Manisha Choudhary

Assistant Professor

Contact information

Education

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, 2019
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, 2014
B.S., Chemical Engineering, MBM University, 2011

Professional experience

Before joining K-State, Manisha Choudhary held a postdoctoral research associate appointment in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Maine, where her work included PFAS capture and destruction, regeneration of PFAS-laden granular activated carbon, graphene-based adsorbents, non-thermal plasma treatment and sensor technologies. Choudhary also taught wastewater process design and mentored undergraduate and graduate researchers.

Previously, Choudhary was a postdoctoral researcher in civil and environmental engineering at Temple University working on LC-MS/MS analytical methods and pulsed electrical discharge plasma reactors for treatment of emerging contaminants.

Research

Choudhary’s research focuses on developing practical and scalable technologies to remove and destroy emerging contaminants in drinking water, wastewater, agricultural systems and contaminated soils. Her work addresses contaminants including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. By integrating engineered adsorbent materials, including graphene-based and other carbonaceous adsorbents, with treatment approaches such as nonthermal plasma and microwave technology, she develops physical-chemical solutions that minimize chemical additives, reduce harmful byproducts and perform effectively in complex environmental systems.

Her research also examines the fate and transport of emerging contaminants and develops educational tools to communicate environmental pollution and potential solutions. Guided by the principles of One Water and the circular economy, Choudhary seeks to build a mechanistic understanding of contaminant behavior and treatment processes and translate that knowledge into technologies that enable water reuse, resource recovery and resilient environmental systems while protecting human health, agriculture and ecosystems.

Academic highlights

Choudhary has authored more than 15 peer-reviewed publications and has led or co-led interdisciplinary projects supported by USDA-ARS, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (Maine DACF), UMS TRANSFORMS and the University of Maine's Innovation, Research and Technology Accelerator (MIRTA) program. Her funded work has addressed PFAS removal and destruction, regeneration of PFAS-laden granular activated carbon and PFAS transport in soil.

Choudhary was recognized as a 2024 AAEES 40 Under 40 Rising Star in Environmental Engineering and Science and was also selected as a 2025 Purdue Trailblazers in Engineering Fellow.