and its effect on key genes of flavonoids and physicochemical properties of Viola tricolor L. Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions A: Science.

Hassanvand, A. 2018. Potential distribution of Persian gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa) in Bamoo National Park, Shiraz, Iran: A presence-only model approach. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research.

Hassanvand, A. 2018. The role of Haloxylon plantations in improving carbon sequestration potential of sand dunes of Iran. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research.

Hassanvand, A. 2017. Effect of biofertilizers on the morphological characteristics of the burdock. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research.