Research Scientist, Environmental Scpecialist, Assistant Professor
Resume:
CURRICULUM VITAE
Monika Simon
SKS Royal Meadows, Flat No.208, 70-2-40/1,
Block-I, Kissan Road, Donka Road, Patamata
520007, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
Email: *************@*****.***
Alt. Email: ******@**.****.**.**;
Contact Number: +91-989*******/+91-798*******
Nationality: Indian
Google Scholar Profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FNlR6wYAAAAJ&hl=en ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9945-8147
Career Objective:
Dedicated Environmental Engineering professional with eight years of research expertise and four years of industrial experience in wastewater treatment. Committed to advancing sustainable environmental technologies through innovative research and interdisciplinary collaboration. Seeking a suitable position that enables me to mentor future environmental professionals and contribute to the organization’s growth and excellence.
Research Interest
Sustainable treatment technologies, simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal, in-situ bioremediation, biodegradation of emerging contaminants (microplastics, antimicrobial resistance genes), resource recovery, sewage & industrial wastewater treatment, and water body monitoring & management.
Research and Industrial Experience
ORGANIZATION DESIGNATION FROM TO TOTAL
Department of Civil
Engineering, SRM University-
AP Amaravati, Andhra
Pradesh, India
Post-doctoral
Researcher
June 2025 Till date --
Indian Institute of Technology
Roorkee, Uttarakhand
Research Associate Jan 2024 March 2025 1.2 year
Indian Institute of Technology
Roorkee, Uttarakhand
Doctoral Research
Jan 2018 June 2024 6 years
SN Aqua System Inc., New
Delhi
Sr. Environmental
Engineer
Sep 2016 May 2017 9 months
Clover Organic Pvt. Ltd.,
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Environmental
Engineer
Oct 2013 June 2016 2.75 years
SBA Enviro Systems Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi
Assistant
Environmental
Engineer
May 2012 Sept 2013 1.6 years
Eco Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi
ETP/STP
Designer
(Trainee)
Dec 2011 Apr 2012 5 months
2
Educational Qualification
Name of institution Degree(s) or Diploma(s) Date of obtainment
Marks Obtained
(CGPA)
Indian Institute of Technology
(I.I.T.) Roorkee, Uttarakhand,
India
Ph.D. in Environmental
Engineering and Sciences
25/06/2024 10/10 (Coursework)
Madan Mohan Malaviya
University of Technology (State
Gov. University), Gorakhpur,
U.P., India
M.Tech. in Environmental
Engineering
07/07/2011 8.15/10
Sam Higginbottom University of
Agriculture, Technology and
Sciences, formerly Allahabad
Agricultural Institute
(Government-aided), Prayagraj,
U.P., India
B.Tech. in Biotechnology 22/06/2009 7.91/10
Skills and Analytical Expertise
• Proficient in designing and implementing frugal, tailor-made solutions for treating polluted surface water, sewage water, and industrial wastewater, with a particular focus on water quality analysis, pollution control, and water resource restoration.
• Skilled in developing and optimizing cost-effective strategies to control and mitigate water pollution, contributing to environmental sustainability and public health.
• Proactively conducting field data collection of water, sludge and soil to ascertain the extent of environmental impact and devise appropriate remediation strategies.
• Proven hands-on expertise in commissioning, operating, and maintaining wastewater treatment plants, alongside practical experience in situ bioremediation.
• Extensive knowledge in conducting thorough water quality analysis using advanced testing methods and equipment to ensure compliance with regulatory standards such as GC-MS, Ion-Chromatography, TOC, FTIR, UV-VIS spectrometry, Flame photometry, SEM-EDX, Fluorescent microscopy and Titrimetric analysis for thorough assessment of water, soils, and solid waste.
• Experienced in the characterization of microbial communities using molecular biology techniques such as 16S rRNA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative real-time PCR.
• Proficient in analysing biological parameters and handling microbiological aspects of water, wastewater, soil, and sludge.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities, demonstrated through successfully resolving complex water treatment challenges and optimizing system performance.
• Strong commitment to continuous learning and staying up-to-date with the latest water treatment technologies and sustainable practices advancements.
• Preparation of technical reports/memoranda, research proposal, and electronic deliverables and supporting studies and alternative analysis.
