About the Author: Moonisa Aslam Dervash, Ph.D. obtained her Doctorate degree from Sheri Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir in the field of Environmental Sciences. She has worked as Assistant Professor in Sri Pratap College, Cluster University, Srinagar. Her specialization is in environmental monitoring, environmental awareness, ecology, soil biology, wetland restoration and carbon sequestration. She has authored more than 6 books with International publishers and has published more than 35 research articles and book chapters in the journals and books of national & international repute. Dr. Dervash has received many prestigious awards and felicitations like Bharat Excellence Award, Best Educationist Award and International Achievers Award conferred by FFI and Global forum for her dedicated accomplishments. Her focus has remained on many facets of society especially on environmental conservation and women empowerment. She has been felicitated by state government (J & K Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing) for her outstanding contribution in environmental awareness and conservation through electronic media. Recently, she has been awarded Postdoctoral Fellowship by Ministry of Education (ICSSR), Government of India.
Abrar Yousuf, Ph.D. is working as a Scientist (Soil and Water Engineering) at Regional Research Station Ballowal Saunkhri, Punjab Agricultural University, Punjab. His field of specialization is watershed hydrology, soil erosion modelling, watershed management, remote sensing and GIS, rainwater management and its judicious use and is involved in continuous monitoring of runoff and sediment yield from various watersheds in Punjab. He has participated in four research projects funded by ICAR New Delhi, DST New Delhi, GIZ New Delhi and IPRO consult Germany. Currently, he is handling two research projects as principal investigator which are being funded by Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Government of Punjab. He is working on ex-situ management of rainwater in farm ponds and its judicious use through micro-irrigation systems. Dr. Abrar has constructed farm ponds in various adopted villages. He has authored a number of technical bulletins, a book, book chapters and many research articles in journals of national and international repute; is a member of many scientific associations, has been active participant in scientific conferences, workshops, summer and winter schools, training programs for building up high scientific temper and technical skills. Recently, he has been felicitated with "Best Thesis Award" for his doctoral research work by Soil Conservation Society of India.
Munir Ozturk, Ph.D., D.Sc. has served at the Ege University-Turkiye for more than 50 years in different positions, has been Founder Director of the Centre for Environmental Studies, Ege University, and Chairman of the Botany Department as well as Director of the Botanical Garden. Sideritiso zturkii and Verbascum ozturkii are 2 newly recorded endemic plant species from Turkiye in the name of Munir Ozturk. His fields of scientific interest are; pollution & biomonitoring; plant ecophysiology, biosaline agriculture; medicinal-aromatic plants conservation. Dr. Ozturk has published almost 60 books with internationally known publishers including Springer, Elsevier, Taylor& Francis, Wiley and few others. He has more than 80 book chapters and 200 papers in international journals; 120 with impact factor. Dr. Ozturk has also presented 125 papers at the International Meetings, 85 at the National Meetings and has served as a guest editor for more than 13 international journals. He holds many Memberships of "Institutions and Professional Bodies" and has received fellowships from the globally recognized Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Japanese Society for Promotion of Science, and the National Science Foundation of the USA. He has also worked as consultant fellow at the Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia; as Distinguished Visiting Scientist at International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, ICCBS-TWAS, Karachi University, Pakistan; as"Vice President of the Islamic World Academy of Sciences" from 2017-2022 and is a "Fellow of the Islamic World Academy of Science" as well as "Foreign Fellow Pakistan Academy of Science".
Rouf Ahmad Bhat, PhD. has pursued his doctorate at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir (Division of Environmental Sciences) and has published more than 55 research articles, 40 book chapters, and more than 32 books with international publishers (Springer, Elsevier, CRC Press Taylor and Francis, Apple Academic Press, John Wiley, IGI Global). His specializations include Limnology, Toxicology, Phytochemistry, and Phytoremediation. He has worked as an associate environmental expert in World Bank-funded Flood Recovery Project and also the environmental support staff in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded development projects; has received awards, appreciations, and recognition for his services to the science of water testing, air, and noise analysis. Dr Bhat is an editorial board member and a reviewer of reputed international journals.
