Mr. Santosh Kumar | Sustainable wastewater | Best Researcher Award

Santosh Kumar is a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, focusing on wastewater treatment and bioenergy production. His doctoral research explores the use of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment, bioelectricity generation, and biomass recovery. He holds an M.Tech. in Agricultural Biotechnology and a B.Tech. in Biotechnology from IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee, respectively. His research interests lie in advancing bioenergy technologies, carbon sequestration, and environmental remediation. Santosh has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to book chapters on bioenergy and wastewater management. His notable work includes innovative approaches using coal-based materials and engineered nanomaterials for improved environmental performance. Santosh has presented his research at international conferences, earning awards for his contributions. His skills encompass advanced research techniques, data analysis, and effective scientific communication. He continues to contribute significantly to the fields of environmental engineering and bioenergy.

Santosh Kumar’s educational journey began with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), graduating in 2017 with a 60.7% score. During his undergraduate studies, he worked on projects related to the characterization of genes encoding for the Ap4 complex of Guar and the comparative analysis of metabolites in Ocimum sanctum. Following his B.Tech., he pursued a Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Agricultural Biotechnology at IIT Kharagpur from 2017 to 2019, achieving a CGPA of 7.92. His thesis focused on the outdoor cultivation of Tetradesmus lagerheimii for biodiesel production. Currently, he is a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, working on a thesis titled “Application of Photosynthetic Microbial Fuel Cell for Wastewater Treatment with Concomitant Bioelectricity Production and Recovery of Value-Added Biomass,” under the supervision of Prof. Makarand M. Ghangrekar.

Santosh Kumar has gained valuable professional experience in the field of bioenergy and wastewater treatment. Since 2020, he has been a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) in the P.K. Sinha Center for Bioenergy and Renewables. His research focuses on the application of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment, bioelectricity production, and recovery of value-added biomass. Under the supervision of Prof. Makarand M. Ghangrekar, he has worked on innovative solutions to enhance the efficiency of bioenergy systems. Prior to his current role, Santosh completed his M.Tech. in Agricultural Biotechnology at IIT Kharagpur, where he conducted research on biodiesel production from Tetradesmus lagerheimii. His early career also includes a B.Tech. in Biotechnology from IIT Roorkee, where he gained hands-on experience through various projects and summer internships related to biotechnology and environmental engineering.

Santosh Kumar’s research interests are centered around advanced bioenergy technologies and environmental sustainability. His primary focus is on wastewater treatment using microbial fuel cells, aiming to simultaneously produce bioelectricity and recover valuable biomass. He explores the application of photosynthetic microbial fuel cells for enhanced wastewater treatment and bioenergy production. Additionally, Santosh investigates the use of engineered nanomaterials for carbon capture and bioenergy production in microbial electrochemical technologies. His work also encompasses the development of algae-based bioenergy solutions, including biodiesel production from microalgae. Santosh is interested in integrating biological and non-biological technologies to address carbon sequestration and wastewater management challenges. His research seeks to innovate and improve the efficiency of bioenergy systems and contribute to sustainable environmental practices.