Dr. Jean Brennan | Conservation | Best Researcher Award

Independent Researcher at Independent Researcher, United States

Dr. E. Jean Brennan is a distinguished scientist with extensive experience in climate adaptation, landscape conservation, and wildlife protection. She has held key positions in both governmental and non-governmental organizations, contributing significantly to strategic conservation planning and policy formulation. With a strong academic foundation in zoology, ecology, and forestry, she has led numerous interdisciplinary projects addressing climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable land management. Her work spans national and international landscapes, collaborating with diverse stakeholders to develop innovative conservation strategies.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Dr. Brennan holds a Ph.D. in Zoology, Ecology, and Population Biology from the University of Tennessee, where she focused on the genetics and conservation of Gaur and Asian elephants. She earned an M.F.S. from Yale University in Forestry & Ecology, an M.Sc. in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. in Animal Science & Wildlife Biology from the University of California, Davis. Her multidisciplinary education has shaped her expertise in ecological conservation and sustainable development.

Professional Experience

Dr. Brennan currently serves as a Science Advisor for the Resilient Landscapes Project under the NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife initiative. She provides scientific guidance, authors research papers, and supports the implementation of climate adaptation strategies for wildlife conservation. Previously, she founded and led Accelerate Climate Adaptation Consultants, providing grant writing and project management expertise. She has also held leadership roles in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Defenders of Wildlife, USAID, and the U.S. Department of State, where she contributed to biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and landscape-scale ecosystem management.

Research Interests

Dr. Brennan’s research focuses on climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, landscape resilience, and ecological sustainability. She specializes in integrating science with policy to develop conservation strategies that mitigate the impacts of climate change. Her work includes modeling habitat connectivity, optimizing land use for biodiversity, and designing monitoring frameworks to track ecological changes. She is particularly interested in how land-use practices influence wildlife adaptation and ecosystem functionality.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Brennan’s contributions have earned her prestigious awards, including shared recognition in the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007. She has received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the University of Wisconsin, multiple USAID awards for outstanding contributions to international forestry and environmental conservation, and fellowships from organizations such as the Fulbright Scholars Program and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Selected Publications

Schuurman et al. (In Press) – Clarifying the role of the resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework in supporting resource-management-planning processes, Conservation Biology.

Costanzo, Brennan et al. (2025) – ANCHOR: An Opportunity to Change Landscape Connectivity Networks and Conservation Delivery At-Scale in the U.S., Land, 14(2), 385.

Magness et al. (2022) – Management foundations for navigating ecological transformation by resisting, accepting, or directing social-ecological change, BioScience, 72, 30-44.

Beever et al. (2016) – Improving Conservation Outcomes with a New Paradigm for Understanding Species’ Fundamental and Realized Adaptive Capacity, Conservation Letters, 9(2), 131–137.

Richardson et al. (2009) – Multidimensional evaluation of managed relocation, PNAS, 106(24), 9721-9724.

Brennan (2006) – Evolving USAID Forestry Programmes in Africa, International Forestry Review, 8(1), 153-161.

Brennan et al. (2003) – Forest Program under USAID’s New Development Assistance Model, XII World Forestry Congress, Quebec City.

Conclusion

Dr. E. Jean Brennan exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding researcher—intellectual depth, groundbreaking research, policy influence, and an unwavering commitment to conservation science. Her extensive body of work, leadership, and international recognition make her a highly deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award.

Dr. Andrey Kovalskii | Advanced materials and solutions in geochemistry Professional Details | Global Innovations Maestro Award

Research Science Specialist at Aramco Innovations LLC, Russia

Dr. Andrey Kovalskii is a distinguished research scientist specializing in petrology, mineralogy, geochemistry, ecology, materials science, and nanomaterials. With over 28 years of experience, he has made significant contributions to experimental research, advanced materials synthesis, and geochemical projects. His extensive work in nanomaterials, particularly hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and its applications in catalysis, biomedical fields, and composite materials, has positioned him as a leading expert in his field. He has held senior research positions in prestigious institutions, including the National University of Science and Technology (MISIS) and Aramco Innovations LLC.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Dr. Kovalskii obtained his Ph.D. from the Institute of Experimental Mineralogy, Russian Academy of Sciences, with a specialization in petrology and volcanology. His dissertation focused on the thermodynamic properties of feldspar solid solutions containing Sr, Ba, and Rb. Prior to this, he earned a Master’s degree in Petrology from Lomonosov Moscow State University, graduating with excellence.

Professional Experience

Dr. Kovalskii is currently a senior researcher at the National University of Science and Technology (MISIS) and a Minerals Prospecting & Extraction Thrust Champion at Aramco Innovations LLC. He has also held key research positions at the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry and the Institute of Experimental Mineralogy. His work spans experimental mineralogy, material development for radioactive waste immobilization, and nanostructure synthesis for industrial and biomedical applications. Additionally, he has led and contributed to numerous international research projects, securing significant research grants.

Research Interests

His research interests include the synthesis and functionalization of nanomaterials, mineral equilibria in igneous rocks, high-temperature solid-state reactions, heterogeneous catalysis, and biomedical applications of nanomaterials. He has pioneered the development of boron nitride nanocarriers for drug delivery and advanced catalysts for CO oxidation and CO2 hydrogenation.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Kovalskii has received multiple prestigious awards for his innovations. These include:

• 2024 & 2022: Second place in the “EBTIKAR” Saudi Aramco Technical Competition.
• 2021: Gold medal at INOVA 2021 (Croatia) for his work on boron nitride nanoparticles for antitumor drug delivery, along with awards from the World Association for Inventions and Intellectual Property (WIIPA).
• 2017-2016: Gold medals and special prizes from innovation fairs in Hong Kong, South Korea, and China for contributions to nanomaterials and biotechnology.
• 2015: Special prizes from Thailand and Malaysia for medical advancements in nanotechnology.

Publications

Dr. Kovalskii has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including more than 40 in high-impact Q1 journals. His research has been widely cited, with an H-index of 20 on Scopus and Web of Science, and 23 on Google Scholar. Notable recent publications include:

Matveev et al. (2025): “Experimental and theoretical insights into enhanced hydrogen uptake by BNOC nanomaterials,” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

Palankoev et al. (2024): “Synthesis and screening of catalysts for H₂S to H₂ decomposition,” Catalysts.

Kovalskii et al. (2024): “Hydrogen storage ability of hexagonal boron nitride,” Frontiers in Materials.

Sukhanova et al. (2024): “Exploring h-BN as a hydrogen conductor,” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.

Asabina et al. (2023): “Synthesis and thermal expansion of complex phosphates of titanium,” Solid State Sciences.

Pet’kov et al. (2023): “BiFe₂(PO₄)₃ ceramics: Fabrication and thermal properties,” Inorganic Materials.

Kovalskii et al. (2022): “BN-supported Au and Pt nanocatalysts in CO oxidation,” Applied Catalysis B: Environmental (IF=24.319).

Conclusion

Given his exceptional research portfolio, global impact, and transformative innovations, Dr. Andrey Kovalskii is a highly suitable candidate for the Research for Global Innovations Maestro Award. His work not only advances scientific knowledge but also contributes to solving pressing global challenges in energy, healthcare, and materials science. His legacy as an innovator and mentor makes him an ideal recipient of this prestigious accolade.