04 Feb 2026
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Ankit Garg, Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, School of Science (SCI) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), has been awarded the prestigious title of Fellow of the British Society of Soil Science (F I Soil Sci). This distinguished honor recognizes Dr. Garg’s exceptional contributions to soil science, his leadership in research and education, and his international impact in the fields of bio-geotechnics, green infrastructure, and sustainable geo-environmental engineering. The Fellowship was formally approved by the Society’s Professional Practice & Development Committee (PPDC), which elevated only nine researchers worldwide to Fellow status this year. Among these, Dr. Garg was the sole recipient based in China, underscoring the global significance of his work and the prestige of this recognition. The other eight fellows are based in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
Photo1:Confirmation letter from British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) for the fellowship
Photo2:Dr Ankit Garg presenting as a Keynote Speaker at 24th Pacific Science Congress held at Shantou, China
The committee highlighted Dr. Garg’s extensive publication record and his leadership of a research group focused on soil-plant-atmosphere interactions, noting his “many esteem indicators” and contributions that extend far beyond his day-to-day responsibilities. Dr Garg would like to express his sincere gratitude to Prof. John Moraros (Dean of the SCI, XJTLU) and Prof. Eben Goodale (Head of the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences) for their continuous encouragement and support. He also extends heartfelt thanks to his collaborators Prof. Guoxiong Mei (Zhejiang University, China), Prof. Honghu Zhu (Nanjing University, China), Prof. Rui Chen (Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, China), Prof. Sreedeep S (Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, India), and Prof. Neelima Satyam (IIT Indore, India).
Among Dr. Garg’s many accolades are the Telford Premium Prize awarded by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) UK in 2020 for his influential publication in Géotechnique Letters. His research has also been recognized with the Best Research Paper Award from the UNESCO Chair for Water Management in Central Asia, and he was named an Honorary Member of the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Society in 2025. In 2021, he received the Young Alumni Achiever Award from IIT Guwahati for his outstanding research contributions.
A significant testament to the global reach of his work is the recognition by Caparrós-Martínez et al. (2020) in their comprehensive review “Green Infrastructure and Water: An Analysis of Global Research,” where Dr. Garg’s research group was identified as having the highest number of publications in Web of Science on the topic of ‘Green Infrastructure’ from 2010–2019, underscoring his leadership in this critical area of study. Dr. Garg also contributes to the scientific community through editorial leadership, serving as Associate Editor for Acta Geophysica (Polish Academy of Sciences), Associate Editor for the Journal of Smart Construction and Sustainable Cities (Springer), and Associate Editor for Materials Circular Economy (Springer). He has also guest-edited special issues in leading journals including the Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (Elsevier), International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering (Springer), and Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (Springer).
Dr. Garg’s international engagement is reflected in his former visiting positions at leading institutions across the globe, including the University of Leeds (UK), University of Macau (China), ITMO University (Russia), Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan), and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (India). His research collaborations span continents, reinforcing his standing as a globally recognized scholar. He also warmly acknowledges the dedication and achievements of his former students, many of whom now hold prestigious positions as professors, researchers, and engineers in renowned organizations in the UK, Finland, the USA, China. Their success is a testament to the impactful research environment Dr. Garg has fostered.
As a prolific author, editor, and keynote speaker in various International conferences, Dr Garg continues to bridge innovation with sustainability in geotechnical and environmental engineering. His work on biochar, soil-plant interactions, and AI-aided geo-environmental monitoring has been widely cited and implemented in both academic and applied contexts. The School of Science and XJTLU community congratulates Dr. Ankit Garg on this well-deserved fellowship and looks forward to his continued contributions to science and education on the global stage.
Content: Dr Ankit Garg
Review: Professor John Moraros、Dr Ankit Garg
04 Feb 2026