Sinoxolo Magaya | Organic Farming | Best Researcher Award

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Ms. Sinoxolo Magaya | Organic Farming | Best Researcher Award

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam,  Netherlands

Sinoxolo Magaya is a PhD researcher in Environmental Geography at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, focusing on sustainable nutrient management in organic agriculture. Her current thesis explores the potentials and constraints of recycled phosphorus product use across the EU. She holds a cum laude MSc in Geography & Environmental Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, with prior degrees in Geography and Hydrology.

Profile:

🎓 Education:

  • PhD in Environmental Geography (2021–Present)
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    Thesis: Potentials and constraints of recycled phosphorus in EU organic farming

  • MSc Geography & Environmental Studies (Cum Laude) (2019–2021)
    University of Witwatersrand
    Thesis: Indigenous Knowledge in agricultural management

  • BSc Hons Geography (2018–2019)
    University of Witwatersrand

  • BSc Geography & Hydrology (2014–2016)
    University of Zululand

🧠 Research Focus:

  • Recycled phosphorus use in agriculture

  • Indigenous knowledge systems & climate adaptation

  • Urban food systems modeling

  • Nature-based solutions & sustainability transitions

🧪 Skills & Tools:

  • Ethnographic research | Policy analysis | Stakeholder engagement

  • GIS (QGIS & ArcGIS) | R Studio | Atlas.ti | Microsoft Office | Data mining & analytics

🗣️ Conferences & Presentations:

  • 🧾 ReCap Conference, 2024 – Poster on phosphorus distribution in organic farming

  • 🧪 NERM Workshop, 2024 – Fertilizer-based phosphorus research

  • 🎙️ Panelist – Language Policy in Higher Education (Wits Symposium, 2019)

💰 Research Funding:

  • Moses Kotane Institute – R120,000

  • National Research Foundation – R75,000

  • CSIR – R100,000

👩🏽‍🏫 Teaching & Outreach:

  • Guest lectures on GIS, nutrient mapping & environmental science

  • PhD representative (Marie Curie project, 2021–2025)

  • Poster Prize Winner, 2024

  • Golden Key Honour Society Member, 2021

Publication Top Notes:

  • Approaching positionality in research on Indigenous Knowledge Systems

  • Phosphorus removal and use in organic crop farming in the EU

  • Indigenous Knowledge Systems cues essential in agricultural management and tracking seasonality in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • Food systems modelling to evaluate interventions for food and nutrition security in an African urban context

  • Use of recycled phosphorus products in organic farming in EU member states: Theoretically supported but practically restricted

 

Rani Bhagat | Sustainable Agriculture | Women Researcher Award

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Dr. Rani Bhagat | Sustainable Agriculture | Women Researcher Award

Associate professor at Baburaoji Gholap College, India

Dr. Rani Babanrao Bhagat, born on June 7, 1979, in Hol (8-Phata), Maharashtra, is a dedicated botanist and academician with over two decades of teaching and research experience. She holds an M.Phil. from Alagappa University and a Ph.D. in Botany from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), focusing her doctoral research on Jatropha species for their potential values.

Profile:

🎓 Academic Background:

  • 🧬 B.Sc. (Botany) – University of Pune, 1999 (Distinction)

  • 🌿 M.Sc. (Botany) – University of Pune, 2001 (First Class)

  • 📜 M.Phil. – Alagappa University, 2008
    Topic: Floristic Survey of Baramati Tahsil

  • 🧪 Ph.D. (Botany) – SPPU, 2018
    Topic: Studies on some Jatropha species for potential values

🧑‍🏫 Teaching & Research Experience:

  • 📚 Teaching: Over 10 years (UG Level)

  • 🔬 Research: 15+ years post-PG

  • 📖 Recognized Ph.D. and M.Phil. Guide in Botany and Environmental Science

🧾 Academic Roles & Contributions:

