Rai Kookana

Rai Kookana

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology


Rai Kookana is a Chief Research Scientist with CSIRO and is affiliated as Professor with The University of Adelaide. Since his PhD from the University of Western Australia (1989), he has been conducting research and development on the fate and behaviour of organic contaminant in, and their effects and risks on, the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Rai’s current research interests include understanding and managing ecological risks of emerging contaminants in the environment. His research over last 35 years has dealt with pesticides, , pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), hydraulic fracking chemicals and nanomaterials. The current focus of his research work is on the fate, transport and remediation of persistent and mobile organic pollutants Per- and Poly-fluoro Alkyl Substances (PFAS) in the environment.

Rai has served as the President of IUPAC Division of Chemistry and The Environment for the biennium 2018-2020. Currently, he represents IUPAC at The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). Dr Kookana worked as a Science Fellow of Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) for a decade (2005-2015). Rai was elected Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America in 2012. In 2016, he became the recipient of the prestigious Prescott Medal, awarded by Soil Science Australia. In 2021 he was awarded the CSIRO’s Lifetime Achievement Medal.

  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2023 Fellowship Fellow National Academy of Agricultural Sciences India -
    2021 Achievement CSIRO Medal Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Australia -
    2019 Award Appreciation of Service Award IUPAC United States -
    2018 Distinction President IUPAC Chemistry and the Environment Division IUPAC United States -
    2016 Honour Prescott Medal Australian Society of Soil Science Australia -
    2012 Fellowship Fellow of Soil Science Society America of Soil Science Society America United States -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    1985 - 1989 The University of Western Australia Australia PhD (Soil Science)
    1978 - 1980 Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University India MSc (Soil Science)
    1973 - 1978 Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University India BSc (Hons) Agriculture
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2016 - 2020 External Supervisor Fate and Bioavailability of Per- and Poly-Fluorinated Substances (PFASs) in Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Emma Rae Knight
    2008 - 2012 External Supervisor Assessing Natural and Management-Induced Patterns of Herbicide Sorption and Risks in Catchments: A Soil Landscape Modeling Approach Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Beng P Umali
    2006 - 2009 Principal Supervisor Infrared Spectroscopy and Advanced Spectral Data Analyses to Better Describe Sorption of Pesticides in Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mohsen Fruzangohar
    2006 - 2010 Co-Supervisor Environmental Behaviour of Pharmaceuticals, Personal Care Products and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds following Land Application of Biosolids Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Kate Langdon
    2005 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Environmental Fate of Imidazolinone Herbicides and Their Enantiomers in Soil and Water Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mohammadkazem Ramezani
    2005 - 2009 Co-Supervisor Influences on the Sorption Affinity of Soil Organic Matter for Non-Ionic Organic Pollutants Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ahmad Gholamalizadeh Ahangar
    2003 - 2007 Principal Supervisor The Fate and Effects of Human Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Michael Williams
    1997 - 2002 Co-Supervisor Long-term Tannery Waste Contamination: Effect on Chromium Chemistry Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Avudainayagam Subramanian
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2022 - ongoing Member Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research United States
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2021 - ongoing Board Member Agricultural Science and Technology American Chemical Society United States
    2010 - ongoing Associate Editor Soil Research CSIRO Publishing Australia

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