Author: G.V. Pavan Kumar

Namaste, Hola & Welcome from G.V. Pavan Kumar. I am a Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India. My research interests are : (1) Optics & Soft Matter: Optically Induced Forces – Assembly, Dynamics & Function; (2) History and Philosophy of Science – Ideas in Physical Sciences. I am interested in the historical and philosophical evolution of ideas and tools in the physical sciences and technology. I research the intellectual history of past scientists, innovators, and people driven by curiosity, and I write about them from an Indian and Asian perspective. My motivation is to humanize science. In the same spirit, I write and host my podcast Pratidhvani – Humanizing Science.

Conversation with Guruswamy Kumaraswamy

Guru is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay : https://sites.google.com/view/guru-group/group-members?authuser=0

In this episode, we explore his intellectual journey from Chembur, IIT Bombay, Caltech, NCL Pune and back to IIT Bombay. Guru explains how and why he is interested in soft matter and sustainability-related problems. He explains how one can evolve research questions that are attractive to academia and industries.

Listen as we humanize science.  

Guru and his team are dedicated to optimizing material utilization, designing materials that are more functional and easier to recycle and reuse. They explore the fascinating world of soft matter, which surrounds us in everyday life, from plastic bags to biological materials.

Guru’s research focuses on three key areas: sustainable materials and processes, designer functional materials, and circularity through recycling and reuse. His group is working on innovative solutions like flame retardant nanocomposites, high-functionality membranes, and value-added materials from waste plastics.

References:

  1. “Guru Kumaraswamy.” Accessed June 11, 2024. https://sites.google.com/view/guru-group/home.
  2. “Guru Kumaraswamy – Group Members.” n.d. Accessed June 11, 2024. https://sites.google.com/view/guru-group/group-members.
  3. “Guruswamy Kumaraswamy | Chemical Engineering.” n.d. Accessed June 11, 2024. https://www.che.iitb.ac.in/faculty/guruswamy-kumaraswamy.
  4. “‪Guruswamy Kumaraswamy – ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed June 11, 2024. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rRaAd4YAAAAJ&hl=en.
  5. “Guruswamy Kumaraswamy (@GuruKumaraswamy) / X.” 2024. X (Formerly Twitter). June 1, 2024. https://x.com/gurukumaraswamy.

Conversation with Venu Gopal Achanta

Gopal is an experimental physicist, a Professor at TIFR Mumbai and currently heads the National Physics Laboratory, Delhi. https://www.tifr.res.in/achanta/

He and his research group have made important contributions in plasmonics, metamaterials and metrology. His work on magneto-plasmonics, plasmonic quasicrystals, exciton dynamics and quantum nanophotonics has opened some avenues in the field.

In this episode, we discuss his intellectual journey from Guntur, Mumbai, Japan and back to Mumbai, and on the way we explore how he got 2 PhDs and plenty of knowledge in semiconductor optics and plasmonics. We also discuss the importance of metrology in science and engineering and how it can impact the society.

A small segment in Telugu and some wonder memories of his student and postdoc days in India and Japan.

Listen as we humanize science.

References:

  1. “FOTON Laboratory.” n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.tifr.res.in/achanta/.
  2. Achanta, Venu Gopal. 2015. “Plasmonic Quasicrystals.” Progress in Quantum Electronics 39 (January):1–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pquantelec.2014.12.002.
  3. 2020. “Surface Waves at Metal-Dielectric Interfaces: Material Science Perspective.” Reviews in Physics 5 (November):100041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revip.2020.100041.
  4. Akashvani AIR, dir. 2024. Science Talk II Prof Dr Venugopal Achanta, Director, CSIR – National Physical Laboratory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBW9HVPuVV0.
  5. Belotelov, V. I., I. A. Akimov, M. Pohl, V. A. Kotov, S. Kasture, A. S. Vengurlekar, Achanta Venu Gopal, D. R. Yakovlev, A. K. Zvezdin, and M. Bayer. 2011. “Enhanced Magneto-Optical Effects in Magnetoplasmonic Crystals.” Nature Nanotechnology 6 (6): 370–76. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2011.54.
  6. “DCMPMS.” n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.tifr.res.in/dcmpms/venugopal_achanta.php.
  7. “Metamaterials for Quantum Technologies by Venu Gopal Achanta – YouTube.” n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7FEfz3hxMc.
  8. “Our Director – NPL.” n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.nplindia.org/index.php/about-us/directors-message/.
  9. “Prof. Venu Gopal Achanta Elected as a Member of International Committee for Weight and Measures (CIPM).” n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.pib.gov.in/www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1877736.
  10. Rab, Shanay, V. K. Jaiswal, D. D. Shivagan, Goutam Mandal, Ashutosh Agarwal, Sanjay Yadav, D. K. Aswal, and Venu Gopal Achanta. 2024. “An Update on the State of the Art of Metric System in India.” https://www.services.bis.gov.in/tmp/WCPGD16325508_01052024_1.pdf.
  11. Science Talk II Prof Dr Venugopal Achanta, Director, CSIR – National Physical Laboratory. n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBW9HVPuVV0.
  12. “‪Venu Gopal Achanta – ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed May 26, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=ZgLTn-EAAAAJ&hl=en.

