Bhavya P S

Bhavya P S serves as Assistant Professor Grade I in the School of Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM) since May 2023, specializing in marine biogeochemical cycles affected by climate change and pollution.

Her academic qualifications include a Ph.D. in Marine Biogeochemistry from Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (2010-2015), an M.Sc. in Meteorology, and a B.Sc. in Physics.

Research focuses on nitrogen/carbon cycling, stable isotope methodologies (N/C), climate change impacts on phytoplankton and primary production, nitrogen fixation mechanisms, and anthropogenic effects in coastal ecosystems. Her work integrates field observations from research cruises across the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, East/Japan Sea, and Atlantic Ocean with experimental approaches to quantify biogeochemical processes.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2017-2023) reveals dominant themes in nitrogen fixation dynamics across tropical, Arctic, and Antarctic waters, with strong emphasis on phytoplankton community contributions to nutrient cycling in eutrophic estuaries (Cochin), marginal seas (East/Japan Sea), and oligotrophic regions (Philippine Sea). Methodologically, she combines stable isotope probing, NanoSIMS analysis, and experimental nutrient uptake assays.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Technical University of Munich Foundation Fellowship (TUFF) 2019-2020
• DST international travel grant from the Indian government, 2016

She actively mentors Ph.D. candidates (requiring CSIR-JRF/GATE fellowships) and offers winter/summer internships, while leading externally funded projects through the BioCIAS lab. Current research involves cell-specific nitrogen fixation analysis in the Amazon River plume and Western Tropical North Atlantic Ocean.

The BioCIAS (Biogeochemical Cycling in Indian Aquatic Systems) lab conducts integrated field-laboratory studies on Indian aquatic systems, with ongoing projects in the Cochin estuary and Arabian Sea examining pollution-climate change synergies through multi-cruise campaigns and isotopic tracer experiments.