Department of Environmental Science
Professor (Dr.) Soma Mukherjee
Head of the Department-
Departmental Phone No.
+91-9330001170
-
Departmental E-mail Address
The Department of Environmental Science was established in 1985. Initially the department functions as a research unit followed by ‘M.Phil. in Ecology’ in the year 1990. Finally in 1998 the department has started M.Sc in Environmental Science which was the first master degree programme in Environmental Science from West Bengal. The Department of Environmental Science, University of Kalyani presently offers M.Sc, M.Phil and Ph.D Degrees. The Environmental Science is a multidisciplinary subject and finds immense application area to the society. The faculty members from different branches of science are engaged in teaching and interdisciplinary research works with national and international collaborations. The major teaching and research areas are basic and applied ecology, pollution studies, environmental chemistry, bioremediation, landscape ecology, geomorphology, geohydrology, remote sensing, resource studies, atmospheric science, environmental biotechnology, environmental toxicology etc.
The department also has ENVIS Centre supported by MoEF & CC, Govt. of India. Faculties of the department received research projects from various funding agencies. They actively participated in various collaborative programmes & performed the task of investigator of research projects funded by UGC, DST, MoEF & CC, CSIR, ICFRE, DNES, DoE (Govt. of West Bengal) & IUC-DAE-programme. The department has received good infrastructural support and instrumental facilities from DST – FIST (Level-I), UGC and DST- PURSE programmes. A good number of students have been qualified in national level (NET) and competitive examinations. Students have received different scholarships, like, Kanyashree, Minority Fellowship, Moulana Azad Fellowship, Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-means, RG research scholarship, DST INSPIRE, UGC, URS, CSIR, WBDST, MoEF & CC, WOS-B (IM), KIRAN-SoRF, DST, New Delhi. The basic, advanced laboratories and instrumental facilities are available in the department.
The level of academic excellence which the department has acquired at present makes it possible for our students to get entry into higher studies and service sectors at different reputed institutions as well as industries. Alumni of this department are distributed in reputed organizations. The prime initiative of the department is to upgrade the academic quality of students coming from rural and backward areas. Our course curriculum includes regular classes using advanced technology in teaching and learning processes, tutorial class through interactive session, mentoring students groups, field visit, educational tours for industrial and environmental exposure.
The department is actively involved to organize outreach programmes viz. environmental awareness, tree plantation, environment day celebration and sensitization programme in schools and rural areas. The department will be a common platform for interdisciplinary teaching, research and scientific communication and play a potential role in technology transfer with lab-to-land approach for societal benefits.
Programmes offered
| Sl. No. | Programme | Duration | Intake capacity | Admission criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M.Sc | 2years (4 semester) | 40 | Academic & Admission test |
| 2 | M.Phil | 2years (4 semester) | 06 | Admission test & Interview |
| 3 | Ph.D | 5years | Variable | Admission test & Interview |
Faculty Profile(Alphabetical Order)
Department Details
- Environmental Geoscience (Specialization: Water resource development, RS & GIS application in Geoscience, Landuse studies)
- Environmental Chemistry (Specialization: Synthetic Inorganic chemistry, Molecular recognition, Spectroscopy, Environmental Toxicology, Pollution studies, Environmental Quality Monitoring and Management)
Three storied building with following facilities:
- Class Rooms – Two
- Seminar room – One
- General Laboratories – Two
- Instrument laboratory (DST-FIST & DST-PURSE) – Three
- Research Laboratories – Four
- Library – One
- Office Room – One
- Experimental net house – One
- Meeting room – One
- Computer room – One
Major Instrument Details:
- Research Microscope – Olympus Fluorescence Microscope ( DST-FIST)
- Fluorescence Spectrophotometer Hitachi – F 7000 (DST-FIST)
- Ultra Centrifuge, Thermo Electron (DST-FIST)
- Gas Chromatography, Thermo – Trace 1310 (DST-PURSE)
- Ion Chromatography, Thermo Scientific (DST-PURSE)
- UV-Vis Spectrophotometer (Shimadzu-1900) (RUSA grant)
Completed Projects:
- Investigation on Soil Bacteria in Arsenic Transformation and Mobilization in Arsenic Affected Soils of West Bengal, Dept. of Environment, Govt. of West Bengal, Completed in 2012 – Prof. S.C. Santra (PI)
- Comprehensive study on radiation induced metal tolerance in fungal strain, UGC-DAE-CRS collaborative Project, Completed in 2013 – Prof. S.C. Santra (PI)
- Studies on Trace Element Distribution and their Role in Salt Stress Adaptation in Halophytic Plants of Mangrove Vegetation of West Bengal, UGC-DAE-CRS collaborative Project, Completed in 2013 – Prof. S.C. Santra (PI)
