Dr. Nagaraju Kerru | Innovative Leadership | Best Researcher Award

GITAM University | India

Dr. Nagaraju Kerru, Ph.D., MRSC, is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at GITAM School of Sciences, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India. With over 15 years of research experience, his expertise spans organic synthesis, spectroscopy, heterogeneous catalysis, and computational chemistry. He earned international recognition through the prestigious Brain Pool (BP) program of the National Research Foundation of Korea and completed 4.5 years of postdoctoral research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, under Prof. Sreekantha B. Jonnalagadda. Dr. Kerru has an impressive research record, with 99 peer-reviewed publications, 5 book chapters, 1 granted German patent, 3 published patents, and numerous conference proceedings. His work has been widely cited, accumulating 4,794 citations with an h-index of 29 and an i10-index of 68. He also contributes as an editorial board member of Scientific Reports, has served as a guest editor for Molecules (Q1, IF: 4.492), and reviews for several leading journals. His research focuses on biologically active heterocycles, green synthesis protocols, ketene cycloaddition reactions, mixed metal oxide catalysis, and computer-aided drug design. Recipient of a UGC-funded project grant, he has organized conferences, workshops, and FDP programs. Dr. Kerru continues to advance innovative research in organic and physical chemistry, bridging theory with practical applications.

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Featured Publications

Kerru, N., Gummidi, L., Maddila, S., Gangu, K. K., & Jonnalagadda, S. B. (2020). A review on recent advances in nitrogen-containing molecules and their biological applications. Molecules, 25(8), 1909.

Kerru, N., Singh-Pillay, A., Awolade, P., & Singh, P. (2018). Current anti-diabetic agents and their molecular targets: A review. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 152, 436–488.

Kerru, N., Singh, P., Koorbanally, N., Raj, R., & Kumar, V. (2017). Recent advances (2015–2016) in anticancer hybrids. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 142, 179–212.

Kotaiah, Y., Harikrishna, N., Nagaraju, K., & Rao, C. V. (2012). Synthesis and antioxidant activity of 1,3,4-oxadiazole tagged thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 58, 340–345.

Awolade, P., Cele, N., Kerru, N., Gummidi, L., Oluwakemi, E., & Singh, P. (2020). Therapeutic significance of β-glucuronidase activity and its inhibitors: A review. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 187, 111921.

Kerru, N., Bhaskaruni, S. V. H. S., Gummidi, L., Maddila, S. N., Maddila, S., & Jonnalagadda, S. B. (2019). Recent advances in heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of imidazole derivatives. Synthetic Communications, 49(19), 2437–2459.

Ms. Meaza Girma Demisa | Natural hazarad | Women Researcher Award

Northeastern University | China

Meaza Girma Demisa is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Geotechnical Engineering at Northeastern University, China, where her research focuses on numerical simulations of rainfall-induced landslides, unsaturated soil dynamics, and probabilistic modeling of slope stability under diverse soil and environmental conditions. She earned her M.Sc. in Road and Transport Engineering and B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Ethiopia, where her master’s thesis examined the effect of speed humps on pavement condition. Professionally, she has served as a Technical and Design Engineer at China State Construction Engineering Ethiopia Company, contributing to structural and road projects, and currently works as a Lead Engineer at Addis Ababa City Road Authority, leading geotechnical investigations, pavement distress studies, and road project management. She has published in reputable journals such as Natural Hazards and SSRN Electronic Journal, with additional works under review in Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Construction & Building Materials, Tunneling and Underground Space Technology, and Discover Geoscience. Her publications have earned 10 citations with an h-index of 2. Her research interests span geotechnical engineering, pavement performance, landslide modeling, and tunnel stability. She has participated in multiple international conferences and was recognized for her academic contributions, aiming to advance sustainable infrastructure solutions globally.

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Featured Publications

Wang, S., Demisa, M. G., Han, B., Hou, Q., & Zhang, Z. (2024). A material point method analysis of failure mechanism and kinematic behavior of rainfall-induced landslide. Natural Hazards, 120(15), 13875–13897.

Dong, F., Wang, S., Yang, Y., Ren, M., Demisa, M. G., & Zhang, R. (2025). Research on dynamic fuzzy prediction method for surrounding rock stability of mountain tunnels throughout the construction period. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 158, 106390.

Demisa, M. G., Taddesse, E., Tegegne, T. G., & Almeneh, A. (2023). Speed hump effect on pavement condition for Addis Ababa city roads: Case study. SSRN Electronic Journal.

Demisa, M. G., Wang, S., Hou, Q., Wenpan, S., Dong, F., & Han, B. (2025). A probabilistic framework for rainfall-induced instability in unsaturated slopes using bivariate rainfall and multivariate soil random fields. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 84(4), 207.