Sharada Navada
About
I am pursuing an Industrial PhD in collaboration with Krüger Kaldnes (Veolia Water Technologies, Norway), Nofima AS, and NTNU. My project is a part of CtrlAQUA SFI; an international project to develop technological and biological solutions for closed-containment systems for Atlantic salmon farming.
About me: I completed my B.Tech degree in Chemical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Thereafter, I moved to the USA to get my M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, where I studied water chemistry and water treatment. After my studies, I joined Veolia Water Technologies (VWT) USA where I worked for three years on industrial wastewater treatment, before moving to VWT Norway. Here, I was offered the opportunity to do an Industry PhD on the water treatment challenges faced in land-based farming of Atlantic salmon.
My research goal is to develop strategies for managing the biological water treatment system in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). In particular, I focus on the nitrification process in biofilms under varying salinities, from freshwater to seawater. I am also studying the impact of salinity on biofilm microbial communities and how microbial strategies may be utilized to improve bioreactor design and management. With every new day of research, I am falling deeper in love with these fascinating creatures.
You can find out more about what I do in these videos:
How fast can one switch from freshwater to seawater?
Improving salmon production with better water quality – the eco-way | Sharada Navada
Education & Work Experience
2015-present Process engineer, Krüger Kaldnes AS (Veolia Water Technologies), Norway
2013-2015 Process specialist, Veolia Water Technologies, Pittsburgh PA, USA
2012-2013 M.Sc., Environmental Engg., Carnegie Mellon University, USA
2008-2012 B.Tech, Chemical Engg. (Honors) with Minor in Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
Internships / Research Exchange
- TU Delft, Netherlands (Research exchange, March - June 2020) with Prof. Mark van Loosdrecht at Department of Environmental Biotechnology
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA ( Internship, Summer 2011) with Prof. William Green at Department of Chemical Engineering
- Suzlon Energy Ltd., India (Internship, Summer 2010)
Publications
2020
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Navada, Sharada ;
Knutsen, Maja F.;
Bakke, Ingrid;
Vadstein, Olav.
(2020)
Nitrifying biofilms deprived of organic carbon show higher functional resilience to increases in carbon supply.
Scientific Reports
Academic article
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Navada, Sharada ;
Sebastianpillai, Marianna;
Kolarevic, Jelena;
Fossmark, Ragnhild Olsen;
Tveten, Ann-Kristin;
Gaumet, Frederic.
(2020)
A salty start: Brackish water start-up as a microbial management strategy for nitrifying bioreactors with variable salinity.
Science of the Total Environment
Academic article
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Navada, Sharada ;
Vadstein, Olav;
Gaumet, Frederic;
Tveten, Ann-Kristin;
Spanu, Claudia;
Mikkelsen, Øyvind.
(2020)
Biofilms remember: Osmotic stress priming as a microbial management strategy for improving salinity acclimation in nitrifying biofilms.
Water Research
Academic article
2019
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Navada, Sharada;
Vadstein, Olav;
Tveten, Ann-Kristin;
Verstege, Gerhardus C.;
Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn;
Mota, Vasco C..
(2019)
Influence of rate of salinity increase on nitrifying biofilms.
Journal of Cleaner Production
Academic article
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Aslam, Shazia Nusrat;
Navada, Sharada;
Bye, Gisle Roel;
Mota, Vasco C.;
Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn;
Mikkelsen, Øyvind.
(2019)
Effect of CO2 on elemental concentrations in recirculating aquaculture system tanks.
Aquaculture
Academic article
Journal publications
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Navada, Sharada ;
Knutsen, Maja F.;
Bakke, Ingrid;
Vadstein, Olav.
(2020)
Nitrifying biofilms deprived of organic carbon show higher functional resilience to increases in carbon supply.
Scientific Reports
Academic article
-
Navada, Sharada ;
Sebastianpillai, Marianna;
Kolarevic, Jelena;
Fossmark, Ragnhild Olsen;
Tveten, Ann-Kristin;
Gaumet, Frederic.
(2020)
A salty start: Brackish water start-up as a microbial management strategy for nitrifying bioreactors with variable salinity.
Science of the Total Environment
Academic article
-
Navada, Sharada ;
Vadstein, Olav;
Gaumet, Frederic;
Tveten, Ann-Kristin;
Spanu, Claudia;
Mikkelsen, Øyvind.
