Uma S | Environmental Pollution and Remediation | Best Researcher Award

Published on by New Scientists

Dr. Uma S | Environmental Pollution and Remediation | Best Researcher Award

Guest Teacher | The Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed to be University (DTBU) | India

Dr. Uma S is an accomplished environmental engineer and researcher specializing in sustainable environmental technologies, anaerobic digestion, and wastewater treatment. Her research has significantly advanced solid-state anaerobic co-digestion processes and biogas production from organic substrates. With a strong interdisciplinary foundation, she integrates mathematical modeling, life cycle analysis, and phytoremediation to address complex environmental challenges. Her work on optimizing Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) systems for nitrogen removal demonstrates practical innovation in wastewater management. She has authored peer-reviewed papers in Waste and Biomass Valorization, Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, Process Integration and Optimization for Sustainability, and Annals of Agricultural & Crop Sciences, contributing to both SCIE and Scopus-indexed literature. Dr. Uma S has also published a specialized book titled Heavy Metal Adsorption Using Nanocomposites for Wastewater Treatment (ISBN: 978-981-96-0755-6), reflecting her expertise in nanocomposite applications for environmental remediation. Her research output, with 36 citations, 4 Scopus-indexed publications, and an h-index of 3, is complemented by a patented innovation—AIB-Bottle, an AI-based water filter bottle (Application No. 201941035054)—highlighting her focus on translational and applied sustainability technologies. She has collaborated with leading institutions such as NIT Karnataka, NIT Tiruchirappalli, Delta State University (Nigeria), and Kumamoto University (Japan), fostering international research synergy. Dr. Uma S’s contributions extend to mentoring postgraduate research in renewable energy, WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) management, and smart materials for infrastructure diagnostics. Recognized with the Best Reviewer Award (2015) by the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, she actively contributes to the global scientific community through editorial and peer-review service. Her research endeavors continue to enhance sustainable resource management and environmental resilience through innovative, eco-efficient engineering solutions.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | Web of Science | Academia

Featured Publications

1. Uma, S., Thalla, A. K., & Devatha, C. P. (2020). Co-digestion of food waste and switchgrass for biogas potential: Effects of process parameters. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 11(3), 827–839.

2. Owamah, H. I., Ikpeseni, S. C., Dharmaraj, R., Gopikumar, S., Malathy, R., Uma, S., … (2021). Influence of diethanolamine on the properties of concrete, corrosion rate of rebar and renewable energy generation. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 46(11), 11487–11496.

3. Sakthivel, U., Swaminathan, G., & Anis, J. (2022). Strategies for quantifying metal recovery from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE/E-waste) using mathematical approach. Process Integration and Optimization for Sustainability, 6, 781–790.

4. Uma, S., Thalla, A. K., & Jayanthi, S. (2015). Performance evaluation on anaerobic digestion of banana waste along with domestic wastewater. In National Conference on Technological Innovations for Sustainable Development.

5. Uma, S. (2019). Solid-state anaerobic co-digestion of organic substrates for biogas production [Master’s thesis, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal].

Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar | Environmental Conservation and Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

Published on by New Scientists

Dr. Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar | Environmental Conservation and Sustainability | Best Researcher Award

Scientist – C | G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment | India

Dr. Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar is an accomplished wildlife biologist and conservation ecologist currently serving as Scientist–C at the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, India. His research focuses on landscape ecology, population genetics, conservation biology, and climate change impacts on biodiversity across the Indian Himalayan Region. With over 26 peer-reviewed research publications, 3 authored books, 6 book chapters, and multiple technical reports, his scientific contributions span reintroduction biology, large carnivore ecology, habitat connectivity modeling, and macro-ecological assessments using advanced geospatial and statistical approaches. Dr. Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar’s interdisciplinary work integrates molecular ecology, spatial statistics, and remote sensing to address conservation challenges for flagship species such as the tiger (Panthera tigris), common leopard (Panthera pardus), and red panda (Ailurus fulgens). His pioneering studies in PeerJ, Landscape Ecology, PLoS ONE, European Journal of Wildlife Research, and Global Ecology and Conservation have significantly advanced understanding of habitat fragmentation, dispersal corridors, and reintroduced species viability. He has successfully completed and led more than ten national and international R&D and funding projects, including those supported by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), ICIMOD, SBI Foundation, and DST–SERB. His ongoing projects address ecosystem resilience, biodiversity mainstreaming, and climate vulnerability across the Himalayas. Dr. Mriganka Shekhar Sarkar has earned 26 documents, 403 Scopus citations, an h-index of 12, and numerous recognitions including the Research Excellence Award (2020) and the prestigious Max Planck–India Mobility Fellowship (2022–2025). He also serves as Editorial Advisor for Cambridge Scholars Publishing (UK) and reviewer for several international journals. His scientific leadership, innovative modeling approaches, and conservation-driven fieldwork continue to shape biodiversity management and sustainability strategies in fragile mountain ecosystems.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | Sci Profiles | Scholar GPS | Academia

Featured Publications

1. Krishnamurthy, R., Cushman, S. A., Sarkar, M. S., Malviya, M., Naveen, M., et al. (2016). Multi-scale prediction of landscape resistance for tiger dispersal in central India. Landscape Ecology, 31(6), 1355–1368.

2. Sarkar, M. S., Ramesh, K., Johnson, J. A., Sen, S., Nigam, P., Gupta, S. K., et al. (2016). Movement and home range characteristics of reintroduced tiger (Panthera tigris) population in Panna Tiger Reserve, central India. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 62(5), 537–547.

3. Gour, D. S., Bhagavatula, J., Bhavanishankar, M., Reddy, P. A., Gupta, J. A., et al. (2013). Philopatry and dispersal patterns in tiger (Panthera tigris). PLOS ONE, 8(7), e66956.

4. Reddy, P. A., Cushman, S. A., Srivastava, A., Sarkar, M. S., & Shivaji, S. (2017). Tiger abundance and gene flow in Central India are driven by disparate combinations of topography and land cover. Diversity and Distributions, 23(8), 863–874.

5. Chaudhary, A., Sarkar, M. S., Adhikari, B. S., & Rawat, G. S. (2021). Ageratina adenophora and Lantana camara in Kailash Sacred Landscape, India: Current distribution and future climatic scenarios through modeling. PLOS ONE, 16(5), e0239690.