Yakuta Bhagat

Yakuta Bhagat, Ph.D. is a senior scientist and technical lead in the ecological services division of EnviroScience with over 15 years of combined experience in academia and consulting. Dr. Bhagat earned her Ph.D. from Trent University, Canada, studying the degree of morphological adaptation and genetic variation in invasive fish species from Portugal and Spain. Her post-doctoral fellowship, at Grand Valley State University, Michigan, involved leading and conducting research on fish population modeling, invasive species distribution, and sport fish recruitment dynamics. Dr. Bhagat has worked in environmental consulting since 2011. Her principal areas of expertise include water quality and habitat assessments, biological community evaluations, ecological risk assessments, NPDES permitting, and toxicological evaluations of sediment, surface water, and groundwater. Dr. Bhagat has led projects internationally in long-term biomonitoring and biological indicator development, using macroinvertebrate and fish communities, for streams, lakes, and freshwater reservoirs. Her technical expertise in statistical analysis and modeling routinely helps clients in evaluating complex data sets, devising treatment and mitigation plans, and developing strategies for meeting compliance with regulatory standards. She has authored/co-authored over 30 technical publications including articles in peer-reviewed journals. As a project manager, Dr. Bhagat regularly develops proposals and sampling and analysis plans, in addition to managing budgets and maintaining relationships with clients and regulatory agencies.