Professor Shashi Kant Bhatia of the Department of Forestry and Biotechnology at Kookmin University’s College of Science and Technology (President Jeong Seung Ryul) has been selected as a “2026 Highly Ranked Scholar” by the global academic evaluation platform ScholarGPS. This selection recognizes Professor Bhatia’s outstanding research achievements and international academic influence in the fields of biotechnology and sustainability.
 
ScholarGPS comprehensively evaluates the academic productivity, influence, and quality of research of researchers worldwide, designating those in the top 0.05% of their respective fields as “Highly Ranked Scholars.” For the 2026 evaluation, the platform analyzed publication and citation metrics for more than 30 million researchers from over 3,400 academic institutions across 135 countries.
 
Notably, 91 Korean researchers were selected based on their research achievements over the past five years, and Professor Bhatia was among them. This not only highlights Professor Bhatia’s research achievements and influence in the international academic community but also demonstrates the rising international standing of research conducted in Korea. Furthermore, this achievement is significant as it attests to Kookmin University’s international research competitiveness and outstanding academic capabilities.
 
Professor Bhatia is contributing to the development of sustainable biotechnology, microbial engineering, and eco-friendly materials and technologies at the Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology at Kookmin University. His primary research areas include industrial and microbial biotechnology, sustainable bioprocess engineering, and the circular bioeconomy; in particular, he focuses on developing biological processes that convert renewable resources and waste into high-value-added products.
 
Specifically, his research encompasses bio-based materials—including polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a biodegradable bioplastic—as well as plastic biodegradation and upcycling, lignocellulosic biorefineries, microbial polysaccharides, alternative proteins, and sustainable resource recovery technologies. This research contributes to the development of environmentally friendly industrial processes while improving resource utilization efficiency and reducing dependence on fossil fuel-based raw materials.
 
In particular, by integrating microbiology, biochemical engineering, and bioprocess optimization technologies, the team is addressing major global environmental challenges—such as plastic pollution, climate change, and resource scarcity—and striving to develop technologies that facilitate the transition to a bioeconomy that promotes the circular use of resources.
 
Professor Bhatia has published over 300 research papers and review articles to date and is internationally recognized for his outstanding research achievements, including over 20,000 citations on Google Scholar and an H-index of 80. He also holds 18 patents and has contributed to the editing of more than 10 academic books.
 
In addition to his research activities, he is actively engaged in the international academic community. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal *Biotechnology for Sustainable Materials*, published by the global academic publisher Springer Nature, and serves on the editorial boards of several other international journals.
 
These achievements demonstrate Professor Bhatia’s ongoing commitment to advancing academic knowledge and developing sustainable biotechnology that can be practically applied in the industrial and environmental sectors. Professor Bhatia plans to continue contributing to the development of next-generation bio-based materials and sustainable bioprocess technologies through innovative research, international collaboration, and the training of future scholars, while also striving to enhance Kookmin University’s research competitiveness and international academic standing.