Prof. Vinod Kumar Sharma

Professor Vinod Kumar Sharma has an academic background in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India, and his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from M.B.M. University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. His expertise is further strengthened by post-doctoral fellowships at the World Bank, Washington, D.C., USA, and at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Ministry of Environment, Government of Japan. He is also a Fellow and Chartered Engineer of the Institution of Engineers (India).

With over 43 years of professional experience, Prof. Sharma has excelled in roles spanning engineering, academia, and institutional leadership. His contributions in higher education are extensive, having served as Dean of Faculties, Dean of Academic Programs, Dean of Students’ Affairs, and Head of Department. He has been an active member of several statutory and governing bodies, including the Board of Management, Planning & Monitoring Board, Board of Studies, Executive Council, and Academic Council of various universities. He has also chaired the Selection Committee for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor and served as a member of Selection Committees for Professors and other faculty positions in various universities. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the National Ecology and Environment Foundation (NEEF), India.

Prof. Sharma possesses a wealth of international experience in several countries across six continents. Notable among his affiliations are his positions as an Environmental Fellow at the World Bank in Washington DC, USA, and as a Fellow of the Science and Technology Ministry at Japan’s National Institute of Environmental Studies in Tsukuba under the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. His research portfolio includes numerous projects, consultancy assignments, training programs and collaborations with esteemed organizations. These include international organizations (UNEP, UNDP, USAID, UN-ESCAP, UNCTAD, UNCSD, World Bank, WWF, UNU, UNESCO, UN-HABITAT); American (USAID, USAEP, TAF, ICEF, USGBC); European (IIED, CREED, SETAC); Japanese (NIES, AIST, JETRO, JBIC, IDE, APO, IAS-UNU, NEF, SNTT, METI, NEDO); Australian (RMIT, ANU, UTS); Russian (RAS); African (USIU, UNU); and Southeast Asian entities (APEC, NRCT, TISTR, VAST, ERIA).

Prof. Sharma has authored over 213 publications including papers in peer-reviewed international and Indian journals, books, policy reports, and conference proceedings. He actively contributes to global scholarly exchange, serving on editorial boards and as a peer reviewer for international journals. His research interests focus on Sustainable Energy, Environment, and Development issues, encompassing renewable energy, environmental conservation, climate change mitigation, natural resource management, and sustainable engineering infrastructures.

Prof. Sharma is deeply committed to promoting sustainable development initiatives and is the founder President of the Indian Society for Life Cycle Assessment (ISLCA), Member of UNEP’s International Life Cycle Board (ILCB), and Founding and Council Member of the International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS), Australia. His dedication to academia and sustainable development is further demonstrated through his editorial leadership roles in scholarly journals, including founding the International Journal for Sustainable Innovations (IJSI), serving as Editor-in-Chief of the E-magazine SAVITARKA, and initiating the International Symposium on a Sustainable Future (ISSF).

Prof. Sharma continues to influence policy-making at local, national, and international levels while making significant contributions to the global sustainable development community.