Dr. Md. Azharul Islam is a distinguished academic and researcher presently serving as a Professor in the Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline at Khulna University, Bangladesh. He earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Ioannina in Greece, then went on to complete postdoctoral research in Chemical Engineering at Universiti Sains Malaysia and later at the University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Dr. Islam’s interdisciplinary research bridges chemistry, forestry, and environmental science, with a primary focus on sustainable biomass conversion and resource recovery. His work emphasizes hydrothermal carbonization, biochar and hydrochar development, and the transformation of biomass waste into value-added materials for bioenergy, environmental remediation, and sustainable agriculture. He has also contributed significantly to research on wastewater treatment, pollutant adsorption, and soil improvement technologies. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters, and book reviews in reputable international journals and several other articles from non-indexed journals. His extensive publication record, with an google h-index of 34 and around 6,000 citations, underscores his significant contributions to the field. 

In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Islam has held important academic leadership roles, including serving as Executive Editor of Khulna University Studies Journal and Director of the Institute for Integrated Studies on the Sundarbans and Coastal Ecosystems (IISSCE). His leadership has contributed to advancing interdisciplinary research and academic excellence within the university.