• Skilled in utilizing fundamental MS Office applications and statistical analysis tools to enhance data interpretation and decision-making.
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Publication: 14
(JCR indexed Int. Publication: 8; Book Chapters: 3; Conference papers: 2; Book Published: 2) Patent : 01 Indian Published 2024
Total Citations : 225
H index : 6
First Author : 6
Corresponding Author : 6
Current Year Publication (2026) : 2
Patent and Technology Transfer
• Patent Title: A microbial consortium for simultaneous removal of nutrients and major organic pollutants from polluted water.
Inventors: H. Joshi, M. Simon
Status: Indian Patent Published (Application No. 202*********).
• Technology Transfer: Successfully transferred the technology “A microbial consortium for simultaneous removal of nutrients and major organic pollutants from polluted water” to Bioritin Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. Gurgaon, Haryana, India, on a non-exclusive basis for commercialization (2025).
Books (Edited/Authored)
Yadav, A. K., Shirin, S., Simon, M., Kumar, A., & Dixit, A.K. (2025). “Arsenic Removal Technologies: From Challenges to Innovative Solutions”. Springer Singapore. https://link.springer.com/book/978**********
Garg, M.C., Sharma, P., Simon, M. (2025). “Artificial Intelligence in Wastewater Treatment: Innovations for Sustainable Environmental Management” NIPA, New Delhi, India. https://www.nipabooks.com/info/978**********/artificial-intelligence-in-wastewater-treatment Yadav, A. K., Simon, M (2025). “Cutting-edge Techniques for Sustainable Arsenic Removal in Water Resources”. Springer Singapore. (Under editorial process) Publications
Journal articles
i. Pandey NK., Simon, M., et al. (2026), “Exploring microbial diversity, antibiotic resistance, and their environmental drivers in urban and peri-urban riverbed sediments of sub-tropical river basins”. Environmental Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.123174
(IF=7.7) Q1
ii. Kumar, S., Metya, S., Sinha, A.K., Simon, M (2026) “XGBoost based surrogate technique for system reliability analysis of foundation over cavity aided with bootstrapping” Scientific Reports. (IF=4.3) Q1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37058-0 iii. Simon, M. and Joshi, H. (2025) “Dynamics of pollution and trophic status in selected sub- tropical surface water bodies in Haridwar district, India” Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-35724-2 (IF=5.8) Q1 iv. Kumari S., Gupta J., Simon M, Chowdhry J., and Garg M.K. (2025) “Next-Generation Air 4
Quality Management: Unveiling Advanced Techniques for Monitoring and Controlling Pollution.” Aerosol Science and Engineering https://doi.org/10.1007/s41810-024-00281-1
(IF=1.6) Q3
v. Simon, M. and Joshi, H. (2024) “Simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal from polluted water using a novel bacterial consortium (BACON-38): Promising application for wastewater remediation” Journal of Water Process Engineering. Volume 66 (August), 106044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.106044. (IF=7.0) Q1 vi. Simon, M., Joshi, H. and Hazra, M. (2023), Performance appraisal of microbial inoculants Treating polluted surface water through bench-scale investigation. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 98: 2462-2476. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.7472 (IF=3.7) Q1 vii. Simon, M. and Joshi, H. (2021) “A review on green technologies for the rejuvenation of polluted surface water bodies: field-scale feasibility, challenges, and future perspectives”. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9(4), 105763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105763. (IF=7.97) Q1 viii. Bowes MJ, Read DS, Joshi H, Sinha R, Ansari A, Simon M., Rees HG (2020) Nutrient and microbial water quality of the upper Ganga River, India: identification of pollution sources. Environ Monit Assess 192(8):1–20 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08456-2 (IF=3.2) Q2 ix. Simon, M. Roy, D., Dash, S., Joshi, H. (2024) “Integrated aerobic remediation of polluted water using a novel bacterial consortium (MBC-4): Performance, Optimization, and Mechanistic Insights” ACS E & T Water. (IF=4.2) Q1 (Under Review) x. Vishwakarma, R., Simon, M., Pandey, N.K., and Joshi, H. (2026) “Streamflow Dataset Evaluation through Hydrological Modelling along with/Leading to Assessment of Sediment and Pollutant Load in a Subtropical River Basin of India” Research Hydrology
(Under Review)
xi. Pandey NK., Simon, M., et al. (2026), “Input point sources regulate the dynamics of river water quality to drug resistance in sub-tropical rivers” Water Research (Under Review). xii. Pandey NK., Simon, M., et al. (2026), “Integrative analysis of river water quality and microbiome structure to evaluate ecological recovery along an urban and peri-urban gradient” Water Research (Submitted).