- Pesticide residue analysis in agricultural horticultural and aquacultural materials, UGC-BSR One time grant, Completed in 2013 – Prof. S.C. Santra (PI)
- One time Teachers grant for ‘Study on the residual analysis of pesticide in the various agricultural, horticultural and aqua cultural commodity, UGC Sponsored, Completed in 2014 – Prof. S.C. Santra (PI)
- An investigation on arsenic transfer in water soil crop environment in arsenic affected areas of West Bengal, India, DoE, Govt. of West Bengal, Completed 2015 – Prof. S.C. Santra (PI)
- A detailed site suitability study for water harvesting structures in a drought prone hard rock terrain of Eastern India: Geomorphology and spatial technology based approach, UGC, New Delhi, Completed 2013 – Prof. D. Das (PI)
- Multi Technique Studies on Solar Modulation of Space Weather and the Associate Electrical Processes Influencing Atmospheric Layers, UGC, New Delhi, Completed 2012 – Prof. R. Bhattacharya (PI)
- Structural and Functional Diversities of Luminescent Complexes: Design, Synthesis and Application, UGC, New Delhi, Completed 2012 – Prof. S. Mukherjee (PI)
- Development of Fluorescent Chemosensors for Metal ions: Design, Synthesis, Spectroscopic and Reactivity Studies, CSIR, New Delhi, Completed 2011 – Prof. S. Mukherjee (PI)
- Studies on Transition Metal Chemistry via Design of Unnatural Amino Acids: Synthesis, Characterization, Reactivity and Magnetic Studies Funded by DST, New Delhi under SERC FAST TRACK Scheme, Completed 2007 – Prof. S. Mukherjee (PI)
- DST-FIST (Phase-1), DST – Completed
- UGC BRS, UGC – Completed
Ongoing Projects:
- ENVIS Resource Partner on Environmental Biotechnology, MoEF &CC, Govt. India – Ongoing
- Full Time: 04
- Part Time: 01
- Submitted: 02
- Phil – 01
| Sl No. | Title | Date | Speakers & Papers Presented | Fund & source |
| 1. | 7-Day National Workshop on “Vision Towards Environmentally Sustainable Future” (VTESF – 2018),
Dept. of Environmental Science, KU, Kalyani |
July 24-30, 2018 | 20 Nos of Speakers & 32 Nos of paper presented
|
Department of Higher education, Science & technology& Biotechnology, Govt. Of West Bengal, West Bengal Biodiversity Board, DST-PURSE, Govt. of India, ENVIS Rp, MoEF CC & University of Kalyani |
| 2 | Departmental Seminar & Environmental Quiz during Academic festival,
Dept. of Environmental Science, KU, Kalyani |
7.2.2019-9.2.2019 | 03 Nos of Speakers | University of Kalyani |
| 3 | Departmental Seminar and World Water Day celebration
Dept. of Environmental Science, KU, Kalyani |
19.3.2019 | 03 Nos of Speakers | University of Kalyani |
| 4 | National Webinar
on “Biodiversity vis-a-vis Global Scenario: Emerging Issues and Mitigational Techniques” on World Environmental Day Dept. of Environmental Science, KU, Kalyani |
5.6.2020 & 6.6.2020
|
09 Nos of Speakers and more than 150 participants
|
University of Kalyani, Organised successfully in virtual mode due to COVID-19 pandemic.
|
| 4 | Webinar on “Ecological restoration” on World Environmental Day,
Dept. of Environmental Science, KU, Kalyani |
5.6.2021 | 03 Nos of Speakers &more than 30 participants,
12 Nos of Poster presented by Students |
University of Kalyani, Organised successfully in virtual mode due to COVID-19 pandemic.
|
| 4 | Skill Development Certificate Course (Four Months) on Application of RS & GIS in Natural Resource & Environmental Management | 22-12-2021 (Inauguration) | 25 Nos of participants | RUSA Component-10 (Entrepreneurship & Career hub), University of Kalyani |
International Collaborative Work:
| Sl. No. | Name of the Collaborating Institute | Country | Broad Area of Collaboration | Year | Funding involved (if any) |
| Prof. Debasish Das | |||||
|
1.
|
University of Oklahoma, Cooperative Institute for Applied Remote Sensing, Energy Center | Norman, OK, USA | Remote Sensing Application | 1989 | Indo- American Fellowship Program |
| Prof. Soma Mukherjee | |||||
| 2. | Institute of Microtechnology
University of Neuchatel, Switzerland |
Switzerland | Development of Chemosensors : Synthesis, Characterization, Applications and
Utilization of Advanced Instrumental Facilities
|
2007 | ISBRI Fellow and received fellowship under (Indo-Swiss Bilateral Research Initiative) Program funded by
EPFL, Switzerland and DST, New Delhi in 2007 |
|
3. |
Institute of Chemistry
University of Neuchatel, Switzerland |
Switzerland | 2011 | “Joint Utilization of Advance Facilities”, approved under
Indo-Swiss Joint Research Program (ISJRP) funded byEPFL, Switzerland andDST, New Delhi in2011 |
|
| 4. |
Institute of Chemistry University of Neuchatel, Switzerland |
Switzerland | 2013 | Short International Research Fellowship funded by University of Neuchatel, Switzerland in 2013 |
National Collaborative Work:
- Consortium UGC DAE CSR, Kolkata centre
- of Veterinary Physiology, WBAFS, Belgachhia
- of Solid State Physics, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata
- of Agro Meteorology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya
- State and Central Universities (IIEST,Shibpur; Jadavpur University etc.).