Dr. Ezgi Ilhan | Decision-making and Problem-solving | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ezgi Ilhan | Decision-making and Problem-solving | Best Researcher Award

Gazi University, Turkey

Author Profile

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🎓 Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Ezgi İlhan’s academic journey is rooted in excellence and driven by intellectual curiosity. Born in Ankara on June 7, 1985, her passion for learning was evident from an early age. She completed her secondary education at the prestigious Dr. Binnaz-Rıdvan Ege Anatolian High School, where she followed the Mathematics-Science curriculum and graduated with an outstanding GPA of 4.98 out of 5. This early academic success paved the way for her entrance into Middle East Technical University (METU), one of Turkey’s most competitive and respected universities.

Her undergraduate studies began in the Department of City and Regional Planning at METU, where she developed an interest in spatial design, planning, and user-environment interaction. However, her creative instincts and desire to work more closely with tangible design processes led her to transfer successfully into the Industrial Design program within the Faculty of Architecture. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design in 2009 with a GPA of 3.31 out of 4. During this period, she also participated in the Erasmus exchange program, spending a year at Universidad de Valladolid in Spain. There, she studied Industrial Design Technical Engineering and achieved a remarkable GPA of 9.5 out of 10, deepening her understanding of European design approaches and methodologies.

Continuing her educational ascent, Dr. İlhan pursued a Master of Science degree in Game Technologies at METU’s Informatics Institute between 2012 and 2015. Her graduate studies marked the beginning of her interdisciplinary exploration, combining her design background with emerging digital technologies. With a GPA of 3.79 out of 4, she demonstrated excellence in bridging theoretical design with digital interaction systems. Her academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Industrial Design at Gazi University from 2015 to 2021, where she completed her doctorate with an outstanding GPA of 3.98 out of 4. Her doctoral studies were a testament to her rigor, innovation, and scholarly depth, focusing on user research, interaction, and technology integration in design processes.

👩‍🏫 Professional Endeavors

Dr. İlhan embarked on her academic career as a faculty member in the Department of Industrial Design at Gazi University in Ankara, where she has served as an Assistant Professor since September 2022. She quickly became a pivotal member of the academic team, contributing to both undergraduate and graduate education. Her courses—ENT217 (Computer Aided Design I), ID301 (Product Design III), and ENT469 (Competition-Oriented Design)—reflect her strong emphasis on digital tools, innovative thinking, and user-centered product development.

In addition to her primary role at Gazi University, she has extended her teaching excellence to several other institutions. At Middle East Technical University, she was invited to serve as a part-time instructor for the graduate course ID531 (Methods of User Research), a course that aligns closely with her research expertise. Her involvement in graduate-level education at METU is not only a return to her alma mater but also a reflection of her reputation as an authority in user-centered design methodologies. Between 2023 and 2025, she is also teaching at TOBB University of Economics and Technology, offering GİT425 (User Experience-Oriented Design), where she equips students with the principles and practical skills necessary to design meaningful, user-driven digital experiences. Furthermore, her teaching contributions at Ostim Technical University during 2022–2023 demonstrate her commitment to broadening design education across diverse academic platforms.

🔬 Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. İlhan’s research stands at the intersection of industrial design, user experience, and technology-enhanced interaction. Her work is deeply rooted in user research, gamification, and eye-tracking technology, areas that she has consistently explored in her academic publications. Through her research, she investigates how users perceive, interact with, and are influenced by the visual and functional attributes of designed products.

Her doctoral and postdoctoral projects have made notable contributions to the design discipline, particularly in evaluating aesthetic appreciation and decision-making using eye-tracking methodologies. By applying these methods to areas such as furniture design and mobile applications, she has opened new pathways for understanding how cognitive responses can shape design outcomes. Her research on gamification and behavioral change, including sleep-wake habits, has also added a new dimension to health-related interaction design. These contributions highlight her ability to fuse scientific inquiry with creative problem-solving in design.