50 deg C – here to stay..

India and many parts of the world are facing severe heat waves. Routinely, we are observing recorded temperatures much above 40 degrees Celsius.

Where is the problem? How to overcome this?

We need an ecological reset, perhaps a new social contract with nature. We may have to ask what human development means to us in the short and long term. Using technologies, quick-fix solutions can wash the eyes, not the dust inside them. Despite being an experimental physicist who likes to tinker with nature and is fascinated by machines, I am saying this.

Many proposed solutions to alleviate the problem of climate change are not sustainable. It is no longer just a question of science or technology deployment. We need a change in human behaviour on a large scale, and this includes governments, industries, and common people. Collective incoherence is the crux of the problem, and until we address it, we will see 50 deg C more often and in many places.

Conversation with Devapriya Chattopadhyay

Devapriya Chattopadhyay is a paleobiologist and marine ecologist who studies how marine organisms respond to their environment over ecological and evolutionary timescales. We explore her intellectual journey from Bengal, Mumbai, Michigan, Kolkata and Pune.

She is a professor in the Earth & Climate Science department at IISER Pune: http://sites.iiserpune.ac.in/~devapriya/

Her research focuses on shelled molluscs, using a combination of fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and statistical modelling to investigate predator-prey dynamics, fossil records, and modern distributions along the Indian coast.

Listen as we humanize science.

Spotify:

Apple and Google podcast

References :

  1. “Home | Devapriya.” n.d. Accessed May 21, 2024. http://sites.iiserpune.ac.in/~devapriya/.
  2. “‪Devapriya Chattopadhyay – ‪Google Scholar.” n.d. Accessed May 21, 2024. https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=uYcuqt0AAAAJ&hl=en.
  3. “Devapriya Chattopadhyay – IISER Pune.” n.d. Accessed May 21, 2024. https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/research/department/earth-and-climate-science/people/faculty/regular-faculty/devapriya-chattopadhyay/250.
  4. “Devapriya Chattopadhyay (@Devapriya_Chat) / X.” 2024. X (Formerly Twitter). May 10, 2024. https://x.com/Devapriya_Chat.
  5. IISER Pune Science Activity Centre, dir. 2022. Rocks Full of Life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N11vzrQtcZs.
  6. NPTEL-NOC IITM, dir. 2023. Course Structure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQz3J1VMF1Q.
  7. “The Evolution of the Earth and Life – Course.” n.d. Accessed May 21, 2024. https://onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in/noc23_ce54/preview.

Conversation with Arnab Mukherjee

Arnab Mukherjee is a professor of chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, India. He is also associated with the Data Science Department at IISER Pune.

His webpage : https://www.iiserpuneccblab.com/

In this episode, we go into granular details about his educational experiences and how he got interested in science. He highlights how chasing marks turned from a boon to a curse with a stunning narrative of his student career. There are some profound lessons to learn from his experiences.

 His research interests include computational chemistry and biophysics. Specifically, he and his group work on “various topics ranging from drug-DNA intercalation, DNA structural change, single water entropy, protein folding and protein-DNA binding, dynamical recrossing and internal friction in proteins and machine learning. He also collaborates with experimental colleagues in projects such as synthetic ion channels, spectroscopic investigation of molecular recognition, etc.”

Listen as we humanize science.

on Apple and Google podcast

References :