xiii. Kumar, S., Metya, S., Sinha, A.K., Simon, M (2026) “Foundation-cavity interactions and reliability analysis: current insights and future directions” npj Microgravity (Springer Nature)
(Under Review). (IF=4.1) Q1
xiv. Rashid, A., Kumar, S., Metya, S., Sinha, A.K., Simon, M (2026) “Integrated GIS, Remote Sensing, and AHP approach for groundwater potential mapping in Koderma district of Jharkhand”.Environmental and Sustainability Indicators (IF=5.6) Q1 5
xv. Simon, M., Singh, Prakash, et al. (2026) “Impact of Storage Period on Biomethane Potential
(BMP) of Agricultural Residues: A Comprehensive Review of Scientific Mapping, Storage Methods, Biochemical Changes, and Practical Implications”, Bioresource Technology Reports . xvi. Yadav, A.K., Simon, M., et al., (2026) “Meta-Review on the toxicological and epidemiological impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAs) on human health”, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (Oxford University Press). Book Chapters
i. Simon, M., Joshi, H. 2022. “Story of the Ganga River: Its Pollution and Rejuvenation” In: Mukherjee, A. (eds) Riverine Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3- 030- 87067-6_2
ii. Simon, M., Kumar, A., Garg, A., Manisha (2021). “Biological Treatment of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) Before Discharging to Environment.” In: Gupta, P.K., Bharagava, R.N. (eds) Fate and Transport of Subsurface Pollutants. Microorganisms for Sustainability, vol 24. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978- ***-**-****-9_14
iii. Gupta, P.K., Kumar, A., Simon, M., Manisha (2021). “Arsenic Pollution in Groundwater and Its in-situ Microbial Remediation Technologies.” In: Gupta, P.K., Bharagava, R.N. (eds) Fate and Transport of Subsurface Pollutants. Microorganisms for Sustainability, vol 24. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-***-**-****-9_10 iv. Simon, M., Roy, D., Dash, S. (2026). “Anaerobic-Aerobic Sequencing Batch Reactors: A Synergistic Approach to Recalcitrant Pollutant Removal”, Springer, Singapore. Conference
i. Pandey, N.K., Simon, M., & Joshi, H. (2025, June), “Role of water in the transmission of pathogens and antimicrobial resistant strains in a mixed-use Indian watershed under CGIAR One-Health Initiative.” In 11th Microbial Ecology and Water Engineering (MEWE) Conference, June 2 to 5, 2025, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. ii. Simon, M., & Dash, S. (2025, December), “Multifunctional Bacterial Consortium for Enhanced Simultaneous Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal from Polluted Surface Water” International Conference on Biotechnology in Health Science and Therapeutics
(ICBHST 2025), Dec 28 to 31, 2025, Jaipur, India.
iii. Simon, M., & Joshi, H. (2020, May), “Performance appraisal of bioremediation materials for polluted surface water treatment.” In EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts (p. 13998), Vienna, Austria, May 4 to 8, 2020 (Online). https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020EGUGA..2213998S/abstract. iv. Vishwakarma, R., Simon, M., and Joshi, H. (2019, December), “Sustainability evaluation of the stormwater drainage system of a sub-tropical town of India,” 24th Hydro-2019 International Conference, Osmani University, Hyderabad, December 17th to 20, 2019 Research Experience (2018 to till date)
Post-doctoral Researcher SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India June 2025 – 6
till date
Project: Native Adapted Microbial Taxa for Remediation of Ethylene-based Microplastics
(NATREM)
• Conducting advanced research on microplastic degradation using bacterial systems.
• Writing and contributing to research manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.
• Preparing and submitting project proposals, book proposals, and special issue proposals.
