Dr. Maheswar Rupakheti is a climate scientist and research group leader at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) | at GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. He leads the "Regional Air Quality and Climate in Southern Asia" group. He also serves as a Vice-Chair of Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - the first Nepali scientist elected in the IPCC Bureau. With 27+ years of research and science-policy experience, his work focuses on air quality and climate change in the Himalayan region and South Asia. He also serves on the steering committees of the International Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution (ICACGP) and the Atmospheric Composition and the Asian Monsoon (ACAM). He holds a PhD in atmospheric science (Dalhousie University, Canada), an MSc in environmental engineering and management (AIT, Thailand), and an MSc in Physics (Tribhuvan University, Nepal). With over 100 research publications, he is ranked among the world’s top 2% researchers (ScholarGPS, 2024 and 2025).

In his talk, "Global Nepalis, Local Impact: Science-Driven Climate Action for Nepal" he will focus on how Nepal stands on the forefront of bearing the brunt of climate change, experiencing heightened frequencies, intensities, and severity of extreme weather events, leading to unprecedented loss of lives, livelihoods, and properties. Addressing these challenges demands a multifaceted approach – integrating insights into biophysical changes, extreme events, climate impacts attribution, vulnerability and risk assessments, and strategies for climate justice, finance, adaptation, and mitigation. This presentation underscores the critical role of evidence-based interventions (i.e., informed by cutting-edge scientific research) in maximizing the impact of limited resources toward building climate resilience and sustainable development. It calls upon stakeholders to prioritize science-driven strategies and invites the Nepali diaspora community to contribute their expertise and resources. By uniting efforts across these fronts, we can forge a path towards a climate-resilient Nepal, safeguarding our communities and environment.

Dr. Yagya Adhikari is an Environmental Specialist and Canopy Scientist with over a decade of international experience in biodiversity conservation, ecological research, and climate-resilient land use. Currently an Environmental Planner at NEIDL and a Guest Researcher at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He holds a PhD and Postdoc in Geobotany from Technische Universität München (TUM), along with dual MSc degrees in Sustainable Resource Management and Botany, and a Mini-MBA in International Business Management. Dr. Adhikari has authored 50+ scientific publications and serves as Scientific Editor for the Journal of Mountain Science. His expertise includes biodiversity monitoring, GIS-based ecological mapping, environmental law, and diaspora-led climate initiatives, focusing on the Himalayas mountain ecosystems under climate stress.

In his talk, “Roots Rising: How the Diaspora Can Save the Himalayas” he explores how Nepali communities worldwide can unite to protect and restore the fragile Himalayan environment through science, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.

In his talk Semiconductors: Climate resilience backbone he will focus on how semiconductors are critical for scaling up clean energy, slashing energy waste, protecting livelihoods, reducing emissions, etc. This talk will be non-technical and accessible to a general audience. Education:

• Ph.D in Compound semiconductor (group-III Nitride) Technology, Ulm University, Germany
• M.Sc. Communication Technology, Ulm University, Germany
• B.Sc. Engineering (Electrical &Electronics) Bangladesh Univ. of Eng. & Tech. (BUET) Dhaka
• I.Sc./SLC: ASCOL Campus, Bhanubhakta Memorial School, Kathmandu

Professional career:

• Currently Head of Gallium Nitride (GaN) Technology and Applications at Siltronic AG ( www.siltronic.com), Burghausen, Germany. Almost 15 years at Siltronic for the development of GaN technology (started R&D activities to scale up to pilot line)
• Worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Electronic Devices for 2 years in Erlangen, Germany
• Installed and started Internet service in Nepal in 1999 as a telecom engineer in Nepal Telecom Corporation (NTC). Worked 7 years in NTC.
• Founded the Technology company “Access Nepal” and developed the multimedia CD-ROM “Visit Nepal 1998” in 1997 to promote tourism electronically in the world, the first of this kind of electronic product developed for the Government of Nepal.

Patents:

• About 10 (granted, submitted) as inventor, co-inventor

Scientific publications:

• > 35 as author, co-author

Ranjana Budhathoki is a sustainability professional with more than 7 years of experience in renewable energy, nature conservation, ESG disclosures, and interlinked themes. She graduated from the Technical University of Munich and brings a strong academic foundation to her work in sustainability and renewable energy.

In her talk, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Disclosure Frameworks and Climate Actions for Corporates, she will discuss the strategic role that corporations can play in addressing climate change. The talk will emphasize the importance of corporate climate action both from an environmental and business sustainability perspective, and will provide an overview of relevant ESG disclosure frameworks within the European Union. She will also examine the existence or potential development of similar frameworks in the context of Nepal.

Samip Shrestha is a PhD Candidate at DLR Earth Observation Center, German Remote Sensing Data Center, Department of Land Surface Dynamics in Team Polar and Mountain Regions under the topic "Potential of long remote sensing time series for future forecasts."

In his talk, he will be sharing insights on Remote Sensing and Forecasting in Snow Regions: Identifying Risks and their Challenges