Khulna University team shines in worldwide research competition

Neyamot Hossain Noor, an alumnus of the 16th batch of KU leads a 3-member team that has been selcted as a finalist in a WFP Transformative Research Challenge.

Khulna, Aug 30 -- A youth-led research team from Khulna University (KU) has been selected as a finalist in the World Food Forum Transformative Research Challenge (WFF TRC) 2026, earning an invitation to present their work at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Neyamot Hossain Noor, an alumnus of the 16th batch of KU’s Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline and team leader of the initiative titled 'Mangrove Intelligence Network (MIN)', will represent the team at the World Food Forum Flagship Event scheduled for October 8–16.

The three-member research team also includes Tanvir Islam, a 19th-batch student, and Omar Foysal Sajid, a 21st-batch student of the same discipline. Among the members, Noor will travel to Rome as the designated team representative.

Competing under the 'Youth-led Research for Forest Restoration' category, the team’s research focuses on identifying bottlenecks in coastal shelterbelts and developing actionable, evidence-based models for mangrove restoration along Bangladesh's vulnerable coastline.

Recalling his academic trajectory, Noor said he initially aspired to study engineering but found his calling in environmental problem-solving during his undergraduate thesis work.

"Our goal is to ensure that local ecological challenges are addressed through scalable, science-backed solutions. Representing Bangladesh at the FAO headquarters is a significant opportunity to showcase our youth's research potential on a global stage," Noor said.

The flagship event in Rome will convene young researRomes, policymakers, and global experts to engage in scientific dialogues, innovation showcases, and policy discussions aimed at transforming global agrifood and forestry systems. - UNB