  • 🌱 IQAC (Criterion III) Coordinator

  • 🌼 Coordinator for Botanical Garden & Campus Enrichment

  • 📚 Organizer: Science Exhibitions, Biodiversity & Plastic Awareness

  • 🌍 Member: SPPU Syllabus Committee, Maharashtra Biodiversity Board

  • 📖 Compiled Academic Calendar, College Magazine, Research Compendium

📢 Public Outreach & Media Engagement:

  • 🎙️ Speaker on All India Radio (Pune & Akola) on Environmental Topics

  • 📖 Published an article on “Flora of Baramati” in Braille

  • 🏞️ Discussant on biodiversity on Vidyawani FM, Pune University

🌐 Professional Memberships:

  • 🌿 Life Member – Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy (IAAT), Calicut

📚 Faculty Development & Training:

  • 🎓 Orientation & Refresher Courses at Goa, Nagpur, Bangalore Universities

  • 🧑‍💻 FDP on Research and Online SWAYAM Course on Solid Waste Management

📊 Research Citation Metrics:

  • Total Citations: 257

  • Citations Since 2020: 119

  • h-index: 9

  • h-index Since 2020: 6

  • i10-index: 8

  • i10-index Since 2020: 5

Publication Top Notes:

  • Antidiarrhoeal activity of Acacia nilotica Willd. bark methanol extract

  • A new species of Eriocaulon (Eriocaulaceae) from Maharashtra, India

  • Anti-inflammatory activity of Jatropha gossypifolia L. leaves in albino mice and Wistar rat

  • Phytochemical profile, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative activities of Pogostemon deccanensis essential oils

  • Evaluation of larvicidal and antifeedant potential of three Jatropha species against Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and two predators (Coleoptera)

  • Flora of Baramati

  • Prospective wild edible fruit plants from part of northern Western Ghats (NWG), Mulshi (MS), India

  • Phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial analysis of endemic and endangered Jatropha nana Dalz. & Gibs. from Maharashtra

  • The importance of conserving fragmented forest patches with high diversity of flowering plants in the northern Western Ghats: an example from Maharashtra, India

  • Phytochemical evaluation and in vitro antimicrobial activity of Jatropha glandulifera Roxb. (family Euphorbiaceae)

  • Physico‐Chemical analysis, NMR spectroscopy and gas chromatographic studies of Jatropha curcas L. germplasm

  • Occurrence of pentatomoid bug on Jatropha nana Dalz.

  • Evaluation of phytochemical, antibacterial and antidiarrhoeal activity of Jatropha gossypifolia L. root methanol extract in Swiss albino mice

  • Habitat conservation of Chinkara (Gazella gazella) in protected areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat

  • The flora of Baramati District in Maharashtra

  • Insecticidal properties of three Jatropha species against stored grain pests

  • In vitro antimicrobial activity, lipid content and physico-chemical analysis of non-edible oils

  • Screening and optimization of IAA production by PGPR isolated from rhizosphere of a Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. and their effect on plant growth

  • Status of floristic diversity and impact of development on two sacred groves from Maval Tehsil (Maharashtra, India) after a century

  • HPTLC analysis and anti-inflammatory activity of Jatropha gossypifolia L. root in mice and Wistar rats

 

Setia Sari Girsang | Plant Nutrition | Best Researcher Award

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Dr Setia Sari Girsang | Plant Nutrition |  Best Researcher Award

Research Professor at National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia

Setia Sari Br Girsang, Ph.D., is a distinguished Research Professor at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia, specializing in Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. She leads research on precision agriculture, soil fertility, and sustainable land management for optimizing agricultural productivity in diverse environments.

Profile:

🎓 Academic Background:

  • Ph.D. in Soil Science – Universitas Sumatera Utara (2000)

  • M.Sc. in Soil Science – Universitas Sumatera Utara (2007)

  • B.Sc. in Soil and Environmental Science – University of the Philippines Los Baños (2016)

🔍 Research & Publications:

Dr. Girsang has spearheaded multiple studies on nutrient management, biofertilizers, and land-use sustainability, contributing to leading international journals. Her recent works include research on site-specific nutrient management for rice, phosphate solubilization in shallots, and biomass waste utilization for corn production.