• Reviewing scientific manuscripts and providing constructive feedback.
• Setting up and maintaining laboratory facilities, including procurement of equipment and consumables.
• Guiding and mentoring PhD scholars, undergraduate students and laboratory assistants in research/Project, manuscript writing, experimental procedures and data management.
• Delivering laboratory classes for undergraduate students (B.Tech), ensuring practical skill development and safety compliance.
Research Associate Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India Jan 2024 – March 2025 Project: One Health Project, “Monitoring and Modelling in Song River Basin, India,” Sponsored by the International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka.
• Conduct literature reviews to establish foundational knowledge and identify gaps in understanding river health and its tributaries.
• Execute field visits to rivers and their tributaries to gather water quality samples.
• Collaborate with team members to integrate findings from field visits and laboratory analyses, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of river ecosystems.
• Monitor and evaluate changes in River and tributary conditions over time, identifying trends and potential environmental stressors.
• Prepare detailed reports summarizing field observations, water quality measurements, and ecosystem assessments for rivers and tributaries.
• Maintain organized documentation of field data, laboratory analyses, and monitoring activities, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.
• Communicate research findings effectively through written reports, presentations, and stakeholder engagements.
• Manage project timelines and deliverables, incorporating insights from field monitoring to inform research priorities and strategies.
• Provide guidance and support to junior team members or field assistants during field visits and data collection activities.
Doctoral Research cum Teaching Assistant Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India Jan 2018 – Dec 2023 Title: “Bioremediation of Polluted Surface Water Bodies: Evaluating Existing Microbial Inoculants and Developing a Novel Consortium.”
• Conducted comprehensive literature reviews, designed and executed experiments, analyzed water quality parameters, characterization study using advanced instrumentation, interpreted data, and contributed to manuscript writing.
• Led M.Tech. practical classes on water, wastewater, and soil analysis for the Environmental Quality course.
• Supervised postgraduate students and interns in research planning, experimentation, and manuscript writing.
• Delivered laboratory training on water quality analysis for workshops and training 7
programs.
• Contributed to the project team for "Nualgi Based Accelerated Bioremediation of Laksar Drain (196 MLD)" in collaboration with Nualgi Nano Biotech India, funded by Jal Shakti Ministry, actively engaged from September to December 2018.
• Engaged as a team member for the project "Identification of Pollution Sources: Nutrient and Microbial Water Quality of the Upper Ganga River, India", supported by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK, during the period of February to April 2018.
• Conducted comprehensive water quality characterization of targeted water bodies within the Haridwar district to determine their pollution status, revealing severe pollution rendering them unsuitable for human use and aquatic ecosystems.
• Investigated commonly used microbial inoculants in India and successfully developed a robust microbial consortium with distinct bacterial strains capable of performing ammonia oxidation, nitrification, denitrification, polyphosphate accumulation, and phosphate solubilization. The novel consortium demonstrated the unique ability to effectively remove organic and nutrient loads in a single aerobic unit, surpassing the limitations of traditional treatment processes.
Professional/Industrial Experience and Domain of Exposure Professional skills and Expertise
• Proficient in designing and maintaining Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), with expertise in UASBR, FAB, SBR, MBBR, and SBR technologies.
• Demonstrates an innovative approach and out-of-the-box thinking, creating cost-effective wastewater treatment technologies.
• Conducts Water and Wastewater audits to promote conservation and judicious usage of water resources.
• Possesses in-depth knowledge of various cutting-edge processes and technologies utilized for advanced wastewater treatment, including in-situ bioremediation, natural sewage drains treatment, water body restoration, and low-cost sewage treatment solutions.
• Conducts adequacy studies of wastewater treatment plants to ensure their optimal performance and compliance with regulations.
• Effective communicator with excellent interpersonal and management skills, complemented by strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational abilities.
• Proficient in Water Quality analysis and skilled in interpreting analytical data to assess and improve water treatment processes.
