South Dakota Mines Professor Honored as Overseas Fellow by the Biotech Research Society of India

In recognition of his international scientific leadership in microbial technology and sustained collaboration with researchers in India, Rajesh Sani, Ph.D., South Dakota Mines professor, has been named the 2025 Overseas Fellow by the Biotech Research Society of India (BRSI), one of the society’s highest honors.

BRSI is a non-profit professional society advancing biotechnology research, education and industry-academia collaboration. With more than 3,700 members, including life and institutional members, BRSI has a strong international footprint, engaging scientists and partners across Asia, Europe and the Americas through conferences, training programs and global collaborations.

The award was announced during the opening session of the BRSI convention, held alongside the International Conference of Advances in Biotechnology, Bioprocessing and Structural Biology at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. The Overseas Fellow designation recognizes internationally based scientists whose work has made longstanding, influential contributions to biotechnology.

According to the BRSI, Sani’s research has significantly advanced extremophilic bioprocessing, sustainable biomanufacturing and carbon-negative technologies. His work bridges fundamental microbiology, engineering and sustainability science to transform greenhouse gases and biomass into high-value bioproducts, supporting the development of a resilient, circular bioeconomy. To date, Sani’s group has secured more than $74 million in competitive research funding, authored 155 high-impact publications, holds multiple patents, and has built enduring Indo-U.S. research partnerships and mentorship programs.

“I am truly honored to receive this recognition, which reflects the power of collaboration and shared commitment to using science and engineering to address global challenges,” said Sani, a professor in the Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Chemistry, Biology and Health Sciences. “Working with colleagues and students across borders has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m proud that our research is delivering sustainable, real-world solutions that benefit both industry and society.”

Beyond his research accomplishments, Sani is deeply committed to education and mentorship, training students and early-career researchers in interdisciplinary, globally engaged science. Through his work at Mines, he continues to train and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers to address pressing global challenges.