Hao Lu | Agricultural | Young Scientist Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hao Lu | Agricultural | Young Scientist Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hao Lu, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hao Lu is a researcher at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, specializing in computer vision and AI applications in agriculture. His work focuses on visual dense prediction, including semantic segmentation, depth estimation, and image matting. He has developed innovative upsampling operators such as IndexNet, SAPA, and FADE, as well as TasselNet, a widely used plant counting model. With over 80 publications, including 30+ CCF A-class papers and three ESI highly cited papers, his contributions have earned prestigious awards, including the Outstanding Paper Award from the European Agricultural Engineering Society.

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Summary:

Dr. Hao Lu is an exceptional early-career researcher with an impressive track record in AI-driven agriculture. His innovative research, high-impact publications, technological developments, and international collaborations position him as a strong candidate for the Research for Young Scientist Award. While expanding his global influence and increasing the real-world application of his research could enhance his impact, his current achievements make him highly competitive for the award.

🎓 Education

Hao Lu holds a faculty position as an Associate Professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His academic background is rooted in computer vision and artificial intelligence, with a specialization in their applications in agriculture. His research expertise covers visual dense prediction, including semantic segmentation, depth estimation, and image matting, contributing to advancements in AI-driven agricultural technologies.

💼Experience

With a strong research portfolio, Hao Lu has made significant contributions to AI-driven plant phenotyping and crop monitoring systems. He has authored over 80 research papers, including more than 30 CCF A-class papers and three ESI highly cited papers. His collaborative efforts include working with leading experts such as Prof. Chunhua Shen from the University of Adelaide and Prof. Zhiguo Cao from Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His experience extends to pioneering AI applications in precision agriculture and smart farming.

🔬Research Focus

His research spans computer vision and AI applications in agriculture, specifically visual dense prediction and plant phenotyping. He has pioneered novel upsampling operators such as IndexNet, SAPA, and FADE, significantly improving image processing techniques. His TasselNet model is widely used in plant counting and phenotyping research, making a substantial impact on precision agriculture.

🛠️Skills

Hao Lu possesses expertise in computer vision, deep learning, and AI for agriculture. His work bridges fundamental AI advancements with real-world applications, including smart farming solutions. He has mentored students and contributed to high-impact research, with a citation count exceeding 4000 on Google Scholar. His research continues to drive innovations in crop monitoring, precision agriculture, and smart farming technologies.

🏆Awards

Hao Lu has received prestigious awards for his contributions to AI in agriculture. His research earned the Outstanding Paper Award from the European Agricultural Engineering Society. Additionally, his development of an automatic crop growth monitoring system was recognized with a bronze medal at the Geneva International Invention Exhibition.

📚 Publications

  • SCAPE: A Simple and Strong Category-Agnostic Pose Estimator
    Authors: Yujia Liang, Zixuan Ye, Wenze Liu, Hao Lu
    Journal: [No source information available]
    Year: 2024
  • FADE: A Task-Agnostic Upsampling Operator for Encoder–Decoder Architectures
    Authors: Hao Lu, Wenze Liu, Hongtao Fu, Zhiguo Cao
    Journal: International Journal of Computer Vision
    Year: 2025
  • Bridging Real and Simulated Data for Cross-Spatial-Resolution Vegetation Segmentation with Application to Rice Crops
    Authors: Yangmingrui Gao, Linyuan Li, Marie Weiss, Frédéric Baret, Shouyang Liu
    Journal: ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
    Year: 2024
  • Counting Crowd by Weighing Counts: A Sequential Decision-Making Perspective
    Authors: Hao Lu, Liang Liu, Hu Wang, Zhiguo Cao
    Journal: IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems
    Year: 2024
  • Vision Transformer Off-the-Shelf: A Surprising Baseline for Few-Shot Class-Agnostic Counting
    Authors: Zhicheng Wang, Liwen Xiao, Zhiguo Cao, Hao Lu
    Journal: [No source information available]
    Year: 2024
  • In-Context Matting
    Authors: He Guo, Zixuan Ye, Zhiguo Cao, Hao Lu
    Journal: [No source information available]
    Year: 2024
  • Unifying Automatic and Interactive Matting with Pretrained ViTs
    Authors: Zixuan Ye, Wenze Liu, He Guo, Hao Lu, Zhiguo Cao
    Journal: [No source information available]
    Year: 2024
  • SIERRA: A Robust Bilateral Feature Upsampler for Dense Prediction
    Authors: Hongtao Fu, Wenze Liu, Yuliang Liu, Zhiguo Cao, Hao Lu
    Journal: Computer Vision and Image Understanding
    Year: 2023

Conclusion:

Dr. Hao Lu is an ideal candidate for the Research for Young Scientist Award. His work has already made a significant impact, and with continued advancements, he has the potential to become a global leader in AI-driven agricultural technologies.

