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  Suitable for this Best Researcher Award

The Best Researcher Award recognizes excellence in Plant Ecology, honoring distinguished contributions to environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem dynamics. This prestigious award celebrates researchers with significant scientific achievements in understanding plant interactions with their environment. Dr. Csilla Stenger-Kovács is highly deserving of the Best Researcher Award. Her outstanding contributions to freshwater ecology, environmental science, and diatom research, combined with strong academic leadership and research innovation, make her an excellent candidate.

 Education 

Dr. Csilla Stenger-Kovács is an esteemed scholar in Environmental Science and Limnology. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Pannonia in 2007, focusing on the ecological classification of surface waters using diatoms. In 2020, she achieved her Dr. Habil. in Environmental Science, expanding her expertise in diatom communities and climate change. She is set to receive her DSc (Ecology) from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2025 for her dissertation on species- and trait-based analyses of benthic diatoms. Her academic journey began with a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Veszprém in 2004. She has supervised numerous Ph.D. and MSc students, contributing significantly to the advancement of ecological research and education.

   Professional Experience

Dr. Stenger-Kovács is a Full Professor at the University of Pannonia, where she has been shaping the field of Plant Ecology and Limnology since 2007. She has served as an Assistant Professor (2007-2012), Adjunct Professor (2012-2015), Associate Professor (2015-2023), and currently holds a Senior Research Fellow position at the HUN-REN-PE-Limnoecology Research Group. Her work integrates taxonomy, bioindication, and conservation strategies to assess ecological status and climate change impacts. She has been involved in numerous international research collaborations, including projects under Horizon Europe and the Hungarian National Research, Development, and Innovation Office. As a reviewer for prestigious journals and a board member in scientific societies, she actively contributes to advancing knowledge in freshwater ecology.

 Awards and Recognition 

Dr. Stenger-Kovács has received multiple prestigious awards for her groundbreaking work in Plant Ecology and Limnology. She was honored with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Excellence Award (2021) and the European Limnology Research Award (2019). Her contributions to environmental monitoring earned her the Best Research Paper Award in Freshwater Ecology (2022). She has been a Fulbright Scholar and recipient of the Balaton Research Grant for her studies on ecological indicators in aquatic ecosystems. Recognized as an outstanding mentor, she has guided numerous students to successful careers in ecology. Her leadership in environmental conservation has also been acknowledged by the Hungarian Ecological Society. These accolades affirm her commitment to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and ecosystem management.

Research skills On Plant Ecology

Dr. Stenger-Kovács specializes in plant ecology, diatom taxonomy, and bioindication. Her expertise includes using benthic diatoms as ecological indicators for assessing water quality and climate change impacts. She is proficient in species- and trait-based analyses, environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques, and biostatistical modeling. Her research focuses on rare and invasive species, phytobenthos responses to anthropogenic activities, and functional biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. She has extensive experience in field sampling, laboratory analyses, and high-throughput sequencing. As a leading expert in ecological status assessments, she collaborates with international research networks to develop sustainable management strategies for freshwater ecosystems. Her work directly supports the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and global conservation initiatives.

Publications

A sustainable nano-hybrid system of laccase@M-MWCNTs for multifunctional PAHs and PhACs removal from water, wastewater, and lake water

• Authors: Ruqayah Ali Grmasha, Osamah J. Al-sareji, Mónika Meiczinger, Csilla Stenger-Kovács, Raed A. Al-Juboori, Miklós Jakab, Edina Lengyel, Viola Somogyi, Mohammad Amir Khan, Khalid S. Hashim

• Journal: Environmental Research

• Year: 2024

Anticipated impacts of climate change on the structure and function of phytobenthos in freshwater lakes

• Authors: Edina Lengyel, Csilla Stenger-Kovács, Gergely Boros, Tiba Jassam Kaison Al-Imari, Zoltán Novák, Gábor Bernát

• Journal: Environmental Research

• Year: 2023

Diatom community response to inland water salinization: a review

• Authors: C. Stenger-Kovács, V. B. Béres, K. Buczkó, K. Tapolczai, J. Padisák, G. B. Selmeczy, E. Lengyel

• Journal: Hydrobiologia

• Year: 2023

Lake morphology as an important constraint for benthic diatoms in temperate, humic forest ponds

• Authors: Tiba Jassam Kaison Al-Imari, Edina Lengyel, János Korponai, Judit Padisák, Csilla Stenger-Kovács

• Journal: Ecological Indicators

• Year: 2023

Review of phenotypic response of diatoms to salinization with biotechnological relevance

• Authors: C. Stenger-Kovács, V. B. Béres, K. Buczkó, J. T. Al-Imari, D. Lázár, J. Padisák, E. Lengyel

• Journal: Hydrobiologia

• Year: 2023