Nizar Bitar | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Nizar Bitar | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College | Israel

Author Profile

Orcid

Early Academic Pursuits 🎓

Mr. Nizar Bitar embarked on his academic journey with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Sciences and Information Systems from The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College (1998-2001). He furthered his education by obtaining a Teaching Certificate from The Academic Arab College for Education in Israel (2004-2006). In 2011, he earned his M.Ed. from Oranim College of Education. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at Ariel University, a testament to his ongoing commitment to academic growth.

Professional Endeavors 🏢

Mr. Bitar's professional career is marked by a steady rise through various academic ranks. He began as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Information Systems at The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College (2003-2016). He then advanced to the role of Lecturer, contributing significantly to both the Information Systems and Economics and Management departments (2012-present). His administrative roles have been equally impressive, including positions such as Head of Digital Pedagogy and Head of the Social Department in the Dean of Students' Office.

Contributions and Research Focus 📚

Mr. Bitar's research and professional activities focus on the integration of technology in education, particularly through Artificial Intelligence and Learning Management Systems. He has been instrumental in numerous committees aimed at improving teaching quality and advancing digital pedagogy. His involvement extends beyond his institution, contributing to national efforts such as the Israeli Consortium of Faculty Development Centers and MEITAL, where he has been a peer reviewer and committee member for several national conferences.

Accolades and Recognition 🏆

Mr. Bitar's dedication to his field has earned him significant recognition. In 2019, he received the Best Action Research Paper award from the Academy of Management, Organization Development, and Change Division in Boston. Recently, in 2024, he was awarded a scholarship from The Albiader Foundation based on socioeconomic and professional factors, further highlighting his contributions and potential in the academic community.

Impact and Influence 🌟

Throughout his career, Mr. Bitar has had a profound impact on the integration of digital tools in education. His work has influenced the development of digital pedagogy, fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment. As a member of various national steering committees, his insights have helped shape the future of technology-enhanced learning in higher education across Israel.

Legacy and Future Contributions 🌍

Mr. Bitar's legacy is characterized by his commitment to advancing educational methodologies and his dedication to fostering student success. As he continues his Ph.D. studies and professional endeavors, his future contributions are poised to further enhance the academic landscape, particularly in the realm of digital learning and pedagogical innovation. His ongoing work promises to leave a lasting impact on the academic community and beyond.

 

Publications 📄

Transforming Pedagogy: The Digital Revolution in Higher Education

📚 Journal: Education Sciences
📅 Year: 2024
✍️ Authors: Nizar Bitar; Nitza Davidovitch

 

Navigating New Norms: Lecturers’ Insights on Digital Learning Integration in Higher Education—A Case of Israel

📚 Journal: Education Sciences
📅 Year: 2024
✍️ Authors: Nizar Bitar; Nitza Davidovitch

 

Self-in-Field Action Research in Natural Spaces of Encounter: Inclusion, Learning, and Organizational Change

📚 Journal: International Review of Qualitative Research
📅 Year: 2020
✍️ Authors: Victor J. Friedman; Javier Simonovich; Nizar Bitar; Israel Sykes; Oriana Abboud-Armali; Daniella Arieli; Lubna Tannous-Haddad; Jay Rothman; Ilan Shdema; Mor Dar et al.

 

When Diversity and Conflict Meet: Self-in-Field Action Research for Inclusive Organizations

📚 Journal: Academy of Management Proceedings
📅 Year: 2019
✍️ Authors: Victor Friedman; Javier Simonovich; Nizar Bitar; Israel Sykes

 

 

 

Manyu Xiao | Mathematics | Best Researcher Award

Assoc Prof Dr. Manyu Xiao | Mathematics | Best Researcher Award

Northwestern Polytechnical University | China

Author Profile

Scopus

Early Academic Pursuits

Dr. Manyu Xiao began her academic journey at Three Gorges University in China, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics in 2003. She then pursued a Master of Science in Computational Mathematics at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), China, from 2003 to 2006. Her master’s research focused on fast and parallel algorithms for information processing under the guidance of Quanyi Lu. Subsequently, Dr. Xiao completed her Doctorate in Engineering Science from Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC) in France in 2010, where she specialized in multidisciplinary optimization with model reduction and parallel computing. Her doctoral advisors were Piotr Breitkopf and Rajan Filomeno Colho.

