The Speakers
We have highly esteemed speakers from various countries who will share their excellent research in RAPS
Dr. James J. DeDecker
Dr. James J. DeDecker is an agricultural researcher and extension specialist whose work focuses on sustainable crop systems, farmer decision-making, and community food systems. He earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Crop Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, with research examining tillage intensity, soil carbon, and weed management among organic growers, and his B.S. in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Since 2019, he has served as Director of the Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center and Extension Specialist in Community Food Systems with Michigan State University AgBioResearch, following six years as a Field Crops Educator with MSU Extension. His scholarship integrates participatory research with farmers, applied field studies, and multivariate modeling to address climate resilience, soil health, and sustainable management practices. Dr. DeDecker has published in leading journals such as Soil and Tillage Research, Agronomy Journal, and Journal of Rural Studies, and has been active in professional organizations including ASA, CSSA, SSSA, and the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, where he has held leadership roles.
Faouzi Chokri
Expert in Agribusiness Project Managment/ Renewable Energy Expert /Consultant-Trainer He obtained Professional master degree in Engineering and management of the energy from Faculty of Science - Gafsa - Tunisia 2007. It been 26 years that he is associated with Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture. Currently, he is the Regional Director of the Agricultural Land Agency at the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the agriculture export value chain development, public investment projects related to market development and employment generation with a particular interest in Gender and Local Development issues and in evaluation of development projects / programs. He has over 15 years of experience in the field of monitoring and coordination of rural Development Programs (diagnosis and program formulation, use of the logical planning framework, preparation of planning budgets, implementation, monitoring and supervision of activities in the field). He has over 15 years of experience in the field of rural development as part of a development project funded by an international donor. Good experience in supporting the capacity building of farmers' organizations and local grassroots structures. He has good experience in implementing activities to support agricultural productivity, agricultural value chains, and rural employment, elaboration / definition, setting up of consultation framework, cross-sector dialogue platform linked to the rural development sector. He has worked as renewable energy expert/consultant for management of the renewable energies and of replacement projects related to dimensioning of electricity production projects (and cogeneration projects) from renewable energies (solar, elionne, biogas, geothermal), Fan and Pad greenhouse evaporative cooling system using the renewable energies (Solar Energy,Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy), Desalination of seawater or any brackish water using the renewable energies (Solar Energy,Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy), management and valorization of urban and agricultural wastes in various countries including Algeria, Oman,Syria, Congo-Brazaville, Madagascar, Benin, Senegal.
Dr. Shenggang Pan
Dr. Shenggang Pan is an Associate Professor at the College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, specializing in crop production and agronomy with a strong focus on rice cultivation, nitrogen use efficiency, and sustainable farming practices. He earned his Ph.D. in Agronomy from Huazhong Agricultural University, where his dissertation centered on super high- yield rice cultivation and its control measures. With over two decades of academic and research experience, he has led and contributed to multiple national and provincial projects on nitrogen management, fertilizer deep placement, water–nitrogen interactions, and aroma rice physiology. His work has been published extensively in high-impact international journals, where he often serves as the corresponding author, highlighting his leadership in research on rice productivity, resource-use efficiency, and environmental sustainability. In addition to his research, Dr. Pan teaches crop production and has supervised numerous students, bridging scientific innovation with practical agricultural development in China and beyond.
Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad
Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (TI), Fellow TWAS and PAS, is an Academician Professor and Director of the Sino-Pak Biodiversity Research Centre for Agro-biological Resources at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. With extensive academic and research experience, including multiple postdoctoral fellowships in China and Malaysia, he has authored 993 publications (28 international books, 32 book chapters; citations ~23,000; H-index 75) and supervised over 220 postgraduate scholars and postdocs. His expertise spans biodiversity, plant systematics, agro-biological resources, climate change, and bioenergy, and he has received numerous prestigious national and international awards, including the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (2024), Gold Medal (PAS, 2011; AZSP, 2024), and recognition among the Top 2% Scientists (2020–2024). He has established key research facilities such as Pakistan’s modern digital herbarium, botanical garden, and food and energy crop labs, and has played a leading role in Sino-Pak collaborative projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, and socio-economic development across the region.
Prof. Dr. Habib-ur-Rehman Athar
Prof. Dr. Habib-ur-Rehman Athar is a Professor of Botany at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan, Pakistan, and an HEC-approved PhD supervisor with over 22 years of teaching and 18 years of research experience in plant stress physiology, photosynthesis, molecular biology, and biotechnology. He holds a PhD in Botany (UAF, 2009) and a postdoctoral fellowship from the University of Manchester, UK (2012), with further international research exposure in China. His research has led to over 115 international publications, 16 book chapters, 3 patents, and an impact factor of 265+, with more than 9,500 citations (h-index 48) on Google Scholar. He has successfully supervised 7 PhDs as main supervisor, 4 PhDs as co-supervisor, and 72 postgraduate students, while securing major research grants including HEC-NRPU projects worth millions of PKR. Recognized with multiple Research Productivity Awards by PCST, he has also contributed to the development of salt-tolerant wheat line S-24 and serves as Chief Editor of Journal of Research (Science), BZU, and International Journal of Applied and Experimental Botany. His outstanding contributions continue to strengthen plant stress biology and crop improvement research in Pakistan.
