Adugna Nigatu Alene | Environmental remediation | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Adugna Nigatu Alene |  Environmental remediation | Best Researcher Award

Lecturer at Bahir Dar University,  Ethiopia

Adugna Nigatu Alene is a Lecturer at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, with an MSc in Organic Chemistry. His research centers on sustainable materials, including bio-sorbents, nanocatalysts, and biodegradable films. With extensive hands-on experience in material characterization techniques (UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, BET, CV), Adugna’s work contributes to environmental remediation, energy sustainability, and green chemistry. He has co-authored over a dozen peer-reviewed publications and received multiple innovation awards, including the 2024 Sustainable and Affordable Energy Award by TotalEnergies. Beyond academia, he is active in community outreach, offering training on pesticide safety and supporting local education initiatives.

Profile:

🎓 Education:

  • MSc in Organic Chemistry (1st Honors), Bahir Dar University – 2018

  • BSc in Chemistry (Very Great Distinction), Ambo University – 2013

🧪 Research & Expertise:

Adugna specializes in organic synthesis, nanomaterials, biodegradable films, and bio-sorbents. His research aims to tackle global challenges in environmental remediation, drug discovery, and sustainable energy. He is skilled in materials characterization using UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, BET, and CV techniques.

🧑‍🏫 Academic Roles:

  • Lecturer, Chemical Engineering Dept., Bahir Dar University (Since 2020)

  • Former Lecturer, Chemistry Dept., Woldia University

  • Technical roles in lab support and instruction from 2015 onward

🏆 Awards & Recognition:

  • 🥇 Power’Up Energy Award, TotalEnergies (2024)

  • 🥈 Bruh Ethiopia 2024 Business Idea Award

  • 🏅 Tatariwochu-Awash Bank Entrepreneurship Winner (2023)

🤝 Community Engagement:

  • Pesticide safety training for farmers 🌿

  • Chemical disposal consultation for EFDA 🧪

  • Lab setup support for schools 🏫

  • COVID-19 sanitizer production & free tutorials during weekends 🧼📘

📊 Citation Metrics:

  • Citations: 394 (since 2020: 393)

  • h-index: 7

  • i10-index: 6

Publication Top Notes:

  • Adsorptive Removal of Malachite Green Dye From Aqueous Solution Onto Activated Carbon of Catha edulis Stem as a Low-Cost Bio-Adsorbent

  • A Comparative Study of Acidic, Basic, and Reactive Dyes Adsorption From Aqueous Solution Onto Kaolin Adsorbent: Effect of Operating Parameters, Isotherms, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics

  • Bioadsorption of Basic Blue Dye From Aqueous Solution Onto Raw and Modified Waste Ash as Economical Alternative Bioadsorbent

  • Adsorptive Removal of Basic Green Dye From Aqueous Solution Using Humic Acid Modified Magnetite Nanoparticles: Kinetics, Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Studies

  • Utilization of a Novel Low-Cost Gibto (Lupinus albus) Seed Peel Waste for the Removal of Malachite Green Dye: Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies

  • Biodegradable Film From Mango Seed Kernel Starch Using Pottery Clay as Filler

  • Cereal-Based Traditional Beverage of Tella Residue (Attela) as a Green Organic Pollutant Sorbent for Methylene Blue Dye Removal: Equilibrium, Kinetics, and Thermodynamic Studies

  • A Highly Stable Silver Nanoparticle Loaded Magnetic Nanocomposite as a Recyclable Catalyst

  • Studies on the Effects of Extracts of Fresh Khat/Catha edulis Leaves on the Oxidation of Niger Seed Oil

  • Development of Biodegradable Film From Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) Mucilage Loaded With Acid-Leached Kaolin as Filler

  • Effect of Justicia schimperiana (Acanthaceae) Roots Extract on Blood Glucose Level and Lipid Profiles in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice

  • Nutraceutical, Phytochemical, and Antioxidant Activities of Selected Wild Edible Fruits as Natural Foods

  • Nanocatalytic Reductive Removal of Congo-Red Dye Using Boron-Loaded Cobalt Oxide Nanocomposites From Aqueous Solutions

  • Enhanced Electrochemical Activity of Boron-Doped Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Towards Supercapacitor Application

 

Yi Wang | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

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Dr Yi Wang | Environmental Science |  Best Researcher Award

Assistant Agricultural Scientist at  Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, United States

Dr. Yi Wang is an Assistant Scientist in the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2020 and holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China.

