Advances in Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Project Management

Prof. (Dr.) Anil Kashyap

is the first President and Chancellor of NICMAR University Pune and Hyderabad. He has 30 years of experience in practice, academia and research – both in India and abroad. In his leadership roles, Dr. Kashyap has been Head of UWE Bristol School of Geography and Environmental Management, Deputy Head of Coventry University School of Energy, Environment and Construction, and Founding Professor and Director of RICS School of Real Estate before joining NICMAR as the Director General in September 2021. His expertise includes Infrastructure development and finance, Urban Regeneration, and Real Estate Research. Dr. Kashyap holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering with distinction from NIT Kurukshetra, Masters in Urban Planning from School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi and a Ph.D. from University of Ulster, United Kingdom. Dr. Kashyap is an Alumnus of Harvard University with training in Higher Education Leadership and Change Management. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy of the United Kingdom. Dr. Kashyap always had a passion for academia from early career days and was awarded the Ulster University Fellowship for his PhD. He has extensive experience of innovative curriculum design. Dr. Kashyap has published over 100 papers in peer reviewed journals, international and national conferences till date. He has supervised 5 PhDs and has been examiner for PhD students in India and the United Kingdom. He has also served as examiner for PhD students in India and abroad. Dr. Kashyap has undertaken research funded by research councils, charities and international institutions. Dr. Kashyap has been Chartered Member of RICS, Chartered Member of Royal Town Planning Institute London, Fellow of Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom and Fellow of Institute of Town Planners, India. Prof. (Dr.)

Mrs. Sushma Shekhar Kulkarni

is the Vice Chancellor of NICMAR University, Pune, India, and Chair of GEDC. She was formally the Director at Rajarambapu Institute of Technology, Maharashtra, India. She has completed her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (2003), M.E. in Construction Management (1993), from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India, and B.E. in Civil Engineering (1987), from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India. She has been holding the post of Principal/Director for more than 16 years. She has transformed an affiliated Engineering college into an Autonomous Institute with excellent credentials. Institute has NAAC “A+” grade, and all its eligible programs {more than 60%} are accredited & re-accredited by NBA. She has successfully handled World Bank-funded Technical Education Quality Improvement program (TEQIP I & II) with a funding of Rs. 15 crores. She has 37 years of teaching & research experience in the Civil Engineering program. Her areas of interest are Concrete Technology, TQM, Quality Circles, Construction Management, Watershed Management, Outcome Based Education, and Women Empowerment. She has received more than 35 awards/honors for her outstanding academic work. She has contributed to more than 155+ research papers and, has two patents provisionally registered. She has delivered more than 140+ expert talks on diverse topics in India and outside India. Also, she worked as a panelist in workshops and webinars organized by IUCEE, IFEES, GEDC, etc at national and international levels. Under her guidance, 5 students have completed their Ph.D. and 7 are pursuing it. She has also guided more than 70 UG & PG students in their research projects.

Dr. Rajni Kant Rajhans

is Dean-Research & Development at NICMAR University, Pune. Dr. Rajhans has earned academic credentials such as a B.Sc. Engineering (Electronics & Communication Engineering with Distinction), MBA (Finance) & Ph.D. (Management). He teaches Managerial Accounting, Financial Management, Project Appraisal, Real Estate Investment & Finance, Corporate Valuation, and other related courses. A state rank holder in the engineering entrance exam, and merit scholarship recipient in all four semesters of MBA, Dr. Rajhans was awarded the Teaching Excellence Award at NICMAR in 2019. Dr. Rajhans has research interests in Corporate Finance, Valuation, and Green Finance. He is an associate editor and editorial advisory board member at Emerging Markets Case Studies, Emerald Publication. He is the series editor of “How-to-Guides”, a case-based business research method published by Sage Publishing, and editor of the Journal of Real Estate, Construction & Management (Sage Publishing).

Jolita Kruopienê

with a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, is a professor and senior researcher at Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania, working in the fields of chemical risk management, solid waste, environmental impact, and natural resources. Her activities cover research, lecturing, supervising MSc and PhD students, and providing consultancy and training to industries as well as authorities. She has experience as a researcher and coordinator in various international projects. She is editor-in-chief of Environmental Research, Engineering and Management Journal (ISSN 1392- 1649. eISSN 2029-2139).

Dr. Shashank B. S.,

an IGBC-accredited faculty, is a distinguished academician and administrator with a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering. With over a decade of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership, he is spearheading the undergraduate Civil Engineering program at NICMAR University. An expert in Concrete Technology, Dr. Shashank is deeply committed to embedding digitalization and sustainability into engineering education. His research interests encompass self-healing concrete, advancements in concrete technology, and alternative building materials. His contributions have been widely recognized through publications in reputed national and international journals and conferences. As an educator, he has mentored over 20 undergraduate and postgraduate theses, fostering innovative thinking and problem-solving among students