Dr. Prashanth Suresh Kumar

Associate Director, PhD Program, Plaksha University



Area of Expertise

Water Technology


Research Interests

  • Wastewater treatment
  • Wastewater effluent polishing
  • Reversible adsorption
  • Nutrient recovery from wastewater
  • Circular economy in water sector

Education

  • Ph.D. in Environmental Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

Past Associations

  • Project Manager Educations Program, Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, The Netherlands
  • Research Associate, Department of Biotechnology, Lund University, Sweden 

Bio

Dr. Kumar did his PhD research on addressing the globally pressing issue of harmful algal blooms (HABs) formed in water bodies. To stop the formation of HABs, his research focused on reducing the phosphate discharge from wastewater effluents to ultra-low concentrations. This was done by designing adsorbents that could selectively bind and release phosphate. His PhD research was done in close collaboration with industries and academic institutes, and resulted in piloting the technology for surface water and wastewater remediation in Canada and Sweden, respectively. He was part of the winning teams in the George Barley Water Prize, and the Bonus Return Challenge, where adsorption technology was tested as a solution for HABs forming in the Everglades in Florida and in the Baltic Sea.  


A biotechnologist by education and water technologist by research, Dr. Kumar did his research in a very multidisciplinary environment. After his doctoral and postdoctoral research, he was involved in education programs that were aimed at inspiring high school students into science and technology. He is passionate about teaching and communicating science to a wide variety of audience including academics, industrialists, policy makers, students, and the general public. He is also into endurance sports, and likes running marathons and cycling ultra-long distances. 


At Plaksha University, Dr. Kumar aims to collaborate and address the grand challenges involved in the water sector in our country. He is keen to keep doing research that can be translated into real world applications. He is also excited to interact with the students and co-create a vibrant learning culture.