(2020)
Biofilms remember: Osmotic stress priming as a microbial management strategy for improving salinity acclimation in nitrifying biofilms.
Water Research
Academic article
-
Navada, Sharada;
Vadstein, Olav;
Tveten, Ann-Kristin;
Verstege, Gerhardus C.;
Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn;
Mota, Vasco C..
(2019)
Influence of rate of salinity increase on nitrifying biofilms.
Journal of Cleaner Production
Academic article
-
Aslam, Shazia Nusrat;
Navada, Sharada;
Bye, Gisle Roel;
Mota, Vasco C.;
Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn;
Mikkelsen, Øyvind.
(2019)
Effect of CO2 on elemental concentrations in recirculating aquaculture system tanks.
Aquaculture
Academic article
Knowledge Transfer
2020
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Academic lectureNavada, Sharada ; Gaumet, Frederic; Tveten, Ann-Kristin; Kolarevic, Jelena; Vadstein, Olav. (2020) Seeding as a salinity acclimation strategy in nitrifying bioreactors. Nofima Smolt Conference of the Future , Sunndalsøra (virtual) 2020-10-21 -
2019
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PosterNavada, Sharada ; Vadstein, Olav; Gaumet, Frederic; Tveten, Ann-Kristin; Spanu, Claudia; Mikkelsen, Øyvind. (2019) Improving salinity adaptation of nitrifying biofilms with seawater priming . 8th IWA Microbial Ecology & Water Engineering Specialist Conference (MEWE) , Hiroshima 2019-11-17 - 2019-11-20
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Academic lectureNavada, Sharada ; Vadstein, Olav; Tveten, Ann-Kristin; Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn; Mota, Vasco C.; Gaumet, Frederic. (2019) Influence of rate of salinity increase on nitrifying biofilms . 8th IWA Microbial Ecology & Water Engineering Specialist Conference (MEWE) , Hiroshima 2019-11-17 - 2019-11-20
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PosterSebastianpillai, Marianna; Navada, Sharada ; Fossmark, Ragnhild Olsen; Vadstein, Olav. (2019) Nitrifying Capacity and Microbial Community Structure during Start-up of Freshwater and Brackish water Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. Norske Kjemiske Selskap NBS Contact Meeting , Røros 2019-01-24 - 2019-01-27
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Academic lectureNavada, Sharada ; Gaumet, Frederic; Vadstein, Olav; Spanu, Claudia; Mikkelsen, Øyvind; Kolarevic, Jelena. (2019) Improving salinity adaptation in nitrifying bioreactors by seawater priming. European Aquaculture Society AE2019 , Berlin 2019-10-08 - 2019-10-10
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Academic lectureNavada, Sharada ; Sebastianpillai, Marianna; Gaumet, Frederic; Vadstein, Olav; Fossmark, Ragnhild Olsen; Mikkelsen, Øyvind. (2019) Salinity change strategies for biofilters in RAS for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). NordicRAS , Berlin 2019-10-07 - 2019-10-08
2018
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Academic lectureNavada, Sharada. (2018) Effect of change in water salinity on nitrification in moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR). . Nofima AS Presentation at Smolt production in the future – 5th Conference on Recirculating Aquaculture , Sunndalsøra 2018-10-23 - 2018-10-24
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Academic lectureNavada, Sharada; Verstege, Gerhardus C.; Terjesen, Bendik Fyhn; Mikkelsen, Øyvind; Gaumet, Frederic; Mota, Vasco C.. (2018) Biofilter salinity change strategies for Atlantic salmon post-smolt production in RAS. World Aquaculture Society, European Aquaculture Society AQUA 2018 , Montpellier 2018-08-25 - 2018-08-29
2017
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LectureNavada, Sharada. (2017) Secrets of a biofilter - Why microscopic things matter. AQUA NOR , Trondheim 2017-08-15 - 2017-08-18
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LectureNavada, Sharada. (2017) Improving salmon production with better water quality - The Eco-Way. Oslo Innovation Week , Oslo 2017-08-30 - 2017-08-30
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LectureNavada, Sharada. (2017) Lower energy need with better biofilter. AQUA NOR , Trondheim 2017-08-15 - 2017-08-18