Biographical note

Rakesh Kumar Bachheti graduated from the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna University, Garhwal, India, in 1996. He completed his MSc in Organic Chemistry from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna University, Garhwal, India, in 1998. He had undergone a one-year Post Graduate Diploma in Pulp and Paper Technology from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, in 2001. He obtained his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Kumaun University, Nainital, India, in 2007. He is presently working as an Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry in the Department of Industrial Chemistry at the Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU) of Ethiopia, where he teaches Ph.D., graduate, and undergraduate students. Before joining AASTU, Rakesh was working as Dean Project (Assistant) at Graphic Era University (A grade university by NACC) in Dehradun, India. Rakesh also presented papers at various international (Malaysia, Thailand, and India) and national conferences. He was also a member of various important committees, such as the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Anti-ragging committee.

Archana Bachheti did BSc in 1997 and MSc in 1999 from HNB Garhwal University. She received her Ph.D. from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India, in 2006. She has carried out research projects and consultancy work in the areas of ecorestoration/ development of wasteland, physico-chemical properties of Jatropha curcus seed oil and their relation with altitudinal variation, and has been a consultant Ecologist to a project funded by a government agency. Dr. Joshi is currently Professor at Graphic Era University, Dehradun, India. She has also served in many capacities in academia within India and provided expertise internationally for more than 15 years. She taught Ecology and Environment, Environmental Science, Freshwater Ecology, Disaster management, and Bryophytes and Pteridophytes.

Her major research interests encompass the broad, interdisciplinary field of plant ecology, focusing on ecorestoration, green chemistry, especially the synthesis of nanomaterial, and medicinal properties of plants. The breadth of her research spans from degraded land ecological amelioration and physical and chemical properties of plant oil to plant-based nanomaterial. She guided one Ph.D. student, supervised three scholars, and guided graduate and undergraduate students with their research projects. While the fascination with forest biodiversity captured her interest, it has been her love for the exploration of values of biodiversity and social upliftment through it that has maintained that passion. Dr. Joshi is the editor of 4 books and has published over 55 research articles in international and national journals and sixteen book chapters. She organized several National seminars/conferences at Graphic Era University, India.

Azamal Husen served as Professor & Head, Department of Biology, University of Gondar, Ethiopia and is a Foreign Delegate at Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita, Ethiopia. Earlier, he was a Visiting Faculty of the Forest ResearchInstitute, and the Doon College of Agriculture and Forest at Dehra Dun, India. His research and teaching experience of 20 years involves studies of biogenic nanomaterial fabrication and application, plant responses to environmental stresses and nanomaterials at the physiological, biochemical and molecular levels, herbal medicine, and clonal propagation for improvement of tree species. He has conducted several research projects sponsored by various funding agencies, including the World Bank (FREEP), the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP), the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), the Indian Council of Forest Research Education (ICFRE); and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). He received four fellowships from India and a recognition award from the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, for excellent teaching, research, and community service. Husen has been on the Editorial board and the panel of reviewers of several reputed journals published by Elsevier,Frontiers Media, Taylor & Francis, Springer Nature, RSC, Oxford University Press, Sciendo, The Royal Society, CSIRO, PLOS, MDPI, John Wiley & Sons and UPM Journals. He is on the advisory board of Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK. He is a Fellow of the Plantae group of the American Society of Plant Biologists, and a Member of the International Society of Root Research, Asian Council of Science Editors, and INPST. To his credit are over 200 publications; and he is Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Plant Physiology.