Aziz Aziz | Agricultural | Soil Biodiversity Conservation Award

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Prof. Aziz Aziz | Agricultural | Soil Biodiversity Conservation Award

Prof. Aziz, University of Reims, France

Prof. Aziz Aziz is a Full Professor at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, specializing in plant-microbe interactions, biocontrol, and plant immunity. With a Ph.D. from the University of Rennes 1 (1996) and extensive postdoctoral research at INRA Versailles and the University of Reims, he has dedicated his career to understanding how beneficial microbes enhance plant defense against pathogens. His research focuses on induced resistance, microbial diversity, and sustainable viticulture, particularly in grapevine health. He has led multiple international research projects, including H2020 initiatives, and received the Scientific Excellence Award from the French Ministry of National Education and Research. As head of the Master’s program in Sustainable Plant Production and Bioprotection, he has supervised numerous Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers.

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Summary:

Prof. Aziz Aziz is a highly qualified candidate for the Research for Soil Biodiversity Conservation Award due to his expertise in plant-microbe interactions, microbial biocontrol, and soil microbiota’s role in plant health. His leadership in international research projects, significant scientific output, and contributions to sustainable agriculture make him a strong contender. However, aligning his research more explicitly with soil biodiversity conservation frameworks and engaging in policy-driven initiatives could further enhance his impact.

🎓 Education

Aziz Aziz obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Rennes 1, France, in 1996. He later completed a postdoctoral fellowship at INRA Versailles in 1997, focusing on the Biology of the Rhizosphere. From 1998 to 2002, he continued his postdoctoral research at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, where he later became an Associate Professor in 2003. In the same year, he earned his Accreditation to Supervise Research (HDR) from the University of Reims.

💼Experience

Since 2020, Aziz Aziz has been serving as a Full Professor (C1) at the University of Reims. His career includes two decades of research and teaching at the university, where he was the co-head of the research team “Immunity and Beneficial Microorganisms” from 2012 to 2023. He has been actively involved in national and academic committees, including the National Council of Universities, the Academic Council, and the Research Commission of the University of Reims. He also played a crucial role in the National Biocontrol Consortium Network and the Biocontrol Consortium led by INRAE.

🔬Research Focus

His research primarily explores the role of the root microbiome in enhancing plant immunity against diseases. He investigates how beneficial bacteria interact with plants to prime systemic immunity, protecting them from microbial pathogens while also studying the influence of abiotic stress on these interactions. His expertise extends to plant-microbe interactions, biocontrol strategies, induced resistance, and defense mechanisms in plants, with a particular focus on grapevine health. His research integrates molecular signaling, phytoalexins, and microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) in plant defense.

🛠️Skills

Aziz Aziz possesses extensive expertise in plant-microbe interactions, biocontrol mechanisms, microbial diversity, and induced resistance. His skills include plant immunity research, beneficial microbial applications, secondary metabolism analysis, viticulture, and sustainable plant production. Additionally, he has significant experience in project coordination, research supervision, and academic leadership, playing a vital role in advancing sustainable plant protection strategies.

🏆Awards

He was a recipient of the Scientific Excellence Award from the French Ministry of National Education and Research from 2008 to 2020. Throughout his career, he has been a jury member for 22 Ph.D. defenses, demonstrating his recognition as a leading expert in plant bioprotection.

📚 Publications

  • Rootstocks and drought stress impact the composition and functionality of grapevine rhizosphere bacterial microbiota

    • Authors: D. Labarga, A. Mairata, M. Puelles, A. Aziz, A. Pou
    • Year: 2025
    • Journal: Microbiological Research

 

  • Peroxidase 4-Based Enzymatic Synthesis of Stilbene Oligomers in Methyl Jasmonate-Elicited Grapevine Cell Suspensions

    • Authors: B. Marant, A.L. Flourat, A. Lanoue, A. Aziz, J. Crouzet
    • Year: 2025
    • Journal: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

 

  • Assessment of Peacock Spot Disease (Fusicladium oleagineum) in Olive Orchards Through Agronomic Approaches and UAV-Based Multispectral Imaging

    • Authors: H. Hamzaoui, I. Maafa, H. Choukri, S. Louahlia, K. Habbadi
    • Year: 2025
    • Journal: Horticulturae

 

  • Minimizing the Adverse Impacts of Soil Salinity on Maize and Tomato Growth and Productivity through the Application of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria

    • Authors: H. Yahyaoui, N. El Allaoui, A. Aziz, M. Hafidi, K. Habbadi
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Crops

 

  • Rhizosphere microbiome assembly, drivers and functions in perennial ligneous plant health

    • Authors: M. Duret, A. Wallner, M. Buée, A. Aziz
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Microbiological Research

Conclusion:

Prof. Aziz is a strong candidate for the Research for Soil Biodiversity Conservation Award. While he could strengthen his profile by emphasizing soil biodiversity metrics and conservation policies, his work in microbial diversity and sustainable plant protection already plays a crucial role in maintaining soil biodiversity. His achievements make him a highly deserving nominee for this recognition.

