Vikas Agrawal

Chemical Hygiene Officer, Department of Geology and Geography

Vikas Agrawal is currently the chemical hygiene officer for the Department of Geology and Geography. Vikas serves as a Research Assistant Professor and manages the IsoBioGeM (Isotopic and Biogeochemical Characterization of Geological Materials) lab in the department. He obtained his BS-MS dual degree (in 2013) from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Kolkata, India. He received his doctoral degree (in 2018) from the Department of Geology and Geography, WVU. At WVU, Vikas received the John C. and Mildred Ludlum Geology award, the Heald Promising Research award, and an AAPG Grants-in-Aid fund.

Vikas’s research utilizes organic and inorganic geochemical tools to address a wide variety of issues related to energy and environment. His research focuses on improving hydrocarbon extraction efficiency from petroleum systems, determining environmental impacts of energy extraction, enhancing CO2 sequestration, improving rare earth element (REE) extractability from coals, and understanding the impacts of seawater intrusion in coastal wetlands. He has published several articles in energy and environment journals and has presented his work at national and international meetings. He also teaches undergraduate-level petroleum geology courses at WVU.