Mrs. Mashael Almarzooqi – Management and Accounting – Best Researcher Award 

Mrs. Mashael Almarzooqi - Management and Accounting - Best Researcher Award 

Abu Dhabi University - United Arab Emirates

Author Profile 

ORCID 

Early academic pursuits 🎓

Mashael Almarzooqi began her academic journey with a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the american university of sharjah, graduating with a commendable gpa of 3.4. she further enhanced her academic profile by earning a master’s degree in quality management from the university of wollongong in dubai with a gpa of 3.8. currently, she is pursuing a doctorate in business administration at abu dhabi university, underscoring her deep commitment to continuous learning. her academic foundation laid the groundwork for her analytical capabilities and strategic thinking—both essential in managing technically complex fields like logistics, energy, and even emerging areas such as power electronics.

Professional endeavors 🏢

Mashael’s professional career spans prestigious roles in both government and industry. beginning in 2009 as a senior engineering materials analyst at dubai municipality, she advanced through key roles including project manager at the prime minister's office and product quality specialist at adnoc. her career path illustrates a steady progression toward executive leadership, culminating in her current position as vice president of business management in the logistics and services division at the abu dhabi national oil company (adnoc). she has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to manage complex operations, lead large-scale strategic initiatives, and deliver high-impact outcomes.

Contributions and research focus 🔬

Across her various roles, mashael has significantly contributed to corporate transformation, strategic growth, and operational excellence. she has led multiple strategic initiatives, particularly in downstream asset management, mergers and acquisitions, and business planning. her work has focused on aligning technical assessments with commercial viability, ensuring hse compliance, Management and Accounting and driving financial planning. her research and executive interests lie at the intersection of energy logistics and digital transformation, with growing curiosity about innovations in power electronics, especially regarding its applications in energy-efficient maritime logistics.

Impact and influence 🌍

Mashael’s leadership has left a tangible mark on adnoc’s downstream operations. her strategic foresight contributed to successful acquisitions and business continuity planning, reinforcing the Management and Accounting organization's resilience. she has built high-performing cross-functional teams and implemented robust kpi frameworks to drive accountability and performance. her experience in government has also helped streamline public services and elevate national service standards, making her a respected figure both in corporate and government spheres. she is widely known for bridging the gap between engineering and strategy—a key trait for scaling impact in the age of power electronics and smart logistics.

Academic cites and certifications 📚

Mashael has consistently strengthened her theoretical grounding through industry-recognized certifications and courses. she holds credentials in maritime law, shipping strategy, cfa level 1, and corporate financial decision-making from institutions like euromoney, london. her commitment to academic excellence is also visible in her participation at international platforms, such as Management and Accounting serving as the uae ambassador at expo milano 2015. her scholarly and practical integration of business and engineering has made her a frequently referenced contributor in internal strategy documents and thought leadership within adnoc.

Legacy and future contributions 🌟

Looking ahead, mashael almarzooqi is poised to shape the future of integrated logistics and sustainable energy strategy in the gulf region. her long-term vision involves aligning organizational growth with global sustainability goals and exploring digital innovations in transport, including the role of electrification and power electronics in shipping and refining. she aims to mentor emerging professionals, support women in engineering leadership, and contribute to policy advisory roles, ensuring her legacy as a transformative leader in the oil and gas ecosystem.

Notable publications 

Title: The Impact of Supplier Innovation and Competitiveness on Local Content Compliance: The Moderating Role of Firm Size in the UAE Oil and Gas Sector
Author(s): Mashael Al Marzooqi, Ilham Haouas, Jacob Cherian
Journal: Business Strategy & Development

Dr. Leidy Cubillos – Entrepreneurship – Best Researcher Award

Dr. Leidy Cubillos - Entrepreneurship - Best Researcher Award

Technical University Munich - Germany

Author Profile 

ORCID 

🎓 Early academic pursuits

Dr. Leidy Cubillos began her academic journey in colombia, earning a bsc in psychology with a minor in biology from the prestigious university of los andes, consistently ranked as the top institution in colombia and fifth in latin america. during her undergraduate studies, she displayed remarkable academic excellence, graduating with the best gpa in the entire faculty and receiving the award of excellence semestral distinction. her early interests in neuroscience and behavioral science laid the foundation for her advanced studies, culminating in a master’s degree in neurocognitive psychology from ludwig-maximilian university, munich, under the elite program elitenetzwerk bayern. her academic brilliance was further recognized through multiple scholarships and the best poster award in her msc competition.