🏅 Accolades and Recognition

While formal awards are not explicitly documented, Dr. İlhan’s academic achievements and professional trajectory speak volumes about her recognition in the field. Her consistently high academic performance, rapid advancement to assistant professorship, and invitations to teach at leading universities such as METU and TOBB ETU signal the respect she commands within academic circles. Her publications in prominent journals and conference proceedings further validate her position as a thought leader in design research.

🌍 Impact and Influence

Dr. İlhan’s influence extends beyond the classroom. Her interdisciplinary expertise enables her to mentor a new generation of designers who are equally comfortable with sketchpads and software interfaces. Through her teaching, she instills the importance of integrating empirical data, user feedback, and creative intuition into design practice. She also encourages students to be critical thinkers and ethical innovators—skills that are increasingly vital in today’s rapidly evolving design landscape.

Her research has influenced product design, interaction systems, and even behavioral health interventions, showcasing her ability to translate design knowledge into real-world applications. As both a scholar and educator, she continues to impact how designers think, research, and create.

🌟 Legacy and Future Contributions

Looking to the future, Dr. İlhan’s legacy is likely to be defined by her pioneering role in combining human-centered design with advanced technologies. As fields like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and biometric sensing grow in relevance, her research framework positions her to lead cutting-edge projects that address both aesthetic and functional dimensions of design. Her past work already demonstrates a rare ability to balance technological sophistication with human empathy—an approach that will remain central to design in the years ahead.

In shaping academic programs, mentoring students, and producing forward-thinking research, Dr. Ezgi İlhan is not only contributing to the present of industrial design—she is helping to define its future.

📝Notable Publications

Pursuit of Methodology for Data Input Related to Taste in Design: Using Eye Tracking Technology

Author(s): AE Ilhan, A Togay
Journal: Displays
Year: 2023

Improving Sleep-Wake Behaviors Using Mobile App Gamification

Author(s): AE Ilhan, B Sener, H Hacihabiboglu
Journal: Entertainment Computing, Volume 40, 100454
Year: 2022

 Use of Eye-Tracking Technology for Appreciation-Based Information in Design Decisions Related to Product Details: Furniture Example

Author(s): AE Ilhan, A Togay
Journal: Multimedia Tools and Applications, Volume 83, Pages 8013–8042
Year: 2024

 Use of Eye Tracking Technology in Evaluating Product Images and Optimal Process Decisions

Author(s): E İlhan, A Togay
Journal: Gazi University Journal of Science Part B: Art Humanities Design and …
Year: 2020

 Eye-Tracking to Enhance Usability: A Race Game

Author(s): AE İlhan
Journal: Intelligent Systems and Applications: Proceedings of the 2018 Intelligent …
Year: 2019

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Junpeng Ma | Team Building and Team Management | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Junpeng Ma | Team Building and Team Management | Best Researcher Award

sichuan university, China

Author Profile

Scopus

🎓 Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Junpeng Ma began his academic journey in the field of electrical engineering at Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, China. His intellectual curiosity and deep interest in energy systems quickly distinguished him among his peers. He completed his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in 2013, laying a strong foundation in electrical circuits, power electronics, and systems engineering. Fueled by a desire to contribute to the rapidly evolving energy sector, he continued his academic pursuit at the same institution, earning his Ph.D. in 2018. During his doctoral studies, Dr. Ma focused on the intricate dynamics of modern energy systems, with particular attention to renewable energy integration and high-voltage transmission.

In a pivotal phase of his academic development, Dr. Ma expanded his horizons internationally by joining Aalborg University in Denmark as a Guest Ph.D. Student from November 2017 to May 2018. Aalborg is renowned for its excellence in power electronics and smart energy systems, and this experience gave Dr. Ma access to advanced methodologies and a global network of researchers. It not only sharpened his technical acumen but also enriched his cultural and collaborative skills—traits that would become central to his later work as an educator and innovator.