📚 Notable Contributions:

  • Published books on lowland rice production challenges and Arabica coffee export potential

  • Registered local rice and coconut varieties

  • Received 20 years of Satya’s Satyalancana Karya award (2023)

🌍 International Engagement:

Dr. Girsang has participated in global training programs in Australia and Indonesia, focusing on agricultural policy and sustainability standards.

Publication Top Notes:

  1. Soil aeration and relationship to inorganic nitrogen during aerobic cultivation of irrigated rice on a consolidated land parcel
    Soil and Tillage Research, 202, 104647 (2020)

  2. Simulating rice and maize yield potential in the humid tropical environment of Indonesia
    European Journal of Agronomy, 101, 10-19 (2018)

  3. A new site-specific nutrient management approach for maize in the favorable tropical environments of Southeast Asia
    19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World, 1-6 (2010)

  4. Rice yield and relationships to soil properties for production using overhead sprinkler irrigation without soil submergence
    Geoderma, 352, 277-288 (2019)

  5. The distribution and impact of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) on maize production in North Sumatera
    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 484 (1), 012099 (2020)

  6. Assessing the Challenges and Opportunities of Agricultural Information Systems to Enhance Farmers’ Capacity and Target Rice Production in Indonesia
    Sustainability, 15 (2), 1114 (2023)

  7. Impact of climate change on fall armyworm attack on maize in Karo District, North Sumatera
    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 484 (1), 012111 (2020)

  8. Factors affecting rice yield productivity in tidal swamp of South Sumatra
    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 648 (1), 012164 (2021)

  9. Evaluation of land suitability and factors influencing the development of shallots (Allium cepa L.) in North Padang Lawas, North Sumatera
    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 648 (1), (2021)

  10. Diversity of insects on shallot (Allium ascalonicum Linn) grown under semi-organic and conventional cultivation in Simalungun Regency
    Jurnal Agroteknologi, 7 (2), 390-399 (2019)

  11. Canopy-dwelling insect abundance in semi-organic and conventional shallot cultivation
    Jurnal Online Pertanian Tropik, 5 (2), 268-275 (2018)

  12. Mid-season adjustment of nitrogen fertilizer for rice with two plant spacings
    Field Crops Research, 302, 109081 (2023)

  13. Environmental, social, and economic challenges in lowland rice production
    Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia: Innovations, Scaling, and Policies for Sustainable Intensification (2023)

  14. Reduction of rice yield gap by fertilizer and new varieties in North Sumatera
    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 484 (1), 012061 (2020)

  15. Nutrient manager for rice: A mobile phone and internet application increases rice yield and profit in rice farming
    Indonesian Center for Rice Research, Sukamandi, West Java, Indonesia (2012)

  16. The role of rhizosphere microbes as phosphate-solubilizing biofertilizers in shallot: A review
    IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1255 (1), 012003 (2023)

  17. Rice seed system model in North Sumatra: Supporting the World Food Barn Program 2045
    Penerbit BRIN (2021)

  18. Assessing rice production sustainability under future land use and population in Deli Serdang Regency, Indonesia
    Landscape Online, 1103-1103 (2022)

Simona Gavrilas | Plants | Best Researcher Award

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Mrs Simona Gavrilas | Plants |  Best Researcher Award

lecturer at ”Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, Romania

Simona Gavrilaș is a Lecturer at ”Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, Romania. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and specializes in Food Technology, Biotechnology, and Environmental Low-Impact Technologies. Since 2017, she has been actively engaged in teaching and research at the Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism, and Environmental Protection.

