5 foreign students registered for PhD in Environment Science in MSU Baroda and other progressive aspects

Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science in The Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara is marching ahead in research activities and also developed two research labs having few good instruments for advance studies. Further they are planning to purchase high tech instruments for quality research in environmental sciences. In future, they would like to get the recognized as a Lab for Environmental Auditing and Impact Assessment.

Recently five students from Cameroon, Africa have registered for PhD in Environmental Science and it is for the first time that these many students have registered for the highest degree in any department. The department has been able to exhibit its research and development potentials in the multidisciplinary fields of science.

So far teachers from the Departments of Botany, Chemistry and Zoology were recognized guide at the Department of Environmental Studies. Recently the teachers of other faculties had expressed their interest in the on going and future research projects and have been recognized as research guides in the department.

Prof CN Murthy, Department Applied Chemistry, Dean, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, Prof Dhanesh Patel, Department Industrial mathematics, Faculty of Technology and Engineering and Director, Office of International Affairs Dr Sanskriti Mujumdar, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Engineering and Director, Institute of Climate Change Research Dr Amit Patel, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, Dr TMV Suryanarayana, Director, WREMI, Dr Falguni P Parekh, WREMI, Prof Sunita Nambiyar, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Work.

"This has given a boost to the research possibilities in the department and opened up wider prospects of multidisciplinary research. Looking into these possibilities, the five international students with background of B Tech have registered for PhD in Environmental Science. These students are working on the multidisciplinary subject aspects which involves GIS and Remote Sensing and mathematical modelling. Besides academic values, their work also has high societal importance and significance in policy making, "

Said Dr Kauresh D Vachhrajani Head (Offg) Department of Environmental Studies.

On the other hand, they have communicated with Indian Chemical Council, Gujarat Region, the association of chemical industries, to collaborate with their department for research & development as well as developing diploma/certificate courses which are targeted to develop "industry ready students" and interlink academia and industry. This is also aimed for student's internship and dissertation in renowned industries for their skill development.

The PhD students will be working on the following topics:

1. Foka Tagen Jeanlin: Influence of hydrodynamics on effluents dispersal in Mahi estuary, Gujarat.

2. Mbida Ovaa Gisele Madeleine: Understand effluent dispersal in relation to hydrodynamics in Narmada estuary, Gujarat.

3. Soppo Soppo Emmanuelle: Hydrodynamic modeling to study effluent dispersal in Sabarmati estuary, Gujarat.

4. Tcheuffa Dansi Larissa: Degradation of plastic polymer and multipurpose use of recycled plastics: mathematical modelling & laboratory aspect.

5. Noubi Keumoe Junior Hyacinthe: Studies on performance of synthetic and natural biodegradable surfactants in the process of remediation of oil pollution.

The study of hydrodynamics is very significant to understand the water movement in the Gulf as welt as the estuarine regions of the rivers. Since the tides and current are much variable on different moon days (high and low tides) and the riverine flow and volume of water released in the river are different during different seasons (monsoon will have high water flow and summer will have much less). These aspects play significant role in the movement of the pollutants released in the gulf and the estuaries.

This is the first attempt of its kind to understand the distribution of pollutants in the estuaries of the major rivers of Gujarat, namely, Narmada, Sabarmati and Mahi Sagar. This will have its implications for the much awaited Kalpsar Project in the Gulf of Knambhat. Also, it will allow them to decide on the policies regarding pollutant discharges in the rivers/estuaries/gulfs.