👨‍🏫 Professional Endeavors

Upon completion of his doctoral degree, Dr. Ma began his professional academic career at Sichuan University, one of China’s most prestigious institutions. He now serves as an Associate Professor in the College of Electrical Engineering, where he combines his passion for teaching with a deep commitment to cutting-edge research. In this role, he has been instrumental in educating future engineers and leading advanced research initiatives in energy systems.

Dr. Ma’s professional focus encompasses both classroom instruction and the development of research projects that address national and global energy challenges. He is actively engaged in supervising graduate students, designing curricula in line with the latest technological trends, and publishing research that informs the design and optimization of power grids. His position enables him to contribute to Sichuan University’s growing reputation in power system innovation while continuing his own journey of academic excellence.

🔬 Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Ma’s research centers on two of the most critical elements of modern energy infrastructure: the modeling and control of new energy clusters and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems. As global energy networks pivot toward renewable sources, the challenge of managing their intermittent and decentralized nature has come to the forefront. Dr. Ma’s work addresses these challenges through advanced modeling techniques and control strategies designed to improve reliability and efficiency.

New energy clusters often integrate wind, solar, battery storage, and other distributed energy resources. Dr. Ma develops frameworks that allow these systems to function cohesively under changing environmental and load conditions. In parallel, his research on HVDC systems—which are essential for long-distance power transmission—focuses on optimizing their operation to reduce losses, manage faults, and enable more flexible energy exchange between regions. His contributions in these areas are instrumental in supporting China’s—and the world’s—transition to a low-carbon energy future.

🏆 Accolades and Recognition

Dr. Ma’s dedication to impactful research has been recognized through a series of prestigious awards from major scientific and professional bodies. He was awarded the Second Prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award by the China Electrotechnical Society, where he was recognized as the leading contributor (1st out of 10). This accolade reflects the technical depth and relevance of his work in the field of power systems.

He also received the First Prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award from the China Association of Work Safety (2nd out of 15), honoring his contributions to the safety and reliability of energy infrastructure—an area of increasing importance in the era of energy transition. Additionally, he was honored with the Second Prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award of Sichuan Province (3rd out of 8), further affirming his regional influence and scientific merit. These awards underscore his ability to translate complex research into practical innovations that benefit both industry and society.

🌍 Impact and Influence

Beyond his academic achievements, Dr. Ma’s work exerts a significant influence on the practical development of smart and sustainable energy systems. His research findings are routinely cited and applied in projects focused on grid modernization and renewable integration. In China’s ambitious move toward energy decarbonization, his contributions support essential initiatives aimed at improving grid flexibility, enhancing power quality, and ensuring energy security.

As an educator, Dr. Ma plays a transformative role in shaping the minds and careers of young engineers. His students are not only equipped with technical skills but are also inspired by his example of research-driven societal contribution. His influence extends beyond the university, as he participates in technical committees, delivers lectures at academic conferences, and collaborates with research institutes and industry partners across China and internationally.

🔮 Legacy and Future Contributions

Looking forward, Dr. Junpeng Ma is positioned to be a thought leader and innovator in the global transition toward intelligent, decarbonized energy systems. His continued research promises to yield further breakthroughs in the areas of renewable energy management, smart grid resilience, and advanced control systems for HVDC technologies. These advancements will not only shape technical practices but also inform policy-making and investment in sustainable energy infrastructure.

His legacy will likely be defined by a combination of academic rigor, technological innovation, and societal impact. As he mentors future researchers and deepens his contributions to global energy solutions, Dr. Ma stands as a vital figure in the evolution of electrical engineering in the 21st century. His work today lays the groundwork for a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient energy future for all.

