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].

Zhong Zhang | Environmental Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Published on by New Scientists

Prof. Zhong Zhang | Environmental Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Vice President, Shandong Second Medical University, China

Prof. Zhong Zhang is the Vice President of Shandong Second Medical University, where he also serves as a senior academic leader in the fields of pathogen biology, parasitology, microbiology and environmental sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Pathogen Biology, obtained from a leading Chinese university, with specialization in microbial ecology and host–pathogen interactions. His research primarily focuses on the ecological and molecular interactions between pathogenic microorganisms, insects, and environmental factors, particularly exploring how intestinal commensal bacteria and bacteriophages influence the gut microbiota and developmental biology of insects. Prof. Zhong Zhang’s recent work has introduced novel phage-based precision regulation strategies to modify the gut microbiome of housefly larvae, revealing key mechanisms that link microbial balance to host growth and health. He has also pioneered investigations into the effects of graphene on bacterium–phage interactions in aquatic ecosystems and used multi-omics biological approaches to uncover how antibiotics reshape microbial and transcriptomic landscapes during larval development. Throughout his career, Prof. Zhong Zhang has held influential academic and research roles, including Principal Expert for the Shandong Province “12th Five-Year Plan” Key Discipline in Pathogen Biology, where he led several national and provincial-level research projects advancing environmental microbiology and vector-borne disease control. His scholarly impact includes 64 peer-reviewed publications, 722 citations, and an h-index of 16 (Scopus), reflecting sustained contributions to his field. Recognized for his excellence, he received the First Prize of the Shandong Higher Education Institutions Outstanding Research Achievement Award and the title of “Shandong Provincial Young and Middle-aged Expert with Outstanding Contributions.” He actively contributes to the scientific community as Vice President of the Shandong Entomological Society, Vice Chair of the Urban Entomology Committee and Medical Parasitology Branch, and Chair of the Medical Entomology Committee under the Entomological Society of China. Prof. Zhong Zhang’s interdisciplinary research bridges microbiology, entomology, and environmental science, offering innovative insights into sustainable pest management, microbial ecology, and environmental health. His vision is to advance global bioscience innovation by integrating microbiome research and ecological restoration to support sustainable ecosystems and public health resilience.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID | Sci Profiles

Featured Publications

1. Kong, X., Wang, S., Li, J., Li, Y., Zhang, R., & Zhang, Z. (2025). Kasugamycin and validamycin differentially inhibit housefly larval growth through gut microbiota regulation. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 279, 119098.

2. ang, L., Liu, X., Lin, S., Wang, L., Liang, J., & Zhang, Z. (2025). Parasitic plant Cistanche tubulosa shapes the bacterial community structure and functional composition of the salt-tolerant host Tamarix chinensis across different parasitic statuses. Environmental Microbiome, 20, 746.

3. Han, Y.-N., Dong, L., Sun, L.-L., Zhang, Z., & Han, H.-H. (2025). Excited-state-altering ratiometric fluorescent probes for the response of β-galactosidase in senescent cells. Molecules, 30(6), 1221.

4. Yin, Y., Wang, S., Li, Y., Kong, X., Zhang, R., & Zhang, Z. (2024). Antagonistic effect of the beneficial bacterium Enterobacter hormaechei against the heavy metal Cu²⁺ in housefly larvae. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 270, 116077.

5. Zhang, K., Wang, S., Li, Y., Yao, D., Zhang, R., & Zhang, Z. (2024). Application of bacteria and bacteriophage cocktails for biological control of houseflies. Parasites & Vectors, 17, 82.