Professional Endeavors

Dr. Xiao has a rich professional background, marked by significant positions and research projects. Since March 2012, she has been an associate professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics at NPU. Prior to this, she was a post-doctoral fellow at UTC, France, from 2010 to 2011, where she worked on constrained POD model reductions. Her career includes various visiting scholar positions, such as at Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA, Queen Mary University of London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and University of Helsinki, Finland.

Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Xiao’s research interests are diverse and impactful, focusing on efficient numerical methods, model reduction, parallel computing, mechanical optimization, and surrogate-based topology optimization. She has led and participated in numerous research projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province. Her projects cover areas such as dynamic multi-fidelity reduction for topology optimization, large-scale stress-constrained topology optimization, and the design of lightweight functional graded core structures for thermal protection systems.

Accolades and Recognition

Dr. Xiao’s contributions have been widely recognized. She received the Best Paper Award at the 6th Australian Conference on Computational Mechanics in 2023, and the third prize for outstanding academic paper by the Shaanxi province in 2022. In 2020, she was honored as an International Rising Star by the International Association for Computational Mechanics. Additionally, she has been recognized multiple times by Northwestern Polytechnical University for her teaching excellence and her role as a thesis supervisor.

Impact and Influence

Dr. Xiao’s work has significantly influenced the field of applied mathematics and computational mechanics. Her research on large-scale structural topology optimization and model reduction has advanced the capabilities of computational methods in engineering. Her numerous publications in high-impact journals and contributions to books underscore her influence. Furthermore, her teaching reforms and MOOC projects at NPU have enhanced the internationalization and quality of mathematics education.

Legacy and Future Contributions

Dr. Xiao’s legacy lies in her pioneering research and dedication to education. Her work continues to inspire advancements in computational mathematics and engineering optimization. Future contributions are anticipated from her ongoing and upcoming research projects, including those on the construction of kinetic models for composite materials and large-scale structural design optimization. Her commitment to developing internationalized training modes for mathematical talents ensures that her influence will extend to future generations of scholars and engineers.

 

Notable Publications

📄 Article: Primal–dual on-the-fly reduced-order modeling for large-scale transient dynamic topology optimization

  • Authors: Xiao, M., Ma, J., Gao, X., Cauvin, L., Villon, P.
  • Journal: Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering
  • Year: 2024
  • Citations: 0

📄 Article: Towards a data-driven paradigm for characterizing plastic anisotropy using principal components analysis and manifold learning

  • Authors: Jin, J., Cauvin, L., Raghavan, B., Dutta, S., Xiao, M.
  • Journal: Computational Materials Science
  • Year: 2024
  • Citations: 0

📄 Article: Stress-constrained topology optimization using approximate reanalysis with on-the-fly reduced order modeling

  • Authors: Xiao, M., Ma, J., Lu, D., Raghavan, B., Zhang, W.
  • Journal: Advanced Modeling and Simulation in Engineering Sciences
  • Year: 2022
  • Citations: 1

📄 Article: A Gaussian process regression-based surrogate model of the varying workpiece dynamics for chatter prediction in milling of thin-walled structures

  • Authors: Yang, Y., Yang, Y., Xiao, M., Wan, M., Zhang, W.
  • Journal: International Journal of Mechanical System Dynamics
  • Year: 2022
  • Citations: 7

📄 Article: Accelerating Large-scale Topology Optimization: State-of-the-Art and Challenges

  • Authors: Mukherjee, S., Lu, D., Raghavan, B., Xiao, M., Zhang, W.
  • Journal: Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering
  • Year: 2021
  • Citations: 54