Sumanta Chowdhury -Materials for Energy and Environment Award – Best Researcher Award

Sumanta Chowdhury -Materials for Energy and Environment Award – Best Researcher Award

Mr.Sumanta Chowdhury distinguished academic and researcher in the field Materials for Energy and Environment. The individual possesses a robust skill set and extensive experience in various areas of synthetic chemistry, material characterization, and applications of reticular frameworks (RFMs) such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs). His expertise spans from the synthesis and nano-crystallization of RFMs to the development of RFM-based materials like electrospun nanofibrous membranes. He is well-versed in employing diverse synthetic techniques including solid-state, solution-phase, microwave, room temperature, and microfluidic synthesis.

Moreover, he is proficient in handling a wide range of instruments for material characterization. This includes UV-Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermo gravimetric analysis coupled with differential scanning calorimetry, gas chromatography, elemental analysis, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. He possesses advanced skills in sample preparation, data collection, analysis, and troubleshooting associated with these techniques.

Furthermore, his expertise extends to various applications of RFMs including heterogeneous catalysis, gas adsorption, water remediation, gas sensing, and anticancer drug delivery. He has hands-on experience in conducting in-vitro cell culture studies for evaluating the effectiveness of RFM-based drug delivery systems. Overall, his proficiency and experience make him a valuable asset in research and development efforts related to RFMs and their applications.

🌐 Professional Profiles

Educations📚📚📚

He completed his Masters in Chemistry with a specialization in Organic Chemistry from the University of Calcutta in 2017, graduating with First Class honors. During his post-graduation, he worked on a project titled “Core/Shell Ru@SiO4 catalyst: Preparation, Characterization and application in Organo-nanocatalysis” under the guidance of Prof. Dilip Kumar Maity (FRSC) at the Department of Chemistry, Rajabazar Science College/University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India from 2016 to 2017.

Subsequently, he contributed to the DST-SERB funded project “Development of Pristine Graphene as a Catalyst Support” from 2018 to 2020. This research endeavor was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Prem Felix Siril and Prof. Subrata Ghosh, both esteemed professors at the School of Chemical Science, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Academic Achievements/Awards

He has garnered several notable academic achievements and awards throughout his career. In June 2018, he achieved a remarkable rank of 31 (LS) in the Joint CSIR-UGC Junior Research Fellowship & Eligibility for Lectureship (NET, Chemistry) for Chemical Sciences, demonstrating his proficiency in the field. Additionally, in the same year, he secured a commendable rank of 1209 (93.8 percentile) in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE, Chemistry), further attesting to his academic prowess.

His contributions to research have been recognized with prestigious accolades such as the Best Poster Award in Catalysis for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability (CEES-2023) and CO2 INDIA NETWORK- 2nd Annual Meet, held from 25-27th September, 2023, at IIT Mandi. Furthermore, his self-designed scientific illustration was selected as the “Inside Cover Art” in the RSC Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology journal, published in 2024.

He is also a Certified Associate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry since 2023, highlighting his commitment to professional development and recognition within the scientific community. Moreover, his dedication to research has been further affirmed by securing a Core Research Grant from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) for the project titled “Sustainable Green Hydrogen Production from Glycerol using Continuous Flow Photoreforming: Process and Catalyst Development.”

Teaching/Mentoring Experience

He has extensive experience in teaching and mentoring within the academic realm. He has mentored numerous postgraduate students for their thesis submissions as part of the requirements for the award of their degrees. Notable examples include guiding Parul Sharma for her thesis titled “Lewis & Bronsted Dual Acidic Site Promoted Catalysis for Biodiesel Production” submitted in 2020, and overseeing Muskan Kaur’s thesis on “Design of ZIF-COF Composite for CO2 and epoxide conversion to cyclic carbonates” submitted in 2022. Additionally, he supervised Arun Singh’s thesis on “Investigation of ionic-COFs As Catalytic Support to Silver Nanoparticles for CO2 Adsorption and Dye Degradation” also submitted in 2022, and Ekta Malik’s thesis on “External Surface Area Modulation of Covalent Organic Polymers to Remove Permanganate Ion at an Unprecedented Rate” submitted in 2023. Currently, he is supervising Santanu Saha for his upcoming thesis titled “Covalent Organic Nanospheres for Therapeutic Application and Their Interplay with Immune System,” which is expected to be submitted in 2024.

In addition to mentoring, he has served as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in Inorganic Chemistry Practical Coursework for M.Sc. students from 2019 to 2021. His responsibilities included teaching theory and practical classes, conducting hands-on laboratory experiments, drafting test papers, organizing exams and viva sessions, and grading assessments. His dedication to teaching and mentoring underscores his commitment to fostering academic excellence and nurturing the next generation of scientists and researchers.

Conferences/Symposiums:

He has actively participated in various conferences, symposiums, and seminars, showcasing his research findings and staying updated with the latest advancements in his field. At the Modern Trends in Inorganic Chemistry (MTIC XVIII) in December 2019 held at IIT Guwahati, he presented a poster titled “Microwave Assisted Green Synthesis of Nanostructured Zinc Glutarate as Potential Heterogeneous Catalyst for CO2 Conversion.”

Moreover, he presented another poster titled “Systematic Thiol Decoration in a Redox-Active UiO-66-(SH)2 Metal–Organic Framework: A Case Study under Oxidative and Reductive Conditions” at the International Symposium on Advanced Microscopy and its Applications in Materials Science-2022 held at IIT Madras in November 2022.

In September 2023, he participated in the Catalysis for Energy, Environment and Sustainability (CEES-2023) and CO2 INDIA NETWORK- 2nd Annual Meet at IIT Mandi, where he presented a poster titled “Can active sites promote thermocatalytic CO2 conversion without engaging in CO2 adsorption?”

He also attended a One Day Seminar on BET Surface Area Characterization and Powder Rheology held on 24th Feb 2020. Additionally, he actively participated in online events such as the ACS Spring 2021 conference held from April 5-16 and the International Adsorption Society Webinar Series on Porous Frameworks and Reticular Nano-Synthesis by Prof. Rahul Banerjee on August 9, 2022. These engagements demonstrate his commitment to staying informed about the latest developments in his field and contributing to the scientific community.

📝🔬Publications📝🔬