Dr. Hamed Taherdoost is an award-winning leader in research and development, known for his contributions across both industry and academia. He is the founder of Hamta Business Corporation, Associate Professor and Chair of RSAC at University Canada West, & Director of R&D at Q Minded Quark Minded Technology Inc. He has over 20 years of experience in both industry and academic sectors. He has worked at international companies from Cyprus, the UK, Malta, Iran, Malaysia, and Canada and has been highly involved in development of several projects in different industries, healthcare, transportation, residential, oil and gas and IT. Additionally, he has served as a trusted technical and technology consultant for multiple companies, providing advisory and mentorship. In academia, Dr. Taherdoost has held teaching positions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America since 2009. He began his academic career as a lecturer at AU & PNU and later served as an adjunct professor, dissertation chair and faculty fellow at Westcliff University, USA, & adjunct professor and thesis supervisor at Gisma University of Applied Sciences, Germany. His research tenure at IAU lasted over eight years, during which he supervised numerous students. >50), and his contributions span book chapters, edited volumes, and authored books focusing on technology and research methodology. His textbooks on E-Business and Digital Transformation are teaching at global institutions, including the University of Malta, Yarmouk University, University of Kerala, University of Macau, University Sains Islam Malaysia and University Canada West. His research accomplishments have earned him a place among the top 10 SSRN Business Authors from 2021 to 2024, as well as being featured in the Stanford-Elsevier list of the world's top 2% of Scientists in 2021, 2022 2023 and 2024. Dr. Taherdoost has organized and chaired many workshops and conferences and has frequently been invited as a keynote speaker. He is an active member of the editorial, reviewer, and advisory boards for several prestigious journals published by Taylor & Francis. He has also participated as an organising, scientific and technical committee member in over 400 conferences held across Europe, America, Australia, Asia, and Africa. Dr. Taherdoost's leadership and innovation have earned him numerous accolades, including THE BIZZ Business Excellence Award, PeerJ Award, and recognition at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards. He was a finalist for the Innovation in Teaching of Research Methodology Excellence Awards and Southeast Asian Startup Awards by Global Startup Awards. Additionally, his research achievements also include winning several best paper awards, outstanding reviewer awards and best presentation awards like MLIS awards, CSA award, CSTFM Lecture award, the Outstanding Editorial Board Member award from Bilingual Publishing, Best Paper of the Year of Computers MDPI, Editor's Choice Articles of Algorithm Journal, and Best Interview Award of Encyclopedia. He is a Certified Cyber Security Professional and Certified Graduate Technologist. He is a GUS Fellow - GUS Institute Global University Systems, senior member of IEEE, and Working Group Member of International Federation for Information Processing - IFIP TC 11 - Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance and Information Security Management. Currently, he is involved in several multidisciplinary research projects, including studying innovation in information technology, blockchain, cybersecurity, and technology acceptance. Dr. Mitra Madanchian is a distinguished scholar, strategic leader, and industry expert with deep expertise in business management, leadership, human resources, and technology-driven innovation. She currently serves as Assistant Professor at University Canada West (UCW), where she is also the Vice Chair of the Department of Arts, Communications, and Social Sciences in the School of Arts, Science, and Technology. In addition, she holds an Adjunct Professorship at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Madanchian is also an accomplished entrepreneur and R&D strategist, serving as Director of Quark Minded Technology Inc. and Hamta Business Corporation, where she leads initiatives focused on applied research and strategic innovation. She holds a Ph.D. in Business Management and a Master of Administrative Science in Human Resources, with over 15 years of industry experience, including leadership roles in SMEs and one of the Big Four firms, KPMG. Her work bridges theory and practice in areas such as business strategy, HR development, marketing, and organizational innovation. As a prolific academic, Dr. Madanchian has authored over 80 high-impact, peer-reviewed publications across top-tier journals published by Elsevier, Springer, IGI Global, and MDPI. She has also contributed to multiple book chapters and authored five books in the areas of leadership, and human resource management. Her interdisciplinary research spans business management, human resources, marketing, IT management, and emerging leadership models, earning her a strong citation record and h-index that reflect her influence within the global academic community. Her recent research focuses on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in HR and marketing, exploring how digital tools are reshaping the future of workforce engagement and customer experience. She is a regular speaker and session chair at international conferences, an active member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR), and a mentor to emerging scholars.