📝Notable Publications

Prediction Method and Optimal Control of Subsequent Commutation Failure in LCC-HVDC System Based on Dynamic Extinction Angle Equation

Author(s): Zhiwei Lei, Junpeng Ma, Shunliang Wang, Ning Jiao, Tianqi Liu
Journal: Dianli Xitong Baohu yu Kongzhi / Power System Protection and Control
Year: 2025

Stability Analysis of Power Self-Synchronization Control of Grid-Forming Converters in Wide Range of Short-Circuit Ratio Conditions

Author(s): Junpeng Ma, Lei Li, Chengbin Chi, Shunliang Wang, Tianqi Liu
Journal: Dianli Xitong Baohu yu Kongzhi / Power System Protection and Control
Year: 2025

Adaptive Control Strategy of Disturbance Voltage for Impedance Measurement

Author(s): Jingbo Zhao, Qian Zhou, Wenli Yang, Junpeng Ma
Journal: Journal of Power Supply
Year: 2025

A Thyristor-Based Solid-State DC Circuit Breaker With a Three-Winding Coupled Inductor

Author(s): Shunliang Wang, Ming Li, Kejun Qin, Nie Hou, Tianqi Liu
Journal: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
Year: 2025

 An Asymmetric Hybrid Phase-Leg Modular Multilevel Converter With Small Volume, Low Cost, and DC Fault-Blocking Capability

Author(s): Rui Zhang, Shunliang Wang, Junpeng Ma, Tianqi Liu, Yun Yang
Journal: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
Year: 2025

Dr. Ameni Boumaiza | Decision-making and Problem-solving | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Ameni Boumaiza | Decision-making and Problem-solving | Best Researcher Award

Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar

🔗 Professional Profiles

Summary:

Dr. Ameni Boumaiza is a pioneering AI engineer and scientist at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI). She is renowned for her expertise in artificial intelligence, renewable energy systems, and blockchain technology for energy trade. As an entrepreneur, she founded Q-Green, focusing on decentralized solar energy solutions.

Education:

  • Ph.D. in Computer Science/AI Engineering, University of Lorraine, France 🎓
  • M.S. in Computer Science/AI Engineering, National School of Engineering, Tunisia 📘

Professional Experience:

  • Scientist/Energy Demand & Trade Project Lead at QEERI 🌞
  • Founder of “Q-Green” startup 🌱
  • Post-doctoral Fellow specializing in modeling solar PV adoption 🌍
  • Previous roles in software engineering and R&D in Qatar and France 🖥️

Research Interests:

  • AI applications in smart cities 🏙️
  • Blockchain for renewable energy 🔄
  • Modeling solar energy adoption 🌞

📖Publication Top Noted

Title: A Blockchain-Based Scalability Solution with Microgrids Peer-to-Peer Trade Energies

    • Authors: Ameni Boumaiza
    • Journal: Energies
    • Volume: 17
    • Issue: 4
    • Pages: 915
    • Year: 2024

Title: A Blockchain-Centric P2P Trading Framework Incorporating Carbon and Energy Trades

    • Authors: Ameni Boumaiza
    • Journal: SSRN
    • Year: 2024
    • DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4776369

Title: Testing Framework for Blockchain-Based Energy Trade Microgrids Applications

    • Authors: Ameni Boumaiza
    • Journal: IEEE Access
    • Year: 2024
    • DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3367999

Title: A blockchain-centric P2P trading framework incorporating carbon and energy trades

    • Authors: Ameni Boumaiza; Antonio Sanfilippo
    • Journal: Energy Strategy Reviews
    • Volume: Not specified
    • Issue: Not specified
    • Pages: Not specified
    • Year: 2024-07
    • DOI: 10.1016/j.esr.2024.101466

Title: Carbon and Energy Trading Integration within a Blockchain-Powered Peer-to-Peer Framework

    • Authors: Ameni Boumaiza
    • Journal: Energies
    • Volume: 17
    • Issue: 11
    • Pages: 2473
    • Year: 2024-05-22
    • DOI: 10.3390/en17112473