Dr Kookana has more than 30 years research experience as an environmental chemist focusing on the fate of organic contaminants, including pesticides, endocrine disrupting chemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products as well as other xenobiotics (nanoparticles) and emerging contaminants (e.g. Hydraulic fracking chemicals, Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances - PFAS) in the environment. His research has largely focussed on the understanding of fate and effects of organic contaminants, with a view to managing and mitigating their ecological and human health risks in the environment.

Dr Kookana received his Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Agriculture (1978) and the Master of Science in Soil Science (1980) degrees from the Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India. In 1989 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Soil Science by The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

For his pioneering scientific contributions and delivery of outcomes and impact to government and industry, Dr Kookana was elected a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America. For his outstanding contributions to soil science, Soil Science Australia awarded him the prestigious Prescott Medal in 2016.

Dr Kookana served as the President of the IUPAC Division of Chemistry and the Environment for the 2018-19 biennium. IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry - IUPAC) is the international peak body in chemistry. Currently, he is an elected Titular Member of IUPAC. He also served as a Science Fellow of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). Dr Kookana is currently a member of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, representing IUPAC. In 2023, he was invited by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of India (New Delhi) to join the Academy as a Pravasi (Foreign) Fellow.

Dr Kookana has published more than 300 articles that has been cited >13,000 times (ISI) and > 20000 (Google Scholar). His current (December 2022) H index is 58 (ISI) and 70 (Google Scholar).