Winner. Scientist of the Year 2025

Sonal Sagar Boda

Academic title, degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Information Technology
Fields of science: Information Technology
Research interest: Cloud Computing, Software as a Service, Artificial Intelligence, Data Driven Decision Making, Cloud Security, SaaS Security, AI Search
Career Development: Experienced
Organization: Cisco
Position: Technical Program Manager
City: West Hills, California
Country: USA

Dr. Sonal Sagar Boda, Ph.D. in Information Technology, stands at the forefront of global innovation, uniting academic excellence with industry leadership. With more than a decade of expertise in cloud security, SaaS architecture, and enterprise-scale AI adoption, he has established himself as a thought leader advancing purposeful innovation and responsible digital transformation.

In his current role as Scrum Lead and Technical Program Manager at Cisco, Dr. Boda leads strategic programs that include Salesforce and MuleSoft integrations, Jira Cloud migration for over 3,000 users, and AI-enabled agile delivery frameworks. His work has enabled global organizations such as Google, Amazon, Deloitte, DoorDash, Caterpillar, and Perficient to achieve secure, regulatory-compliant, and scalable digital transformations.

Academically, Dr. Boda earned his Ph.D. in Information Technology from the University of the Cumberlands, USA, where his research on SaaS security architecture earned international recognition. His educational path also includes an M.S. in Management Information Systems (University of Houston Clear Lake, USA), an ongoing M.S. in Project Management, and a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering (NIT Rourkela, India).

Beyond his professional and academic achievements, Dr. Boda actively contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge worldwide. He is a keynote speaker, invited session chair, and reviewer at leading international conferences, including ICDSA, ICCCNet, ICCIS, and AIC. He also serves on editorial boards such as the ESP Journal of Engineering & Technology Advancements and IJIRMPS, while contributing to the IEEE Artificial Intelligence Policy Committee (AIPC). His mentorship through the IEEE WISE program and judging roles at international hackathons reflect his commitment to fostering innovation and guiding the next generation of technology leaders.

His career is distinguished by recognition at the highest levels, including the Innovation in Academic Research Award (SWGE 2025, USA), the Best PhD Thesis Award (ICDAM 2025, Springer LNNS), the Deloitte Applause Award, and now, the prestigious title of Scientist of the Year 2025 in the Engineering & Technology category.

The year 2025 marked an exceptional period of impact for Dr. Boda. His contributions extended across continents, advancing the global dialogue on AI strategy, SaaS security, and digital transformation.

• Thought Leadership on AI and Governance: Delivered an invited talk at ICCCNet 2025 (Manchester, UK) on Enterprise AI Strategy: A Framework for Ethical Governance and Scalable Implementation, and a keynote at ICDSA 2025 (NIT Jaipur, India) on AI-Enabled Data-Driven Decision-Making: From Predictive Modeling to Governance and Adoption.

• Award-Winning Research: Presented his groundbreaking SaaS security research at IEEE AIC 2025 (New Delhi, India), continuing his contributions at the intersection of cloud computing and cybersecurity.

• Academic Leadership: Chaired Emerging Technologies and Invited Talks at IJCACI 2025 (WUST USA & RVIM India), and led sessions at ICDAM 2025 (UK).

• Judging & Mentorship: Served as judge at AIR 2025 (Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan), the Smallest AI Hackathon 2025 (San Francisco), SmartEarth 2025 (AI Disaster Management track), and Washington Hackathon 2025 (Environmental Data Analytics track).

• Service to the Scientific Community: Contributed as a reviewer for ICCCNet 2025, ICDSA 2025, and CVMIconf2025.

Through these engagements, Dr. Boda reinforced his position as a global leader, combining academic depth with practical innovation. His recognition is a testament to his dedication to advancing responsible AI, strengthening cloud and SaaS security, and driving digital transformation with real-world impact.