Professional Training/Workshops/Short-term courses/ Conference and Seminar attended. i. Certification Course on Urban Lake Management from Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, India, Duration: 1 month (28 Aug to 25 Sept 2020) ii. Workshop on “Intellectual Property Rights” organized by IPR Cell, IIT Roorkee (August 12, 2023)
iii. Workshop on "Solutions for Rejuvenating Bengaluru's Lakes" Seminar, Organized by Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK, and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore, India (11 to 12 December 2019) iv. Webinar on “Combating with the Millennium Pandemic-COVID-19”, Jointly organized by Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, India, and AIIMS New Delhi, India (2 to 4 July 2020).
v. Webinar on "COVID-19: Wastewater-based Epidemiology” organised by 8
International Water Association (21 July 2020)
vi. GIAN Training on "Green Water Infrastructure I - Sustainable Urban Stormwater Management" Organized by the Department of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Duration: 10 days (18 to 27 July 2018)
vii. Short-term Course on "Bioremediation of LNAPL Polluted Groundwater" Organized by the Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee, and Loughborough University, UK, (March 26, 2018)
viii. GIAN Training on "Green Water Infrastructure II - Innovative and Sustainable Wastewater Management" Organized by the Department of Hydrology, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Duration: 12 days (May 29 to June 9, 2017) ix. Workshop on “Publishing in Academic Journals: An Author's Workshop” organised by Mahatma Gandhi Central Library, IIT Roorkee and Taylor & Francis Group (May 4, 2019). x. Workshop on “Web of Science, Endnote, and Incites - A Research Evaluation Tool, ” organised by Mahatma Gandhi Central Library, IIT Roorkee and Clarivate Analytics
(September 29, 2019)
xi. M.Tech, Dissertation on "Performance Study of 18 MLD Activated Sludge Process Treating Municipal Wastewater" Uttarakhand Pey Jal Nigam Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India, Duration: 3 months (March 22 to June 21, 2011) xii. B.Tech Dissertation on "Detection and Purification of White Spot Syndrome Virus" from National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, India, Duration:6 months (January 1 to May 30, 2011)
xiii. Training on "Clinical Pathology and Applied Techniques" from Apollo Clinic Prayagraj, India, Duration: 1 month (May 1 to June 5, 2008)
xiv. Training Program on "Formulation of Trichoderma-based Biopesticide" from Rajendra Agricultural University Pusa, Bihar, India, Duration: 1 month (May 28 to June 27, 2007). xv. Participated in “8th National Symposium on Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology” organised by the Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi and Biochemical Engineers and Technologist Association, India (10 to 11 March 2006). Professional Memberships
i. Member of the Society of Chemical Industry
ii. Member of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences Achievements/ Fellowships/ Extracurricular activity i. Class Representative during post-graduation studies at Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology (August 2009 - June 2011). ii. Department representative of the Research Committee at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (August 2018 to July 2019)
iii. Scored the highest marks in Ph.D. coursework (10.0 CGPA) iv. Institute Assistantship (Ph.D. research) from Jan 2023 to Dec 2023 for Ph.D. research studies at Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
v. Awarded with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) as ‘Senior Research Fellow’ (Ph.D. research) from Jan 2020 to Dec 2022 for research studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
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vi. Awarded with Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) Scholarship as ‘Junior Research Fellow’ (Ph.D. research) from Jan 2018 to Dec 2019 for research studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.
vii. Awarded with Merit-cum-Means Scholarship from the Ministry of Minority Affairs during the post-graduation course (2010-2011).
viii. Active participation in Cultural Events. Organized and managed various Cultural events in the school and college.
References
Dr. Himanshu Joshi,
Visiting Professor,
Department of Hydrology,
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
(IIT), Roorkee, -247 667, India
Email: ***************@*****.***
********.*****@**.****.**.**
Dr. Siddhant Dash
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
School of Engineering and Sciences
SRM University – AP, Andhra Pradesh
Mangalagiri, Guntur District,
Andhra Pradesh, 522240
Email: ********.*@*****.***.**
********.****@*****.***
M: +91-720*******, +91-943*******
Dr. Nitin Khandelwal
Assistant Professor,
Department of Hydrology, Indian Institute
of Technology (IIT) Roorkee
Roorkee-247 667, India
Email: *****.**********@**.****.**.**
Dr. Alok Garg
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur
Hamirpur 177 005 (Himachal Pradesh),
India
Email: ****.****.****@*****.***,
****.****@****.**.**
M: +91-987*******, +91-798*******
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