Profile:

🔬 Academic Background:

Simona Gavrilaș is a Lecturer at ”Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, Romania. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and has been teaching at the Faculty of Food Engineering, Tourism, and Environmental Protection since 2017.

📚 Research & Innovations:

Her research focuses on Food Technology, Biotechnology, Food Quality Improvement, and Environmental Low-Impact Technologies. She has contributed significantly to food waste valorization and agrochemical research.

🏆 Achievements & Contributions:

  • Publications: 26 ISI journal articles, 6 books, and 2 internationally recognized book chapters.
  • Projects: Led 3 national projects, 5 research grants, and participated in international collaborations.
  • Editorial Roles: Member of the Journal of Natural Fibers editorial board and reviewer for several MDPI journals.
  • Recognitions: COST-STSM Grant beneficiary and evaluator for Romania’s Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency.

🌍 Impact & Research Vision:

Dr. Gavrilaș is dedicated to sustainable food systems by developing eco-friendly food technologies and enzyme-based treatments. Her work supports agricultural waste valorization for a greener future.

Citations:

Citations: 523 (Total), 366 (Since 2020)
h-index: 10 (Total), 9 (Since 2020)
i10-index: 10 (Total), 9 (Since 2020)

Publication Top Notes:

  • Recent Trends in Biosensors for Environmental Quality Monitoring – Sensors, 2022.
  • Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Spice Extracts – International Journal of Food Properties, 2010.
  • New Potential Biocatalysts by Laccase Immobilization in PVA Cryogel Type Carrier – Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2010.
  • Closing the Loop with Keratin-Rich Fibrous Materials – Polymers, 2021.
  • Salvia officinalis L. Essential Oil: Characterization, Antioxidant Properties, and the Effects of Aromatherapy in Adult Patients – Antioxidants, 2022.
  • Preparation of Immobilized Trametes pubescens Laccase on a Cryogel-Type Polymeric Carrier and Application of the Biocatalyst to Apple Juice Phenolic Compounds – European Food Research and Technology, 2012.
  • The Consumption of Organic, Traditional, and/or European Eco-Label Products: Elements of Local Production and Sustainability – Sustainability, 2021.
  • Removal of Cypermethrin from Water by Using Fucus Spiralis Marine Alga – International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2019.
  • Membrane-Active Peptides and Their Potential Biomedical Application – Pharmaceutics, 2023.
  • Characterization of the Complexing Agents’ Influence on Bioscouring Cotton Fabrics by FT-IR and TG/DTG/DTA Analysis – Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2018.
  • The Influence of Elevated CO₂ on Volatile Emissions, Photosynthetic Characteristics, and Pigment Content in Brassicaceae Plant Species and Varieties – Plants, 2022.
  • Comparative Study Regarding the Influence of the Complexing Agents EDTA and Sodium Citrate on the 50% Flax-50% Cotton Fabrics During the Bioscouring Treatment – International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference: SGEM, 2016.
  • Commercial Laccase Oxidation of Phenolic Compounds – U.P.B. Scientific Bulletin, Series B: Chemistry and Material Sciences, 2012.
  • White Grape Pomace Valorization for Remediating Purposes – Applied Sciences, 2022.
  • Graphene-Oxide Peptide-Containing Materials for Biomedical Applications – International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024.
  • Analysis of Sustainable Communication Patterns During the Telework Period in Western Romanian Corporations – International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022.
  • TG/DTG Analysis of an Eco-Friendly Scoured Fabric – Revista de Chimie, 2019.
  • Study on the Influence of Ultrasound in Bioscouring Treatment of 50% Flax + 50% Cotton Fabrics – Annals of the University of Oradea, Fascicle of Textiles, Leatherwork, 2017.
  • Improving the Antioxidant Properties of Wild Raspberry Juice by Enzymatic Treatments – Revista de Chimie, 2016.
  • A Sustainable Nutritional Behavior in the Era of Climate Changes – Smart and Sustainable Technology for Resilient Cities and Communities, 2022.