Profile:

🎓 Education:

  • Ph.D. in Chemistry (2020) – University of Texas at El Paso
  • B.S. in Chemistry (2012) – University of Science and Technology of China

👨‍🔬 Professional Experience:

  • Assistant Scientist (2022–Present) – Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
  • Postdoctoral Scientist (2020–2022) – Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
  • Research & Graduate Assistant (2015–2020) – University of Texas at El Paso

🌱 Research Focus:

Dr. Wang specializes in the application of nanotechnology in agriculture, enhancing crop nutrition, disease resistance, and environmental safety. His work also explores the interactions between nanomaterials and plants, using advanced analytical techniques to improve agrochemical formulations and assess the impact of contaminants like PFAS and microplastics.

🏆 Research Grants & Projects:

  • PI: USDA NIFA AFRI-funded research on agro-nanomaterials ($299,541)
  • Co-PI: Nanoparticle-based crop disease management ($729,000)
  • Collaborator on multiple high-impact projects totaling millions in research funding

📚 Professional Contributions:

  • Editorial Board Member: ACS Agricultural Science and Technology, Plant Nano Biology, Agronomy
  • Reviewer: Top-tier journals like Environmental Science & Technology, Soil Biology & Biochemistry, and Scientific Reports
  • USDA-NIFA Proposal Panel Reviewer

🏅 Honors & Awards:

  • Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization (SNO) Student Award (2018)
  • University of California CEIN Travel Award (2019)
  • Dodson Research Grant (2021)

🎓 Teaching & Mentorship:

  • Taught General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso
  • Mentor for Yale Conservation Scholars Program (2022, 2024)

🌍 Community Engagement:

  • Judge at Sigma Xi Student Research Conference
  • Presenter & Committee Member at Plant Science Day Events

Citations:

Citations: 1,099 (1,063 since 2020)
h-index: 21 (20 since 2020)
i10-index: 31 (30 since 2020)

Publication Top Notes:

  • Improvement of Nutrient Elements and Allicin Content in Green Onion (Allium fistulosum) Plants Exposed to CuO Nanoparticles
  • Copper Nanowires as Nanofertilizers for Alfalfa Plants: Understanding Nano-Bio Systems Interactions from Microbial Genomics, Plant Molecular Responses, and Spectroscopic Studies
  • Foliar Exposure of Cu(OH)₂ Nanopesticide to Basil (Ocimum basilicum): Variety-Dependent Copper Translocation and Biochemical Responses
  • Bok Choy (Brassica rapa) Grown in Copper Oxide Nanoparticles-Amended Soils Exhibits Toxicity in a Phenotype-Dependent Manner: Translocation, Biodistribution, and Nutritional Impact
  • Copper Oxide (CuO) Nanoparticles Affect Yield, Nutritional Quality, and Auxin-Associated Gene Expression in Weedy and Cultivated Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Grains
  • Enhancing Agrichemical Delivery and Plant Development with Biopolymer-Based Stimuli-Responsive Core–Shell Nanostructures
  • Evaluation of the Effects of Nanomaterials on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Responses: Underlining the Benefits of Nanotechnology for Agricultural Applications
  • Factors Affecting Fate and Transport of Engineered Nanomaterials in Terrestrial Environments
  • Therapeutic Delivery of Nanoscale Sulfur to Suppress Disease in Tomatoes: In Vitro Imaging and Orthogonal Mechanistic Investigation
  • Effects of Different Surface-Coated nTiO₂ on Full-Grown Carrot Plants: Impacts on Root Splitting, Essential Elements, and Ti Uptake
  • Growth, Gas Exchange, and Mineral Nutrients of Ornamental Grasses Irrigated with Saline Water
  • Unlocking the Potential of Nano-Enabled Precision Agriculture for Efficient and Sustainable Farming
  • Soil and Foliar Exposure of Soybean (Glycine max) to Cu: Nanoparticle Coating-Dependent Plant Responses
  • Impact of Engineered Nanomaterials on Rice (Oryza sativa L.): A Critical Review of Current Knowledge
  • Lignin Nanoparticles as Delivery Systems to Facilitate Translocation of Methoxyfenozide in Soybean (Glycine max)
  • Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Dose-Dependent Alteration of Maize (Zea mays L.) Metabolites and Mineral Nutrient Profiles Upon Exposure to Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles
  • Engineering Climate-Resilient Rice Using a Nanobiostimulant-Based “Stress Training” Strategy
  • Differential Physiological and Biochemical Impacts of Nano vs. Micron Cu at Two Phenological Growth Stages in Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Plants
  • Surface-Coated Sulfur Nanoparticles Suppress Fusarium Disease in Field-Grown Tomato: Increased Yield and Nutrient Biofortification
  • Soil-Aged Nano Titanium Dioxide Effects on Full-Grown Carrot: Dose- and Surface-Coating-Dependent Improvements on Growth and Nutrient Quality