Rai Kookana
CSIRO, University of Adelaide, Australia
Dr. Rai Kookana has dedicated more than 40 years to understanding and protecting our planet from chemical pollutants. As a leading expert in Environmental Chemistry, his research shapes how we manage the risks of organic contaminants—from traditional and modern pesticides (Nano pesticides, Biopesticides) to modern threats like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—ensuring a safer world for both humans and ecosystems.
Dr. Kookana’s leadership extends globally through his current work on IUPAC projects exploring nanopesticides and biopesticides, as well as his past tenure as President of IUPAC’s Chemistry and the Environment Division (2018–2019). Back home in Australia, his legacy as a former Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO earned him the Lifetime Achievement Medal in 2021. Today, he continues to inspire the next generation of scientists as an Affiliate Professor at the University of Adelaide, backed by a prolific portfolio of over 300 publications and 30,000 citations.