👩‍🏫 Professional endeavors

Dr. Cubillos has steadily built an impressive professional portfolio across top-tier european institutions. she currently serves as a postdoctoral research fellow at the technical university of munich (tum), following a fellowship at the university of cambridge, judge business school. her career also includes several key research assistant positions at max-planck-institut für psychiatrie, klinikum der universität münchen, and ludwig-maximilians-universität münchen. notably, she held a strategic industry role as head of recruitment and development at mercados zapatoca s.a., one of colombia’s leading supermarket chains, demonstrating her ability to bridge academic insight with real-world application—an approach comparable to innovation practices in power electronics.

🧠 Contributions and research focus

Dr. Cubillos’s groundbreaking phd work at tum titled "rules are made to be broken!" explored the psychology and neuroscience behind rule-breaking in entrepreneurship. employing behavioral, cognitive, and neuroimaging methodologies, she has pushed the boundaries of organizational neuroscience. her research integrates advanced eeg technologies and neurofeedback tools to Entrepreneurship train entrepreneurial cognition, a pioneering approach that resonates with how power electronics reshapes control and optimization in modern systems. collaborating with leading scholars, including prof. dr. pierre balthazard, she co-developed neurofeedback-based entrepreneurship training solutions.

🌍 Impact and influence

With over €40,578 in individual grants and €100,000 in international collaboration funding, dr. cubillos has significantly contributed to the scientific community. her efforts have influenced Entrepreneurship entrepreneurial training methodologies and reshaped how neuroscientific tools are utilized in business education. her collaboration with institutions like tum and the university of cambridge amplifies her global impact. notably, the integration of neuroscience in entrepreneurship education parallels the revolutionary role of power electronics in enabling efficiency and innovation in technology-driven industries.

📚 Academic cites and recognitions

Dr. Cubillos has been consistently acknowledged for her scholarly excellence. she received the prestigious deutschlandstipendium and the marie skłodowska-curie phd fellowship. among her numerous accolades are the aom neuB best symposium award (2025), multiple conference travel grants, and research funding from programs like experimentum, graduate center tum, and Entrepreneurship diversity fonds. these recognitions underscore her academic credibility and the high relevance of her work in both organizational neuroscience and entrepreneurship research.

🌟 Legacy and future contributions

Dr. Leidy Cubillos is shaping a future where neuroscience, psychology, and entrepreneurship converge for societal benefit. she is committed to advancing training models based on brain activity and neurofeedback, particularly within academic entrepreneurship centers. with future projects aimed at integrating more robust eeg-based tools and international partnerships, her legacy is one of scientific innovation, pedagogical advancement, and interdisciplinary growth—similar to how power electronics has transformed engineering and smart system integration.

Notable Publications 

  • Title: I make my own rules: The role of rule-breaking and ethics in driving entrepreneurial intention and involvement
    Author(s): Leidy Cubillos-Pinilla, Sylvia Hubner-Benz, Pierre Balthazard, Franziska Emmerling, Claudia Peus
    Journal: Journal of Small Business Management

  • Title: Taking the chance!–Interindividual differences in rule-breaking
    Author(s): Leidy Cubillos-Pinilla, Jaume Garcia-Segarra, Franziska Emmerling
    Journal: PLOS ONE

  • Title: Within-lesion heterogeneity of subcortical DWI lesion evolution, and stroke outcome: A voxel-based analysis
    Author(s): Marco Duering, Ruth Adam, Frank A. Wollenweber, Anna Bayer-Karpinska, Ebru Baykara, Leidy Y. Cubillos-Pinilla, Benno Gesierich, Miguel Á. Araque Caballero, Sophia Stoecklein, Michael Ewers, et al.
    Journal: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism