Contact information
Lecturer
Fulbright Ph.D. Environmental Sciences (State University of New York, USA), M.S. Environmental Sciences Gold medalist (University of the Punjab, Pakistan), Erasmus Mundus Exchange Scholar (Uppsala University, Sweden), B.S. (Hons.) Environmental Sciences Gold medalist (University of the Punjab, Pakistan)
Biography
Dr. Aysha Iftikhar is a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, Pakistan. She earned her B.S. (Hons.) and M.S. degrees in Environmental Sciences from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, securing first position and receiving Gold Medals in both programs. During her M.S. studies, she was awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Exchange Scholarship, through which she conducted her thesis research on methanotrophs in thermokarst ponds at the Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Sweden. She subsequently received the highly competitive Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship to pursue her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), USA, where her research focused on sustainable wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery through struvite production.
Area of Interest
- Wastewater Treatment
- Resource Recovery
- Circular Economy
- Sustainable Agriculture
Publications
Iftikhar, A., & Tao, W. (2025) Production of natural fertilizers with sludge digestate by mineral-based struvite crystallization and organic binding. Journal of Cleaner Production, 525, 146599, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.146599. (IF: 10)
Mushtaq, K., Arooj, F., Iftikhar, A., Luqman, M., Rahman, S. A., Naseer, R., & Safdar, S. (2025) Comparative assessment of ambient air quality in large and small ruminant farms: Insights from Lahore and Pattoki. Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, 9(1), 314-331, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14635192. (IF: 0.5)
Iftikhar, A., & Tao, W. (2024) Recovery of struvite for organic production: Mineral-based magnesium supplementation and pH elevation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 452, 142244, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142244. (IF: 11.1)
Hameed, A., Arooj, F., Luqman, M., Kashif, S. R., Iftikhar, A., Rehman, S. A., Najeeb, I., & Somroo, Z. A. (2022) Assessment of filtration system efficiency of artificial groundwater recharge wells in Lahore. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 31(3), 2625-2636, https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/143921. (IF: 1.871)
Mineral-based magnesium supplementation for producing struvite for organic production from hydrolyzed human urine – NYWEA Central Chapter Spring Meeting in Skaneateles Falls, NY, March 2024
Optimizing struvite production from human urine: Effects of magnesite calcination temperature and duration on phosphorus recovery – CNY Conference on Environmental Science & Studies in Syracuse, NY, March 2024
Struvite recovery from hydrolyzed human urine using calcined magnesite at laboratory and pilot scale – NYWEA 96th Annual Meeting Technical Conference & Exhibition in New York City, NY, Feb 2024
Poster Presentations
Recovery of struvite by mineral-based magnesium supplementation and pH elevation – 2nd Annual Meeting of NYS Center of Excellence in Healthy Water Solutions in Syracuse, NY, May 2024
Struvite fertilizer pelletization with organic binders – 2nd Annual Meeting of NYS Center of Excellence in Healthy Water Solutions in Syracuse, NY, May 2024
Struvite recovery for organic production from filtrate of sewage sludge anaerobic digestate: Mineral-based magnesium supplementation and pH elevation – SUNY Graduate Research Conference in Syracuse, NY, April 2024