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

 

Biruk Wubetie | Agri-Food System | Best Researcher Award

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Dr Biruk Wubetie | Agri-Food System | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at Tottori University, Japan

Dr. Biruk Yazie Wubetie is an Assistant Professor at Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia, specializing in Agricultural & Environmental Sciences with a focus on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture. His research explores the intersection of sustainable agriculture, food security, and environmental conservation, aiming to enhance nutritional outcomes through innovative agricultural practices.

Profile:

🎓 Academic Background:

  • Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences (Global Dryland Science), Tottori University, Japan (2024)
    • Thesis: Agro-ecosystem based analysis of dietary intake and malnutrition in the Chemoga watershed, Ethiopia
    • Applied structural equation modeling (SEM) & multilevel analysis
  • Master of Public Health in Nutrition, Debre Markos University, Ethiopia (2020)
    • Thesis: Undernutrition among lactating mothers in rural Ethiopia
  • M.A. in Development Studies, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (2013)
  • B.Sc. in Rural Development and Family Science, Hawassa University, Ethiopia (2009)

👨‍🏫 Teaching & Academic Experience:

  • Assistant Professor, Bahir Dar University (2024 – Present)
  • Lecturer & Researcher, Bahir Dar University (2018 – 2021)
  • Lecturer & Researcher, Debre Markos University (2010 – 2018)
  • Graduate Assistant, Wolaita Sodo University (2009 – 2010)

📌 Courses Delivered:
✅ Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture
✅ Rural Development Policies
✅ Research Methods & Supervised Research Projects

🔬 Research & Publications:

  • Published 9 peer-reviewed articles, with several in Q1-ranked journals indexed in Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus.
  • Research focus: Malnutrition, agroecosystem-based dietary analysis, food security, and sustainable agriculture.
  • Notable publication:
    • Analysis of Malnutrition among Children under Five Years in Northwest Ethiopia using Structural Equation Modeling. Nutrients, 2024
    • Agroecosystem-Based Household Dietary Diversity Analysis in the Upper Blue Nile Basin. Environmental Development, 2024

🏆 Grants & Awards:

  • MEXT Scholarship, Japan (2021-2024)
  • Overseas Travel Grant, Tottori University (2022, 2023)
  • Best Student Award, Hawassa University (2007)

🌱 Research & Academic Contributions:

  • Expertise in quantitative and qualitative research, structural equation modeling (SEM), and multilevel analysis
  • Secured research funding for three projects, all completed and published in reputable journals
  • Supervised undergraduate and master’s students, ensuring timely research completion
  • Extensive experience in curriculum development, online learning platforms (Blackboard, Zoom), and student mentoring

Publication Top Notes:

1️⃣ Factors Influencing Consumers’ Choice of Street-Foods and Fast-Foods in China
📄 African Journal of Marketing Management, 10(4), 28-39 (2018)
👥 Authors: HB Atinkut, Y Tingwu, B Gebisa, S Qin, K Assefa, B Yazie, T Melese, et al.

2️⃣ Determinants of the Use of Hermetic Storage Bags for Maize Storage Among Smallholder Farmers in Northwest Ethiopia
📄 Advances in Agriculture, 2021(1), 6644039 (2021)
👥 Authors: TK Mekonen, BY Wubetie

3️⃣ Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Lactating Mothers in Rural Yilmana Densa District, Northwest Ethiopia: A Community‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study
📄 Food Science & Nutrition, 11(3), 1383-1393 (2023)
👥 Authors: BY Wubetie, TK Mekonen

4️⃣ Determinants of Women’s Participation in Agricultural Extension Services Among Rural Women Farmers in Yilmana Densa District, Northwest Ethiopia
📄 Journal of Agricultural Extension, 20(1) (2019)
👥 Authors: BAAB Yazie

5️⃣ Analysis of Malnutrition Among Children Under Five Years Across Contrasting Agroecosystems of Northwest Ethiopia: Application of Structural Equation Modeling
📄 Nutrients, 16(8), 1208 (2024)
👥 Authors: BY Wubetie, A Tsunekawa, N Haregeweyn, M Tsubo, Z Nigussie, et al.

6️⃣ Cost-Benefit Analysis of Purdue Improved Crop Storage Bags for Maize Storage Among Smallholder Farmers in Northwest Ethiopia
📄 African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 22(9) (2022)
👥 Authors: T Kefale, Z Ayalew, Z Birhanie, BY Wubetie, D Baributsa

7️⃣ Agroecosystem-Based Analysis of Household Dietary Diversity and Its Linkage with Agricultural Production Diversification in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia: Multilevel Analysis
📄 Environmental Development, 100999 (2024)
👥 Authors: BY Wubetie, A Tsunekawa, N Haregeweyn, M Tsubo, Z Nigussie, et al.

8️⃣ Factors Affecting the Practice of Sustainable Land Management in East Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia
📄 Journal of Agricultural Extension, 20(2) (2019)
👥 Authors: BY Wubetie, BA Abebe

9️⃣ Assessment on Challenges and Prospects of the Community Livelihood in Upper Blue Nile, Chira Watershed, Northwest Ethiopia
📄 Unpublished/Conference Paper
👥 Authors: BY Wubetie, TK Mekonen, BA Abebe