Prof. Dr. Amjad Hameed
Prof. Dr. Amjad Hameed is a Deputy Chief Scientist (SPS-XI) and Professor (NIAB-C PIEAS) at the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, NIAB, and Faisalabad, with over 20 years of research, teaching, and leadership experience in plant molecular biology and biochemistry. His expertise includes marker-assisted breeding, molecular characterization, and development of stress-resilient crop varieties, leading to the release of eight MAS-based crop varieties (tomato, mungbean, rice) approved by the Punjab Seed Council. He has served as PI/Co-PI on 19+ funded projects (PSF, PARB, ALP, IAEA, CIMMYT, and PAEC), attracting over PKR 120M and €88,000 in research funding, and has authored 177+ peer-reviewed publications (Impact Factor >310, Citations >6100, H-index: 40). Recognized among the top 2% scientists in Pakistan, he is the recipient of the PAEC Gold Medal and multiple Research Productivity Awards. As an HEC-approved PhD supervisor, he has supervised more than 100 postgraduate students and continues to play a leading role in advancing crop improvement and food security through molecular and biochemical innovations.
Dr. Shabnum Shaheen
Dr. Shabnum Shaheen is a Tenured Associate Professor of Botany at Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan. She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Sciences from Quaid-i-Azam University in 2010 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Malaysia in 2016. With nearly 200 publications, including 11 books, research articles, and book chapters, she has made significant contributions to plant systematics, anatomy, and medicinal plant research. She has successfully supervised 9 Ph.D., 57 MS, and 40 BS students, and is currently mentoring several more. Dr. Shaheen is the recipient of multiple honors, including Gold Medals in Botany, LCWU Research Productivity Awards (2021–2024), and recognition in the World Scientist Ranking (AD Scientific Index, 2021–2024). She developed a new technique for epidermal leaf anatomy (Shaheen et al., 2010), which is internationally cited. Beyond research, she has served as a keynote and invited speaker, session chair, and reviewer for leading journals published by Wiley, Elsevier, Springer Nature, and BMC. She also holds editorial and academic memberships in international organizations and serves on boards of studies at renowned universities in Pakistan, reflecting her active role in advancing plant sciences and higher education.
Prof. Dr. Hamayun Shaheen
Prof. Dr. Hamayun Shaheen, born on March 23, 1983, is a Tenured Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, King Abdullah Campus, Muzaffarabad. He earned his Ph.D. in Plant Sciences (2011) and M.Sc. in Biology (2006) from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and a postgraduate diploma in GIS & Remote Sensing (2022) from the University of AJK. Since joining the University in 2011, he has served as Assistant Professor, Tenured Associate Professor, and currently as Tenured Professor. His research focuses on plant ecology, biodiversity, and conservation, with recent contributions in climate change impacts on medicinal plants, conservation of Cedrus deodara, and biodiversity of alpine glacial lake ecosystems. He has published extensively in high-impact journals such as Discover Life, BMC Plant Biology, and Ecological Indicators, contributing to the sustainable management and conservation of fragile ecosystems in the Himalaya.
Dr. Zubaida Yousaf (Wajahat)
Dr. Zubaida Yousaf (Wajahat) is a Tenured Professor of Botany at Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, where she also serves as Chairperson of the Department of Botany. She earned her MS from Quaid-i-Azam University, followed by a Ph.D. on the taxonomy and biochemistry of medicinally important species of Solanaceae from Pakistan. She completed a TWAS-CAS postdoctoral fellowship at the South China Botanical Garden, CAS, Guangzhou, where she worked on the genetics of Epimedium using EST and SSR markers. With over two decades of teaching and research experience, she has published widely in molecular taxonomy, ethnobotany, photochemistry, and functional foods. She has supervised numerous BS, MS, MPhil, and PhD students and continues to mentor postgraduate research. Her contributions have been recognized through awards including the University Best Researcher Award (2020) and Best Teacher Award (2021), as well as multiple scholarships and international fellowships. Dr. Yousaf is actively involved in academic councils, selection boards, and research committees at several universities, and is a member of international scientific societies such as the Botanical Society of Pakistan, Systematic Association, OWSD, and the Linnaeus Botanical Society. Her current research focuses on genetic diversity, sustainable utilization of natural resources, and post-harvest treatments of functional foods, with an aim to translate findings into sustainable food systems through industry collaboration.