RA

Ruchi Agrawal

TERI, TERI University, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Deakin University

ORCID iD 0000-0003-0168-6000
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About

Dr. Ruchi Agrawal
Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellow (Professional Excellence), NREL, USA
Alexander von Humboldt Fellow (Experienced Researcher), DBFZ, Germany
Fellow, Sustainable Agriculture Division, TERI, TERI-Gram, India
Adjunct Faculty, TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, India
Adjunct Faculty, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia

Key Highlights:
 Awardee- 'Governor Award'-2017
 Research Experience: 15 Years (including Ph.D. and 7 Years experience at Fortune 500 Company/Industry)
 Funded Projects: PI: 05 (SERB-DST, MoPNG, Shell, USIEF, Humboldt) ; Co-PI: 04 (DBT (Mission Innovation, CEAREAN, DTD-RNA), Deakin University, Australia)
 Ph.D. Supervision (Lead): 03 (HDR Projects under Indo-Australian Collaboration)
 Demonstrated publication record
Patents: 14 granted in USA, Brazil, Europe, Australia and India
Research Papers/ Reviews/ Chapters: 60 (In International reputed Journals)
 Gold Medalist (Graduation and Post-Graduation)

Technologies Patented/ Developed/ Demonstrated
1. Process for pretreatment of agro-waste for Bioethanol Production (Capacity: 300 Kg/day)
2. Optimum Enzyme Mixture/cocktail (OptEMix) for efficient enzyme hydrolysis
3. Enzyme formulation and stabilization
4. Industrially scalable technology for technical lignin fractionation via novel and cost-effective solvent system
5. Lignin to Levulinic acid production
6. Lignin based BioSPF formulation

Awards
• ‘Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships for Academic and Professional Excellence-2024’ by United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) at NREL, USA.
• ‘Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship-2024’ at DBFZ, Germany
• Received ‘Rex Williamson Prize’ (2023) by Deakin University Australia for the high-level research in Ph.D Project (awarded to student)
• Young Scientist Uttarakhand 'Governor Award'- 2016 for doctoral research work by Governor, Uttarakhand at Rajbhawan, Dehradun
• Visiting Fellow-2023 at Åbo Akademi University, Finland sponsored by ‘Academy of Finland’, Europe for working (Business) visit
• Visiting Fellow-2017 at Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
• "Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)" Fellowship (2010-2012) by Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
• Outstanding Woman Researcher in Biomaterials’ at VIWA-2023 in the Agricultural Sciences
• 'Top-Ten Research Paper' award in Alternative & Renewable Energy in 2022, Elsevier
• ‘Outstanding Associate Editor’ award in Frontiers in Nanotechnology-2021, Frontiers
• Wiley Award for 'Top Cited Paper' in 2017-2018

Area of expertise:
 Biofuels, BioProducts & Biorefining vis-a vis Waste Management via Circular Economy Approach for Environmental sustainability
 Exploitation of innovative and sustainable bio resources for the development of new, improved and renewable biopolymers, biofuels, bio-based materials and chemicals
 2nd Generation Bioethanol Production from Lignocellulosic biomass.
 Deconstruction of biomass and algae via green and cost-effective processes

Current research projects focusing on the "Valorization of Agro-residues using Circular Bioeconomy approach for sustainable agriculture’-
1. Biomaterials (bioplastics like PHA, PLA), agri-input nanoproducts (cellulose hydrogels), and biochemicals (levulinic acid, furfural, xylitol, lactic acid) from Bio-waste via an integrated biorefinery process
2. Valorization of lignin- rich bioethanol industry waste to high-value products (control release fertilizers, seed coating material, and inorganic nutrients)
3. Minerals sequestration from secondary waste resources by biological interventions

Major Research Projects-
ANRF, SERB-DST, Ministry of Science and Technology; Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Government of India; Mission Innovation (MI), DBT, Government of India

Employment

  • TERI Fellow
    2024 - Present
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory Fulbright Professional
    2024 - 2025
  • TERI University Adjunct Faculty
    2021 - Present
  • Deakin University Adjunct Faculty
    2019 - Present
  • The Energy and Resources Institute Associate Fellow
    2019 - 2024
  • Indian Oil Corporation Research and Development Centre Scientific Officer
    2013 - 2019

Education

  • Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Ph.D
    2009 - 2013

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (78)