Xiaolu Tang | Soil Ecology | Best Researcher Award

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Prof Dr. Xiaolu Tang | Soil Ecology | Best Researcher Award

Prof Dr. Xiaolu Tang, Chengdu University of Technology, China

Prof. Dr. Xiaolu Tang is a Professor at Chengdu University of Technology, China, specializing in forest ecology, remote sensing, and carbon cycling. He holds a Ph.D. in Forest Ecology Science from the University of Göttingen, Germany, and has conducted postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. His work focuses on ecosystem dynamics, land degradation, and climate change impacts on forests. Dr. Tang actively contributes to high-impact journals as a peer reviewer and has received recognition for his research in environmental sustainability and ecological modeling.

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Summary:

Prof. Dr. Xiaolu Tang is a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award, with extensive contributions to ecological and environmental sciences, particularly in soil carbon dynamics, habitat quality assessment, and remote sensing applications. His research is impactful, multidisciplinary, and relevant to pressing global challenges like climate change and ecosystem sustainability.

🎓 Education

Prof. Dr. Xiaolu Tang obtained his Ph.D. in Forest Ecology Science from the University of Göttingen, Germany, between October 2012 and August 2015, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Christoph Kleinn and Prof. Dr. Juan Gabriel Álvarez-González. He earned his M.S. in Forest Ecology Science from the International Bamboo and Rattan Center, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China, in July 2012, guided by Prof. Dr. Shaohui Fan. His academic journey began with a B.S. in Forestry Science from Sichuan Agricultural and Forestry University, College of Forestry and Horticulture, completed in June 2009.

💼Experience

Currently, Dr. Tang serves as a Professor at Chengdu University of Technology, College of Ecology and Environment, a position he has held since January 2020. Prior to this, he was a Professor at the College of Earth Science from June 2018 to January 2020 and a Lecturer at the same institution from October 2017 to June 2018. His postdoctoral research experience includes working as a Research Associate at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany, from September 2016 to September 2017, collaborating with Prof. Dr. Markus Reichstein and Dr. Nuno Carvalhais.

🔬Research Focus

Dr. Tang’s research primarily revolves around forest ecology, remote sensing applications in ecosystem analysis, carbon cycling, and the impacts of land degradation and climate change on forest environments. His work integrates advanced data-driven approaches to understand ecosystem dynamics and sustainable land management.

🛠️Skills

With a strong foundation in forest ecology and environmental science, Dr. Tang specializes in remote sensing applications, carbon sequestration modeling, land degradation assessment, and climate impact analysis on forest ecosystems. His expertise also includes GIS, spatial analysis, and statistical modeling for ecological research.

🏆Awards

Dr. Tang has received recognition for his contributions to forest ecology and environmental sustainability, with multiple accolades for his research and peer-review contributions in leading scientific journals. His interdisciplinary approach has made a significant impact in the field of environmental and forest sciences.

📚 Publications

  • Title: Study on the Spatiotemporal Changes and Driving Factors of Habitat Quality in the Yarlung Zangbo River From 2000 to 2020
  • Authors: Chen, Y., Kang, Y., Li, J., Tang, X., Pei, X.
  • Year: 2025
  • Journal: Ecology and Evolution

  • Title: Estuarine wetland tidal organic carbon activates microbial carbon pump and increases long-term soil carbon stability
  • Authors: Xie, M., Dong, H., Tang, X., Hu, Y., Wang, L.
  • Year: 2024
  • Journal: Catena

  • Title: Accumulation of soil microbial necromass carbon and its contribution to soil organic carbon after vegetation restoration in the Tibetan Plateau
  • Authors: Pei, X., Lei, J., Wang, X., Li, P., Tang, X.
  • Year: 2024
  • Journal: Global Ecology and Conservation

  • Title: Prediction of soil organic carbon stock combining Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images in the Zoige Plateau, the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
  • Authors: Lei, J., Zeng, C., Zhang, L., Yang, Z., Tang, X.
  • Year: 2024
  • Journal: Ecological Processes

  • Title: Minor Effects of Canopy and Understory Nitrogen Addition on Soil Organic Carbon Turnover Time in Moso Bamboo Forests
  • Authors: Zeng, C., He, S., Long, B., Yang, Z., Tang, X.
  • Year: 2024
  • Journal: Forests

  • Title: Quantifying the relative importance of influencing factors on NPP in Hengduan Mountains of the Tibetan Plateau from 2002 to 2021: A Dominance Analysis
  • Authors: Long, B., Zeng, C., Tao, Z., Chen, G., Tang, X.
  • Year: 2024
  • Journal: Ecological Informatics

Conclusion:

While his academic output and research relevance are commendable, increasing citation impact, securing large-scale funding, and enhancing international collaborations would further solidify his position as a leading global researcher.