Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Dr. Kheir Al-Kodmany, an internationally reputed Professor of Urban Planning at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), boasts a prolific career spanning 30 years. His extensive research and teaching portfolio encompass diverse subjects, including vertical urbanism, sustainable design, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), visualization systems, public participation, crowd management, economic development, and skyscrapers. A prolific author, Dr. Al-Kodmany has published 15 books and over 150 scholarly works, earning widespread acclaim for their comprehensive insights into architecture and urban design. His publications are highly regarded, with over 250,000 reads on ResearchGate. Recognized for his academic excellence, he serves on 20 editorial boards of professional journals. Dr. Al-Kodmany's impactful teaching career spans 30 years at UIC and UIUC, where he secured grants totalling several hundred thousand dollars and developed innovative visualization software. Beyond academia, Dr. Al-Kodmany's expertise has been sought by governments, mayors, and organizations worldwide. Notably, the Saudi Government invited him to contribute to the planning of Hajj, earning international recognition for enhancing safety. His involvement in Chicago's "Taste of Chicago" event and contributions to Mayor Daley's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics further demonstrate his impactful civic engagement. Dr. Al-Kodmany delivered over 200 presentations globally at prestigious institutions as a sought-after keynote speaker and trainer. His leadership roles at UIC, including Director of Graduate Studies, Associate Director of the City Design Center, and the Urban Data Visualization Laboratory Co-Director, demonstrate his commitment to innovative tools in participatory planning and design. Affiliated with esteemed professional organizations such as the APA, ACSP, CTBUH, and URISA, Dr. Al-Kodmany continues to contribute significantly to the field of urban planning, carrying forward the legacy of his early architectural training from his father, Dr. Abdul Muhsen Al-Kodmany, a Le Corbusier trainee and Ecole des Beaux-Arts graduate.

Dr. Madhav Govind is currently working as Professor and Chairperson at the Centre for Studies in Science Policy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. After completing his graduation in life Science, he did his post-graduation in Sociology from the University of Lucknow and obtained the first position in the University. Prof Govind Completed his M.Phil and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is extensively engaged in teaching, research, and collaborative work for the last 20 years. He has published numerous papers and articles in national and international journals. His broad areas of interest are Sociology of Science and Technology; Internationalisation of higher education; university-industry relations and transfer of knowledge; waste management and sustainable development; Urbanisation and Sustainability in the era of globalization.

Dr. Sharmin Khan, an accomplished architecture and construction management professional, holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from AMU, Aligarh, complemented by a post-graduate degree in Construction Engineering and Management from IIT, Delhi. Her academic prowess is evident through the prestigious Merit Scholarship during her undergraduate studies and a GATE Scholarship with an outstanding All India Rank 8. Prof. Khan has contributed significantly to academia, focusing on the correlation between construction management and sustainable development. She served as faculty at the Institute of Integral Technology, Lucknow, and JMI, New Delhi, before joining AMU, Aligarh, in 2004. Her areas of expertise span construction management, history, and sustainable architecture, with a dedicated commitment to teaching ancient Indian and Western architecture. Dr. Khan's scholarly achievements include receiving the Best Paper Award at the International Conference on "Emerging Trends in Engineering, Technology, Science and Management" (April 2017) and the First Place: Best Paper Award and First Place: Best Plenary Speaker Award at the International Virtual Conference-Workshop on Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design (ICWSAUD2020) (September 2020). She earned the Best Paper Award at the IIHSG International Conference 2021 on Gender Security & Global Politics (February 2021). Beyond her teaching and research roles, Dr. Khan serves as a respected reviewer for prestigious journals such as the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (ASCE, USA), Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture (Horizon Research Publishing Corporation, USA), and Frontiers in Engineering and Built Environment (Emerald Publishing, UK), representing King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. Her multifaceted contributions underscore Dr. Sharmin Khan's prominence in academia and her dedication to sustainable architectural practices.

Dr. Chittaranjan Kole is an internationally reputed scientist with an illustrious professional career spanning over thirty-seven years and original contributions in the fields of plant genomics, biotechnology and molecular breeding leading to the publication of more than 160 quality research articles and reviews. He has edited over 150 books for the leading publishers of the world including Springer, Wiley-Blackwell and Taylor and Francis Group. His scientific contributions and editing acumen have been appreciated by seven Nobel Laureates including Profs. Norman Borlaug, Arthur Kornberg, Werner Arber, Phillip Sharp, Guenter Blobel, Lee Hartwell and Roger Kornberg. He has been honored with a number of Fellowships, Honorary Fellowships, and national and international awards including the Outstanding Crop Scientist award conferred by the International Crop Science Society. He has served at all prestigious positions in academia including as Vice-Chancellor of BC Agricultural university, Project Coordinator of Indo-Russian Center of Biotechnology in India, and Director of Research of Institute of Nutraceutical Research of Clemson University, in USA. He worked also in the Pennsylvania State University and Clemson University as Visiting Professor in USA. Recently, he has been awarded with the Raja Ramanna Fellow by the Department of Energy, Government of India. He is also heading the International Climate-Resilient Crop Genomics Consortium, International Phytomedomics and Nutriomics Consortium and Genome India International as their founding President.